Add state parks and historic sites to Georgia’s brag book

I am late getting to this subject with summer whizzing along but not so much so that we can’t still squeeze it in the state of Georgia’s brag book, along with Vidalia onions, St. Simons sunsets, rainbow trout and Ray Charles Robinson. I am talking about our state parks.

This year marks Georgia State Parks and Historic Site’s 85th anniversary. It all started back in 1931 with two properties — Indian Springs in Flovilla and Vogel in Blairsville — which are two of the oldest state parks in the country.

Today, Georgia claims some 60 sites on 85,000 acres from Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville (my favorite) to Reynolds Mansion on Sapelo Island in Darien and from Black Rock Mountain Park, Georgia’s highest state park in Rabun County, to the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge in Waycross.

Our parks — and they are our parks — host more than 10 million visitors each year and are an economic driver in the state with an economic impact on the state of more than $600 million a year in direct tourism expenditures and the creation of more than 6,000 local jobs.

Becky Kelley, the director of Georgia’s State Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division of the Department of Natural Resources, says “After surviving the economic downturn and budget cuts, our state parks and historic sites are now positioned to thrive. Instead of closing parks, our occupancy rates are up. We have added amenities, made improvements and have begun initiatives that will benefit the citizens of the state for years to come.”

Many offer overnight accommodations from cabins to tents to RV camping as well as paddle boats, kayaks, bicycles, golf courses and more than 500 miles of hiking trails. Add to that ancient Indian mounds, battlefields, presidential homes and a gold museum and you have to ask yourself, why take a vacation out of Georgia?

Kelley, who has headed the organization since 2002, agrees and says, “We are encouraging visitors to stay longer and take advantage of Georgia’s great backyard. They are having more fun and when they leave, they take away experiences to cherish.”

Kelley adds, “It’s especially important for parents to share these outdoor experiences with their children — and grandparents with grandkids. And, after a fun day outside, why not spend the night in the campground, cabins and cottages?”

A recent National Survey on Recreation and the Environment says 84 percent of children supposedly enjoy spending time playing outside. I hope that is true and can only assume someone confiscated the youngsters’ video/ cellphone/Nintendo gizmos and suggested that they engage in a game of Fox and Hounds like their grandparents did. The last I heard, the kids were looking to see if there is an app for that.

Of course, weather is always a concern for our state parks with some predictions that we may go through another period of drought in the state. Kelley says, “We certainly stay abreast of the weather and expect that water levels will be sufficient for visitors to enjoy boat rentals and good fishing. We work with Georgia Forestry and follow their guidelines as well as with the Environmental Protection Division of DNR. Campfires, recreational and cooking fires are allowed in our state parks. However, we urge caution when conditions are dry. We remind visitors that fireworks and sparklers are not allowed on our properties under any conditions.”

As for the future, Director Kelley says, “We are continually enhancing our accommodations. We are reinvesting in our facilities and cultural resources as well as in recreation. In addition, campground and cottage upgrades as well as group shelters for family and organization gatherings and historic site restorations will be ongoing.”

And volunteers are always welcomed. Kim Hatcher, Public Affairs Coordinator for the parks, said, “Yes, we use many volunteers at our parks, including campground hosts, golf course hosts and folks who build or maintain trails, as well as help out with events. Numerous parks have Friends groups which are part of the statewide Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites. Anyone who is interested in volunteering can either contact the parks directly or check GeorgiaStateParks.org.” Again, these are your parks. Get involved.

The width, breadth and depth of our state parks and historic sites is just one more example of how lucky we are to live in Georgia, a state with so much going for it. And I haven’t even mentioned the oldest state-chartered university in the nation, located in Athens, the Classic City of the South. Our cup runneth over.

You can reach Dick Yarbrough at yarb2400@bellsouth.net; at P.O. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139; online at dickyarbrough.com or on Facebook at www.facebook. com/dickyarb.