Since the Georgia State Parks are open and our state is lifting shelter-in-place restrictions, we chose to hike at Cloudland Canyon State Park. Located 120 miles northwest from Atlanta, it’s almost in Tennessee near Chattanooga.
Dear Hubbie (DH) and I hiked the rim trail years ago and more recently, we took the whole family on a Wild Cave tour. Click here to read the article “Muddy Adventures” I wrote for Atlanta Parent magazine.
One of my favorite state parks close to Atlanta is Sweetwater Creek. I’ve written about it for RootsRated, the now-defunct Touring Bird and here on this blog. Now that traveling has stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve ventured to several nearby outdoor spots for early morning hiking.
Fees & Parking
Although Georgia’s state parks remained open during the shelter-in-place order, we waited until the restrictions lifted in May to venture 30 minutes to the park located west of Atlanta, just a few miles off of I-20. The visitor center is still temporarily closed, but bathroom facilities are open. Fees are $5 per car which can be purchased online to avoid dealing with cash at the pay stations.
Life was going along smoothly with several college visits planned during the spring of 2020. In mid-March, the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to all travel plans as shelter in place orders dominated the global landscape. Seven weeks later, the state of Georgia is opening up and we’re slowly venturing outdoors to enjoy hiking near the Atlanta area.
Located about 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta, Red Top Mountain State Park had fallen off of our radar. Before having children, we took our dogs on frequent hikes there with a dog hikers group. For whatever reason, we hadn’t been to the park in many years and felt this was the best time to explore the area.
One of my favorite getaways is Callaway Gardens. People sometimes laugh when they hear this as it’s only 90 minutes from Atlanta. However, in the mid-1970’s and early 80’s my parents took me there (over 600 miles from my hometown of Shreveport, LA) for a one-week vacation every summer for many years. I loved it because they offered a day-camp for kids led by Florida State University (FSU) students. The students also participated in the FSU Flying High Circus which performed during the summers. My parents joined planned activities for adults including water skiing, sailing, a trip to near-by Warm Springs, fishing, tennis and golf. We stayed in cottages, rode bikes everywhere, made new friends and ate delicious food. It was the southern (and mostly non-Jewish) version of the Catskills resorts in New York. Because it holds many fond memories, I often return for a respite from city life.
A few azaleas remain from the spring.
I needed such a respite last May so I booked a solo overnight trip. However, I didn’t realize how long it had been since I’d visited until I noticed half of the Mountain Creek Inn disappeared. (more…)
