High Falls State Park (#1)

When I first created this blog, I explained my 2011 New Year's resolution: to visit all of Georgia's state parks. I've visited eight since then! Go me! Alas, there are actually over forty state parks! I have a way to go...but I am so in love with the idea of doing it and one day, when the boys are older, REALLY enjoying them by canoeing, hiking with them for longer than one mile, camping more, fishing, maybe even geocaching...who knows? I just love the idea of completing this task, no matter how long it takes. On my very short bucket list (I'm no risk taker), I want to hike the Appalachian Trail one day. This is a great way to start I think.

I created a short blog post quickly cataloging the first five parks I visited just so that I could put another post on this blog really. I want to give each park a little more attention. So here's #1.

High Falls State Park is the closest park to where we live. We've been there a bajillion times, but we love going and we've been able to really enjoy the whole park. We've hiked, played in the falls (though you're not technically allowed to) picnicked there, and even canoed it. Let me just clear something up about our canoeing...we are no pros. When we take the boat out, it is quite an experience and probably rather comical to on-lookers. But it's one of those things I plan to do more and get better at as the boys get older. Several of the parks in south Georgia are in wetlands and great for canoeing, so that's how I plan to visit those parks, whereas the parks in north Georgia are more for hiking.

Because we've visited so often and over a range of several years, I've been able to witness the falls at varying water levels. You might pick up on it in some of these pictures.

I'm not really good at reviewing these parks, I really just ramble on. I'd better stop typing and just post the pictures. They do the best talking after all.

Crossing the falls, July 2011

Hiking while big brother's in school, April 2011

Julian and Daddy, Spring 2006

Canoeing at High Falls, Summer 2010

You know me. Hiking 2011

Hiking, April 2011

From the canoe. You can put in at the lake and float down to the falls.

Spring 2010

Spring 2011

Crossing the falls, July 2011.

So that's my #1; High Falls State Park. It's really beautiful and worth a visit. Not for serious hikers or canoers or campers, but definitely for serious outdoors lovers.