I’ve got Georgia on my mind! As a long-time resident of the Peach State (35+ years and counting), I’m delighted to share some of the best places to visit in my home state. Here’s a list of 10+ Georgia national parks.
While Georgia has many national park sites, I should note that it doesn’t actually have any congressionally designated “National Parks”. Nonetheless, there are a whole host of amazing Georgia National Park Service sites to visit.
Native American burial mounds, beautiful gator-filled swamps, wild horses on stunning seashores, presidential sites, civil rights leaders, and so much more await you in Georgia!
If you’re planning a trip to the Peach State then one book that I highly recommend is: Georgia Discovered: Exploring the Best of the Peach State by Chris Greer.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Georgia National Parks Table Of Contents
- About Our Travels
- Andersonville National Historic Site
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Chattahoochee National Recreation Area
- Cumberland Island National Seashore
- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
- Fort Frederica National Monument
- Fort Pulaski National Monument
- Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Monument
- Map Of Georgia National Parks
- About The People Behind More Than Just Parks
- Meet The Parks Brothers
About Our Travels Through Georgia’s National Parks
I’ve seen all of the incredible national park sites the state has to offer (some more than once). I spent my career teaching history right here in Georgia as a matter of fact and I can tell you these places have quite a story to tell.
My personal favorite Georgia National Park unit is Cumberland Island. The history of the place alone is incredible, not to mention the stunning beauty that exists there.
With that being said, all of these places are worth a visit. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them as much as I do!
RELATED: Whose Island Is It Anyway | A History & Guide To Cumberland Island
Georgia National Parks
1. Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville is the site of the infamous Confederate prisoner-of-war camp. There were 150 military prisons and Andersonville was both the largest and the most notorious. Of the 45,000 Union soldiers imprisoned there, almost 13,000 died.
In “Civil War Prison Camps,” author Gary Flavion chronicled the suffering at this camp writing:
“Robert H. Kellog was 20 years old when he walked through the gates of Andersonville prison. He and his comrades had been captured during a bloody battle at Plymouth, North Carolina. In the depths of Georgia, they discovered that their hardships were far from over.”
Conditions of the Camp
Robert Kellog described the conditions of the camp. “As we entered the place, a spectacle met our eyes that almost froze our blood with horror…before us were forms that had once been active and erect—stalwart men, now nothing but mere walking skeletons, covered with filth and vermin…Many of our men exclaimed with earnestness, ‘Can this be hell?'”
Andersonville is the only national park to serve as a memorial to Americans held as prisoners of war. Andersonville National Historic Site preserves the site of the largest of the many Confederate military prisons that were established during the Civil War.
See The Sacrifices Made By American Prisoners Of War
America’s bloodiest conflict was a case study in human sacrifice. Roughly 2% of the population, an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty. Taken as a percentage of today’s population, the toll would have risen as high as 6 million souls. The human cost of the Civil War was beyond anybody’s expectations.
To truly understand and appreciate the magnitude of this disaster I recommend reading This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust.
If you’re a history buff, like me, a visit to the park provides an excellent opportunity to explore the sacrifices made by American prisoners of war during our nation’s bloodiest conflict. According to the Park Service, most visitors spend at least two hours.
If you have a special interest in the Civil War, however, you can easily spend your entire day at the Andersonville National Historic Site.
RELATED: 10 BEST Civil War Sites In America
Georgia National Parks
2. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail
It’s the longest hiking trail in the world. And, it begins or ends (depending on your perspective) in Georgia.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT) is a marked hiking trail that runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Just how long a hike is that? Approximately 2,200 miles.
Georgia has nearly eighty miles of the AT running from Springer Mountain on the Fannin-Gilmer line to Bly Gap, where the trail enters North Carolina.
The original concept for the Appalachian Trail was the brainchild of Benton MacKaye. MacKaye was a forester, planner and social reformer who wrote a 1921 article in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects first proposing it.
