Elijah Clark State Park

We have been told repeatedly that we needed to visit some of the Georgia state parks, because they have some fantastic wildlife and beautiful landscapes. That and my wife was still trigger happy with the camera after our visit to New York, so we naturally decided that we would wait a few weeks and then make the journey up from Florida to this wonderful place.

Were adventurers so this was just another expedition that we couldn’t wait for! We were ecstatic when the day finally arrived, we had packed the night before and made plans with Enterprise to get a small, durable car. It’s becoming tradition for us to rent a car whenever we go on one of our expeditions. The employee over the phone suggested that we take the Pontiac G5, because it had good gas mileage and lots of leg-room. We chose the one with a leather interior, and boy was it a smooth ride. We began our trip headed directly for Elijah Clark State Park, a beautiful are with twenty cottages, campsites and a serious of lakes and streams. One of the park officials said the place was nearly 70,000 acres, so we naturally couldn’t refuse this adventuresome expedition.

We arrived on the grounds and planned to stay for three days, we had made reservations prior so our cottage was prepped and ready, we stored our luggage inside and prepared for the night, after a long day of driving it was a good idea to hit the sack and hour or two early.

When we awoke at seven we headed straight for the park trails, with camera in hand we walked through the low rising hills taking pictures of flowers and any piece of nature that stood out of place. The deeper we went the more animals we saw, and the further we got the more “exotic,” they got. That is to say we saw an otter and box turtles, things you don’t see on the side of the road! We stopped out in the woods and had a picnic of sandwiches. After nearly four hours of hiking we decided to head back, it was a long trek and if it hadn’t been for all the water we brought we’d have sweated to our last breath. Now don’t get confused we didn’t travel far, we spent nearly 90% of the time on the way out taking pictures, so if I am about right we were only a three or four miles out. Boy am I glad were still in healthy condition, I may be old but I can walk patiently through the woods.

The next day we rented a canoe, and ventured around the lake, stopping on one side to attempt to fish, I say attempt because well… I didn’t catch a single thing. But sitting under the shade on the beach and laying out in the sun at select times wasn’t to bad a way to waste the day. If you ask me I thoroughly enjoyed my time out in the wood.

The next day we paid to have a guided tour, where we did a little of anything and everything. They took us for a short hike out into the woods and then back to lake for some boating, which proved a much better way to see the animals. The guide knew where every animal was, exactly where they would be, and where they were when they weren’t there. Do you understand? The guides should have been parents, the kids wouldn’t be able to hide. We enjoyed our time here so much that we extended our stay. Unfortunately they needed the cottage for another couple, so we rented a tent and hit the campgrounds.

That was probably the coolest part, we sat there almost all night and watched the stars. There isn’t any light pollution out in the woods, so you can see every star in the night sky. The next morning we went down to the water and relaxed for several hours, and then had lunch. We packed the Pontiac G5 that had satisfied us thus far and headed back. If you get a chance to break away from the everyday life, this is a really good solution.