Go PLAY after Labor Day

The end of summer doesn’t have to mean the end of fun in the great outdoors. As Labor Day approaches, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages families to get outdoors over the holiday weekend and continue enjoying outdoor activities into the fall.

“The amount of time that the average child spends outside today is half of what it was 20 years ago,” said DNR Commissioner Chris Clark. “As summer draws to a close and kids head back to school, it’s important for families to plan fun outdoor activities that keep them moving.”

The DNR provides numerous ways to keep families active, from ranger programs to historic reenactments, and from wildlife management areas to fishing piers. Below are suggestions for getting outside this autumn:

State Parks Offer Labor Day Activities:

Labor Day Festival: Saturday, Sep 4 until Monday, Sep 6, 10 AM to 3 PM; Florence Marina State Park - Omaha, GA; Family celebration including games, boat rides, and crafts. $4 plus $5 parking. 229-838-4706.

Labor Day at Fort McAllister: Saturday, Sep 4, 10 AM to 4 PM; Fort McAllister Historic Park - Richmond Hill, GA; Civil War labor was much like ours is today. From blacksmith to wood worker, all trades were needed to keep this fort in operation. Come see how it was done. $3.50 - $5. 912-727-2339.

Labor Day Fort Morris Commemoration: Saturday, Sep 4, 11 AM to 3 PM; Fort Morris Historic Site - Midway, GA; Commemorate Labor Day holiday with hourly soldier talks and musket and cannon firings at this scenic coastal fort. $2.75-$4. 912-884-5999. 

Swim the Warm Springs - Dip In to The Past: Saturday, Sep 4 until Monday, Sep 6, 10 AM to 4 PM; Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site - Warm Springs, GA; Swim in the historic pools built by President F.D. Roosevelt as a place for therapy. Space is limited to 80 participants per session. Reservations are suggested. All remaining tickets will be sold first-come, first-served, based on availability. $20 adults; $12.50 ages 6 to 17; Family Package-$75. 706-655-5870. 

Labor Day Weekend: Saturday & Sunday Sep 4 until Sep 5; Skidaway Island State Park - Savannah, GA; Take the day off and watch a reptile show and awaken your senses with a night hike. Join in a volleyball game, family games, hayrides, a campfire and hoppin' frog hike. $5 parking. 912-598-2300.

Holiday Gorge Floor Hike: Saturday, Sep 4, 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM; Sunday, Sep 5, 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM; Monday, Sep 6, 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM; Tallulah Gorge State Park - Tallulah Falls, GA; This guided hike will take you from rim to river while learning about the gorge's unique environments. Be sure to wear proper footwear (no flip-flops or crocs). This hike is strenuous and will involve rock hopping and getting wet. Bring a lunch and lots of water. For ages 10 and older. Register in advance. $5 plus $5 parking. 706-754-7981.

Grits & Cornmeal: Sunday, Sep 5, 1 PM to 3 PM; Hamburg State Park - Mitchell, GA; Watch how cornmeal and grits were once made at Hamburg's historic gristmill. Before leaving, purchase a bag to take home and use. $5 parking. (478) 552-2393.

The Fun Continues after Labor Day

Dove Season Opens September 4th; Dove hunters are preparing to hit the fields in Georgia on Opening Day, Sat. Sept. 4, 2010 at 12 Noon. Dove season dates for the year are Sept. 4-19, 2010; Oct. 9-17, 2010 and Nov. 25, 2010-Jan. 8, 2011.

Outdoor Adventure Days: National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 25, 2010, is an annual event celebrating the contributions made to conservation by hunters and anglers and brings opportunity to all to participate in exciting Outdoor Adventure Days. These events, held throughout the State, offer activities like archery ranges, kids fishing events, wildlife activities, air gun/BB gun ranges and much more. 

Leaf Watch 2010: The online Leaf Watch, found at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org throughout October and November, provides updates on fall color, safe hiking tips, and reservation details for campsites, cottages and lodge rooms offered at Georgia’s state parks.

“Go Play After Labor Day, Georgia” is the latest in a series of outdoor adventure tips from DNR Commissioner Clark that highlight affordable getaways, outdoor activities close to home, and creative ways to support conservation in Georgia. The series is part of DNR’s “Get Outdoors, Georgia” initiative, which encourages citizens to lead healthy, active lifestyles in the great outdoors and includes hiking, biking and paddling clubs, as well as outdoor events. 