The Appalachian Trail In Georgia
The Appalachian Trail in Georgia extends 78.2 miles through the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, passing through five federally designated wilderness areas, a national recreation area, and a protected corridor.
The Trail follows the southernmost segment of the Blue Ridge chain of the Appalachian Mountains, reaching elevations above 4,000 feet at several locations. With 50 miles of connected, maintained side trails, hiking opportunities of challenge, variety, and breath-taking views abound.
The Trail’s southern terminus, located on the summit of Springer Mountain, is marked with an Appalachian Trail plaque and white blaze. Forest Service Road 42 crosses the Appalachian Trail approximately one mile trail north, and provides vehicular access off of Double Head Gap Road in Gilmer County. Springer Mountain Summit is connected to the south by the 8.8 mile Springer Mountain Approach Trail, beginning behind the Visitors Center at Amicalola Falls State Park, of off Georgia State Highway 52. (Source: Georgia Appalachian Trail Club)
Georgia National Parks
3. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area begins in the southeast corner of Union County, Georgia, in the southern Appalachian Mountains. It flows southwesterly through the Atlanta metropolitan area before terminating in Lake Seminole, at the Georgia-Florida border.
The river runs for approximately 434 miles. Along its journey, it joins with the Flint River as the two flow across the Georgia-Florida border. At this point, it becomes the Apalachicola River, which then flows south to the Gulf of Mexico.
The entire basin is often referred to as the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACT) basin.
A Hikers Paradise
There are various ways to explore this beautiful river. If you’re a hiker then you will find beautiful trails winding through the northern suburbs of Metro Atlanta. You can explore the the Chattahoochee at 15 different locations.
Floating the River
If you’re a fisherman then it’s a great place to catch bass and catfish year-round. For 48 miles, from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek, the Chattahoochee River is a designated trout stream giving those who love to fish some of the best trout fishing in North Georgia!
If you like a lazy trip down the river then tubing might be the way to go. Minutes from Downtown Atlanta, the Nantahala Outdoor Center rents tubes, inflatable kayaks and paddleboards. You can explore up to 8 miles of flatwater and Class I-II whitewater.
If you’re a boating enthusiast, there’s also canoeing and white water rafting available. Whitewater Express, Columbus, Georgia, takes thrill-seekers and families on exciting rafting adventures
“I want to make it clear, if there is ever a conflict [between environmental quality and economic growth], I will go for beauty, clean air, water and landscape.”
-Jimmy Carter
Georgia National Parks
4. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
From Civil War Generals to Noble Prize Winners, Georgia is a state rich in history. During the Civil War, Chattanooga was the “Gateway to the Deep South.” Battles were fought there and at Chickamauga which proved decisive in the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy.
History buffs remember that it was at Chickamauga that Union General William Rosecrans was beaten by Confederate General Braxton Bragg.
The Union Army was saved from annihilation by the stubborn defense of George Thomas and his soldiers. This defense earned Thomas the nickname of the “Rock of Chickamauga.”
RELATED: 9+ Mississippi National Parks For Your Dixie Bucket List (Expert Guide)
A Union Victory at Chattanooga
The battered Union forces were then reorganized under the leadership of Ulysses S. Grant. They went on to win battles at Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. These victories opened the west to Union forces.
At the Battle of Lookout Mountain, Union forces under the command of General George “Rock of Chickamauga” Thomas swept the Confederates from the field.
After these victories, Ulysses S. Grant traveled east to take command of all of the Union armies. He left William Tecumseh Sherman in the west to take Atlanta. And take Atlanta Sherman did!
Relive That History Today
Today, you can relive part of this exciting history at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center. The center is located at the north end of Chickamauga National Military Park. Inside are museum exhibits on the Battle of Chickamauga and Campaign for Chattanooga.
If You’re A History Buff Like Me
Believe it or not, I was one of those guys who sat in class taking notes and, when the professor threw out the name of what sounded like an interesting book, I not only wrote it down, I went out and purchased it. Yes, I am that guy which is why I ended up teaching history.
