Category: Georgia State

Smithgall Woods State Park and Conservation Area
“Come fish in crystal clear trout streams of the Dukes Creek Watershed, or hike through wildflower covered trails on the Blue Ridge Escarpment at Smithgall Woods State Park, a masterpiece of nature….”  Trail Map    Review from wandernortherngeorgia.com.
Here is the Park website.  Phone 706-878-3087  for more information.
The gravel surface Visitor Center Loop is about 1/4 mile long and is “easy for wheelchair or baby buggy”.  About half of it goes through woods and the other half along Dukes Creek.

Paved Trails from Hiking in Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites
“Paved or hard-surfaced trails suitable for wheelchairs and strollers are found at Amicalola Falls (great waterfall view), Cloudland Canyon (parking lot to overlook), Mistletoe (rubber surface), Fort Yargo (Birdberry Trail), Panola Mountain (hilly), Red Top Mountain (short loop), Skidaway Island (some sand and roots), Stephen C. Foster (Okefenokee boardwalk) and Tallulah Gorge (old railroad bed). “

Tallulah Gorge State Park –
“… Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. Visitors can hike rim trails to several overlooks…   A suspension bridge sways 80 feet above the rocky bottom, providing spectacular views of the river and waterfalls.”
Here is a trail map with descriptions.   Phone 706-754-7981  Here is their website.
Tallulah Falls Rail-Trail  as described in the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website: “From its trailhead beside Tallulah Falls Lake the 1.7-mile paved path meanders through a beautiful southern Appalachian forest and crosses a small suspension bridge over the Tallulah River.”
?  There are a couple of overlooks accessed via a recycled rubber tire trail from the Interpretive Center.  Watch for exposed roots.
 Shortline trail 3 miles, paved and described as easy.

Skidaway Island State Park
This park near Savannah borders the “…Skidaway narrows, a part of Georgia’s Intracoastal Waterway. Trails wind through maritime forest and past salt marsh, leading to a boardwalk and observation tower. Visitors can watch for deer, fiddler crabs, raccoon, egrets and other wildlife.”  Here is their website.
Phone 912-598-2300.   Trail Map
 Sandpiper Trail loop  1 mile  A lovely glimpse into the ecology of the Golden Isles.
 Big Ferry trail  3 miles easy, but not so much for a wheelchair.

Wheelchair Traveling‘s account.  Here are some positive reviews from Trip Advisor

Redtop Mountain State Park  –
Redtop Mountain State Park near Acworth is on 12,000 acre Lake Allatoona.  There are more than 15 miles of trails winding through the forested park.  The park is named for its red iron-rich soil. Trails descriptions   Trails map  Rave reviews from Yelp   Phone  770-975-0055   Here is their website.
Lakeside Trail  0.75 mile paved loop by Lake Altoona

Panola Mountain State Park
Panola Mountain, near Atlanta, is a 100-acre granite outcrop.  This monadnock and its rare ecosystem is still pristine as it was known to Native Americans centuries ago.  Panola Mountain State Park is part of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area.    Trails    Trail map and Guide   Phone 770-389-7801  Here is their website. 
? Outcrop Trail 0.75 mile was referred to as a “handicap access trail” in a now defunct guide.  Call before you go to see if it is something you can do.
There is a two mile self-guided nature trail and a 12 mile paved trail, which connects Panola Mountain with Arabia Mountain and Stonecrest Mall.

Moccasin Creek State Park –
On the shore of 2,800 acre lake Burton, Moccasin Creek has a fully accessible fishing pier which sits above a trout-filled creek open only to seniors 65 and older and children 11 and younger, as well as all ages with a Georgia disability fishing license.  Although a mountain location, Moccasin Creek is relatively flat.
Phone 706-947-3194  Here is their website.
Interpretive Trail  1 mile

Fort Yargo State Park –
Fort Yargo in Winder east of Atlanta is a 1816-acre park featuring “… a 1792 log fort built by settlers for protection against Creek and Cherokee Indians. Today, visitors come to Fort Yargo for its wide variety of outdoor recreation and scenery.”  There are 18 miles of hiking/biking trails, accessible cottages to rent and an accessible fishing  dock.
Phone 770-867-3489  Here is their website.    Trails Map
Birdberry Trail  0.9 mile  round trip paved  Map

Crooked River State Park –
Crooked River State Park is on the southern tip of Georgia’s Colonial Coast, along the Intracoastal Waterway and in maritime forest. Campsites are surrounded by palmettos and live oaks, while cottages are set near the tidal river.  There is a boat ramp.
A nature trail “winds through forest and salt marsh, and hikers may see gopher tortoises, fiddler crabs, herons and other birds. A nature center features fish, snakes, turtles and other animals native to coastal Georgia.”  Trail Map
Trails descriptions      Phone 912-882-5256  Here is their website.
There are several short nature trails described in the website, which sound as if they would be easy walking, but there is no indication of wheelchair accessibility.

Black Rock Mountain State Park is in Rabun County, northeast Georgia.  Terry Guthrie  sent these photos.  He writes, “The park has two accessible overlooks on the way to the visitor’s center, and the visitor’s center itself provides good views.”  I am putting more of Terry’s photos in the Photography page.  Trail Map  Park phone 706-746-2141  Here is their website.

Black Rock Lake in Black Rock Mountain State Park.  The trail around the lake is .8 mile long and is rated easy.  Thank you to Rex Matthews, who wrote that “There is no nearby handicapped parking access, the trail is flat but not paved or surfaced, and they prefer that people not try to take wheelchairs on it due to rutting, etc.”