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Georgia State Parks Launches Geocaching Challenge in Support of the 'Get Outdoors Georgia' Initiative

/PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources celebrated the introduction of geocaching in state parks with a fun and family-friendly launch and learn last Saturday. The event was supported by the Georgia Geocachers Association, and was attended by more than 100 people, including GGA members, Atlanta Girl Scouts, newcomers to the joys of geocaching and assorted media. The kick-off event for the statewide program was held at the Fort Yargo State Park in Winder. The Georgia State Parks Geo-Challenge is designed to encourage participants to find all the caches hidden in 42 State Parks across Georgia and provides three bonus caches that are a little more challenging. The introduction of geocaching, the planet's largest treasure hunt, adds to the many events, programs and activities now available in Georgia's State Parks.

The Business of Geocaching

Geocaching combines technology, the thrill of an outdoor adventure, and the fun of sharing your experience online. Participants find the cache coordinates online at www.geocaching.com, then set out to find the boxes, called caches, using GPS devices. Once a player locates the cache, the experience is shared with other geocachers. With over one million active caches around the world, and now more than 40 hidden in Georgia's parks, the entire state is waiting to be explored.

Georgia State Parks posted their geocaches at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday morning, and the first one was located by two geocachers camping at A.H. Stephens State Park at 5:45 a.m. To date, 40 of the 45 caches have been found, with the prestige of finding a brand new cache still available for the three bonus caches.

By tapping into the game of geocaching, the Georgia State Parks is focused on attracting more people to the parks and increasing revenue. While still relatively new, the program is proving highly attractive with 800 fans joining the Georgia State Parks Facebook page since the launch of the game.

Get Outdoors Georgia

The launch of geocaching in the Georgia State Parks is part of the organizations' initiative to get citizens to "Get Out. Get Dirty. Get Fit." in the great outdoors. The initiative is supported by REI who donated GPS units for those wanting to try geocaching for the first time, as well as Girl Scouts who now have a new geocaching badge to start working for.

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Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Offers 'Free Day in the Parks' on Saturday, Sept. 26

/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites is offering free admission on Saturday, September 26 as part of National Public Lands Day. The statewide celebration at all 63 state parks and historic sites is a way to thank park visitors and volunteers for their support of outdoor recreation and historic preservation.

"Our state parks and historic sites have been through a challenging year," said Parks Director Becky Kelley. "Free Day in the Parks is our way of thanking the thousands of people who volunteer their time, spend their vacations in the parks, or even just visit for the day."

Sponsored in part by The Coca-Cola Company and Verizon Wireless, the celebration includes dozens of family-friendly events and service projects. Learn to canoe and shoot skeet at Unicoi State Park's Outdoor Adventure Day. Listen for owls on a night hike at Hamburg State Park. Try fishing in the Okefenokee Swamp at Stephen C. Foster State Park. Or watch molten iron become works of art at Red Top Mountain State Park's harvest celebration. A full calendar of events is posted at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/events.

On Free Day in the Parks, the regular $5 parking fee will be waived, historic sites will open their doors for free, and even anglers will not need a fishing license. September 26 is also National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at many events and locations.

Modern campsites, fully equipped cottages, and hotel-style lodge rooms provide overnight accommodations for outdoor enthusiasts who want to extend their free day into an affordable stay for the weekend. The lodges recently introduced lower promotional rates starting at $69 per night and campsites are around $23 per night. Reservations for accommodations and picnic shelters can be made by calling 1-800-864-PARK (7275).

Numerous volunteer projects are being coordinated by the non-profit Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites with 47 chapters across the state. Corporations are also involved, with REI kicking off the celebration at Panola Mountain State Park near Stockbridge and employees of The Home Depot volunteering at Reed Bingham State Park in Adel. Organized groups or corporations that would like to participate can call the parks' volunteer coordinator at 404-656-6533 or the Friends group at 1-888-948-2092.

To learn more about Free Day in the Parks, visit www.GeorgiaStateParks.org.

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Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Offer Affordable Star-Spangled Celebrations

Grilling burgers in the shade, watching fireworks over a lake and camping under the stars are just some of the July 4th activities offered by Georgia’s 63 State Parks and Historic Sites. Want to learn about colonial Georgia and our nation’s beginnings? Visit Fort King George in Darien for “Cannons Across the Marsh.” Looking to challenge your sister to an old-timey sack race? Meet up at Unicoi State Park’s “Mountain Style Games.” Or see how far you can spit a watermelon seed at Vogel State Park’s “Independence Day Celebration.”