If you love history as much as I do and you’re particularly interested in how this conflict impacted the men who fought in Georgia then I heartily recommend Scott Walker’s Hell’s Broke Loose in Georgia: Survival in a Civil War Regiment.
Walker is a gifted writer who uses primary sources skillfully to take his readers into the hearts and minds of the everyday soldiers.
Especially moving are the letters, diaries, and other information the author uses to recount the terrible toll this conflict took on the soldiers and families of the 57th Georgia infantry. It’s a deeply impactful account of the horrors of war.
RELATED: 30+ Best National Parks Books (Great Gifts For Park Lovers) 2021
Georgia National Parks
5. Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island lies off the coast of Georgia and is a place where nature and history come together to tell a most unusual story.
It’s Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier island, full of pristine maritime forests, undeveloped beaches, and wide marshes. It totals 36,415 acres, of which 16,850 are marsh, mud flats, and tidal creeks.
The island is best known for its sea turtles, wild turkeys, wild horses, armadillos, abundant shore birds, dune fields, maritime forests, salt marshes, and historic structures.
If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful national seashore retreat then your journey will begin in St. Mary’s, Georgia. You will want to take a ferry to the island itself where there is a visitor center, museum and nearby attractions.
RELATED: Whose Island Is It Anyway| A History & Guide To Cumberland Island
Georgia National Parks
6. Fort Frederica National Monument
Georgia has more to offer than just Civil War history. Before there was even a United States of America, Georgia’s Fort Frederica played a decisive role in the history of the region.
Georgia, which was named after King George III, was established in 1732 as one of the original thirteen colonies.
James Oglethorpe
Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe. In 1736, four years after establishing the crown colony, Oglethorpe built Fort Frederica to protect the southern boundary of his new colony from the Spanish in Florida. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states came to Georgia to support this endeavor.
“It is my hope that, through your [the colonists] good example, the settlement of Georgia may prove a blessing and not a curse to its native inhabitants.”
-James Oglethorpe
Six years later, in 1742, Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. At stake was Georgia’s future. Fort Frederica’s troops defeated the Spanish thereby ensuring Georgia’s future as a British colony.
Today you can visit this national monument which is located on St. Simons Island. A trip to the visitor’s center, which contains some fascinating exhibits and an interesting 23 minute film on the fort is recommended before going on to explore the fort itself.
RELATED: All Of Florida’s National Parks RANKED (+ Video)
Georgia National Parks
7. Fort Pulaski National Monument
The Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on Cockspur Island between Tybee Island and Savannah. The fort was originally built after the War of 1812 when President James Madison ordered a new series of coastal defenses to protect the United States against future invasions.
Interestingly, the fort’s construction began in 1829 under the direction of Major General Babcock and a recent West Point graduate by the name of Robert E. Lee.
Lee was a young lieutenant at the time who would distinguish himself in the Mexican American War before moving on to even greater accomplishments in the American Civil War.
Pulaski in the Civil War
The fort figured prominently during the Civil War. The only battle at Fort Pulaski occurred on April 10th & 11th, 1862, between Union forces on Tybee Island and Confederate troops inside the fort. Union forces occupied the fort beginning in April of 1862.
It was used as a place where the Union tested new weaponry including a rifled canon. The fort also held Confederate prisoners of war.
Today the fort, which is only 20 minutes east of Savannah, offers its visitors an incredible series of outdoor exhibits. Discover rooms housed with period furnishings and beautiful nature trails. It’s definitely worth a trip especially if you love history, nature or both.
Georgia National Parks
8. Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
History is finally catching up with Jimmy Carter-a visionary president who today is recognized as having been decades ahead of his time.
From his historic achievements in conservation and the environment to improving relations with Latin America and brokering peace in the Middle East to promoting racial justice and gender equality, America’s 39th President of the United States has an amazing story to share.
While some people consider Theodore Roosevelt to have been America’s Greatest Conservation President, More Than Just Parks has selected Jimmy Carter for this prestigious honor instead.
FIND OUT WHY WE CHOSE JIMMY CARTER: No, Theodore Roosevelt Was Not The Greatest Conservationist President. It Was Jimmy Carter.
And Jimmy Carter’s story begins in the small town of Plains, Georgia.
Carter Was Focused On The Environment Long Before He Became President
Jimmy Carter championed protecting his state’s natural resources long before he became president.
In 1967, alongside leaders in business, government, and academia, Carter, who had served in the Georgia State Senate, lent his support to the creation of the Georgia Conservancy.
“I honestly believe that our greatest potential force for meeting challenges to our environment is in the several thousand highly-motivated and well-educated Georgians who are members of the Georgia Conservancy,” said Carter in his remarks at the 1968 Georgia Conservancy Conference.
The Only Governor Who Vetoed A Dam Project
As Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter vetoed a federal dam project. As award-winning author and journalist as well as Carter biographer Jonathan Alter noted:
“He [Carter] canceled the Sprewell Bluffs Dam on his 50th birthday, October 1st, 1974, and it was a great birthday present to himself. He thought it was environmentally damaging.” (Source: Carterland)
Today people understand the damage which dams can do to natural ecosystems. They didn’t in the 1970s, but Carter did.
The Greenest President In History
Writing in Nation Swell, Chris Peak posed the question: Which Presidents Are the Greenest in U.S. History?
At the top of his list is Jimmy Carter. Peak concludes that:
“On environmental protection, Carter is our greatest modern president.”
RELATED: 13 Reasons Why Jimmy Carter Is America’s Greenest President
“The early years of my life on the farm were full and enjoyable, isolated but not lonely. We always had enough to eat, no economic hardship, but no money to waste. We felt close to nature, close to members of our family, and close to God.”
-Jimmy Carter
Carter Was The First Leader To Acknowledge The Looming Threat Of Climate Change
Gus Speth co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council and served as Jimmy Carter’s Council on Environmental Quality Chairman.
In the documentary CARTERLAND, Speth states:
“Carter was really the first one to acknowledge the seriousness of the climate threat at the presidential level.”
The Guardian went further in a story headlined, “Decades ahead of his time’: history catches up with visionary Jimmy Carter.” The article goes on to state:
“He was not afraid to make unpopular moves, or ask for personal sacrifice. He was old-fashioned and a futurist, and nowhere did his futurism matter more, or seem more prescient, than on climate and conservation. He risked speaking directly to the American public, and asking them to do a difficult thing – focus on renewable energy and reduce reliance on oil.”
“The first Democratic president since the creation of the EPA, Carter focused on strengthening the agency that would implement his predecessors’ environmental legislation.
Even as the economy faltered, the EPA’s coffers enlarged to confront disasters like Love Canal (1978) and Three Mile Island (1979). In 1977, Carter consolidated agencies to form the U.S. Department of Energy.
In the last days of his presidency, during a lame duck session, Carter finally pushed through two major bills: one protected 104 million acres of land in the Alaskan wilderness; the other created the Superfund program, which has cleaned up close to 400 toxic sites.”
-Chris Peak, Nation Swell, Which Presidents Are The Greenest In U.S. History
RELATED: Is It Time For Another Bipartisan Era Of Environmental Activism In America?
Learn How Jimmy Carter’s Early Years Formed An Integral Part Of His Life
At the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, visitors will learn how Carter’s early years formed an integral part of his character.
The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site includes the Plains High School which serves as the park visitor center and museum. Here visitors will find a restored and furnished classroom, principal’s office, and auditorium.
Visitors will also be able to see exhibits on Carter’s life and accomplishments and watch his friends, neighbors, and family talk about the Jimmy Carter they know in a 25-minute video.
A Self Guided Museum
There’s also the Plains Depot, which is a self-guided museum with exhibits focusing on the 1976 presidential campaign.
If you’re as fascinated by the forward-thinking and visionary presidency of Jimmy Carter as I am then I would recommend two wonderful books. His Very Best by Jonathan Alter and The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter by Kai Bird.