July 4th weekend is always one of the busiest holidays in Georgia’s state parks, so visitors are encouraged to reserve accommodations early. In late June, several state parks still had campsites available, a few had cottages for rent, and Amicalola Falls had lodge rooms left for the three-day weekend. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-864-7275 or online at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org.

Can’t get away for the whole weekend? State parks welcome visitors to come for just the day as well. For a $5 parking fee, guests can cool off at lakeside beaches, boat across lakes, explore hiking and biking trails, and even fish for their dinner – all for free. Some of the state’s historic forts will showcase America’s history with musket firings, military drills and displays. Historic site admission ranges from $3.50 to $5 per person.

Park rangers encourage visitors to bring picnics, but to leave fireworks at home. Sparklers and explosives are not allowed in Georgia’s state parks. For those who want to see fireworks, Georgia Veterans, Reed Bingham and Elijah Clark state parks will offer professional displays this year. Panola Mountain State Park is offering a rare chance to visit at night, offering views of fireworks from across the Atlanta area.

Want more ideas on affordable July 4th activities? The State Park System has these suggestions:

· Dozens of Independence Day events are posted at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/events.

· Lakeside swimming beaches are free once visitors pay a $5 parking fee. The largest is at John Tanner State Park in Carrolton, but Hard Labor Creek, Reed Bingham, Indian Springs, Red Top Mountain, Tugaloo, Unicoi and many others have sandy beaches as well.

· Covered picnic shelters and enclosed group shelters can be reserved for family reunions, parties and other gatherings. All offer pretty views, and grills and restrooms are nearby. Reservations should be made in advance for these shelters. Individuals can use picnic tables scattered throughout all of Georgia’s state parks – and many state historic sites – for free.

· Too pooped to pack a picnic? The lodges at Amicalola Falls, Red Top Mountain, Unicoi, Little Ocmulgee and George T. Bagby state parks all feature restaurants.

· Sliding down the rocky shoals at Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Comer is a popular activity for children. Be sure to wear shorts that can resist wear-and-tear.

· Amicalola Falls, Magnolia Springs, Unicoi, Black Rock Mountain, Skidaway Island, Florence Marina and a few other parks have planned old-fashioned “field day” games such as egg toss and relay races.

· Swimming pools at High Falls, Magnolia Springs and Victoria Bryant state parks are open this summer and charge a small fee for the day.


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Win an RV by Staying Overnight in Georgia

Just in time for sleeping-under-the-stars season, Georgia’s State Parks are offering a chance to make outdoor getaways even more exciting. Between April 18 and May 25, state park visitors who spend a night in a lodge room, cottage, campground or yurt are automatically entered for a chance to win a Coachmen travel trailer from Mid State RV Center in Byron or camping gear from outdoor specialty store REI.

“Spring is the season when people start thinking about outdoor getaways, so we wanted to make it easy for state park visitors to stay overnight and enjoy even more of the great outdoors,” said the park system’s marketing and communications manager Sally Winchester. “With a wide range of affordable accommodations, we have something to suit every family member, even the family dog.”

The “Get Outdoors Getaway” promotion is part of the state park system’s Get Outdoors Georgia program. Launched in 2008, it encourages citizens to get off the sofa and into the great outdoors. Park visitors will get a chance to tour the travel trailer, win REI camping gear and learn about Georgia’s recreational offerings at family-friendly events this spring.

Saturday, May 2 at George T. Bagby State Park & Lodge in Fort Gaines, Ga. – Enjoy boating and fishing without the crowds on sparkling Lake Walter F. George.

Saturday, May 9 at Little Ocmulgee State Parks & Lodge in Helena, Ga. – Go birding along a pretty lake or tee off at the park’s golf course.

Saturday, May 16 at F.D. Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, Ga. – Explore creeks, boulders and scenic overlooks along the Pine Mountain Trail, then visit the former president’s favorite picnic spot, Dowdell’s Knob.

Friday, May 22 at Red Top Mountain State Park & Lodge in Cartersville, Ga. – Kicks 101.5 FM will broadcast live from 5 – 7 p.m. and visitors can win memberships to Friends of Georgia State Parks, overnight stays, annual passes and more.

Georgia’s 48 state parks are operated by the Department of Natural Resources and offer 2,476 campsites, 414 lodge rooms, 30 cottages and 12 yurts. Reservations can be made at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org or by calling 1-800-864-7275. “Get Outdoors Getaway” contest rules and entry information can be found at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org.

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