Georgia National Parks
9. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Like so much of Georgia, Kennesaw Mountain is rich in history. It’s the site of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain which took place in 1864. The battle pitted Union General William Tecumseh Sherman against Confederate General Joseph Johnston.
The battle fought at Kennesaw Mountain was part of a campaign which lasted from June 19, 1864, until July 2, 1864. Sherman’s army consisted of 100,000 men, 254 guns and 35,000 horses.
Johnston’s army had 63,000 men and 187 guns. More than 67,000 soldiers were killed, wounded and captured during the Campaign.
A 2,965 Acre National Battlefield
Today Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,965-acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign.
The visitor center provides information about the battle. There are 17.3 miles of trails which include historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs.
RELATED: 10 BEST Civil War Sites In America
“History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.”
– David McCullough
Now Here’s A Fun Fact
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a United States federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death.
Landis’ given name was a spelling variation of the site of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
Georgia National Parks
10. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
Described as the “conscience of the nation,” Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist Minister who became the leading spokesperson of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
Dr. King advanced the cause of Civil Rights through nonviolence. His marches and protests helped to build pressure to bring about landmark civil rights and voting rights acts.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Nobel Peace Prize
On October 14, 1964, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering work in combating racial discrimination and injustice. He was one of two influential Georgians to receive this honor.
The other Noble Peace Prize winner from Georgia is Jimmy Carter.
Dr. King’s Boyhood Home
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park consists of several buildings in Atlanta, Georgia. It includes Dr. King’s boyhood home, the original Ebenezer Baptist Church and The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”).
The National Park Service has restored many of the neighboring buildings to reflect their appearances in the 1930s and 1940s — the period of time when Dr. King grew up there.
Visitors today can step into that era and imagine themselves walking with the residents, hearing the noise of this lively neighborhood and experiencing what life was like in those tumultuous times. (Source: National Park Service)
To learn more about Martin Luther King Jr.’s epic struggle for Civil Rights In America, I heartily recommend a three volume series which I consider to be the best history of the Civil Rights Movement ever written. It’s Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63, Pillar of Fire : America in the King Years 1963-65, and At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68.
All three books were written by Taylor Branch. Branch’s magnificent trilogy makes clear why the Civil Rights Movement, and indeed King’s leadership, are among the nation’s enduring achievements.
RELATED: 10 BEST Civil Rights Sites In America
Georgia National Parks
#11. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
Instead of nineteenth century America, how about visiting a site that has evidence of 17,000 years of continuous human habitation?
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, located in Macon, Georgia, offers over ten millennia of culture from the Native Americans of the Southeastern Woodlands.
Visitors can walk the grounds and see ceremonial mounds, burial mounds and defensive trenches. It took skilled laborers many years to construct these marvels.
In the 1930s and 1940s, workers excavated portions of eight mounds, finding an array of archaeological artifacts which document a trading network and sophisticated culture.
Archaeology Museum
Ocmulgee features a visitor center which includes an archaeology museum. It displays some of the artifacts that have been discovered there as well as interpreting the successive cultures of the prehistoric Native Americans who inhabited this site for thousands of years.
There’s also a short orientation film plus a gift shop which has a variety of craft goods and books related to the park.
RELATED: 25 Bucket List Famous Landmarks In America (MUST-SEE)
Map of Georgia National Parks
List Of Top 10 Georgia National Parks
- Andersonville National Historic Site
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Chatahoochee National Recreation Area
- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
- Cumberland Island National Seashore
- Fort Frederica National Monument
- Fort Pulaski National Monument
- Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Monument
About The People Behind More Than Just Parks
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
Check Out Our Comprehensive Guide
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about some amazing places to visit in Georgia. If you’re interested in learning more about our national parks please check out our comprehensive guide to all 63 of them.
georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia,
georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia, georgia national parks, national parks of georgia, national parks in georgia,
Leave a Reply