Always a good time at George L Smith Park. My grandson likes to fish there even if he doesn't catch. read more

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Wow! When you step near the waters of this park and see the Cypress trees in near-black water, your imagination just may sweep you back in time to an earlier era in Earth's history, perhaps, the Pleistocene Era? These waters make you wonder whether some prehistoric creature will launch out of the waters at you if you get too close. Yet, you'll see kayakers padding all about these waters. Located in Twin City, Georgia, is a serene retreat spanning 1,634 acres with a 412-acre mill pond surrounded by cypress and tupelo trees draped in Spanish moss, creating a picturesque and tranquil environment. The park's centerpiece is the historic Parrish Mill, a combination gristmill, sawmill, covered bridge, and dam built in 1880. The mill, restored in 1998, occasionally operates and can grind up to 200 pounds of corn per hour, offering visitors a glimpse into its rich history. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy a variety of activities, including fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking. The park offers 11 miles of trails for hikers, runners, and cyclists, as well as opportunities to spot wildlife like gopher tortoises, blue herons, and white ibis. For accommodations, the park provides lakeside camping, cozy cottages, picnic shelters, and a conference center. read more

George L Smith State Park - Mill - Parks Near Me - Twin City, Georgia

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Beautiful lake for kayaking. Cottages on premise and primitive camping sites. Not far from route 16. Workers were pleasant. read more

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The park can be hit or miss depending on what you are looking for. Initially, the view has a mysterious air with the vaulting cypress trees and the covered bridge. It is worth a stop to stretch your legs and have a picnic at three different sites. One of the sites near the campgrounds has a playground, and has tables with a view. If kayaking is your goal, I would say you scored. It is about 20 minutes from Highway 16. There is a parking fee for state parks. The hiking trails are ho-hum and separated into three segments ranging from 1-3 miles each. Very flat ranging from sandy to dirt trails. read more

George L Smith State Park - Parks Near Me - Twin City, Georgia

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The irony of George L. Smith is that you have to camp and kayak there to appreciate it and yearn to go back. It's one of those parks you have to try before you buy. But the awww factor is real and the kayak and birding are amazing. Add really well updated camping facilities and great park staff. It's a special place away from the urban parks that suffer from over-use. Just enjoy the better park here! read more

Great walking trail for my HUSKY. Even in this real hot time of the year, we were in shade from the trees.

This place was awesome. We stopped here while traveling in our rv cross country. It was off-season so we stayed by the water and got bugged the next day by a ranger. Said we couldn't park there we had to go to pay spots. I gave him $20 and he let us stay another night. read more

George L Smith State Park - Parks Near Me - Twin City, Georgia

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How do you cap a frantic 4 day weekend vacation? Chill out in a swamp for a few hours and just let the serenity of nature overtake you! Seriously, it is soooo peaceful here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WlmPlcQ8NNc I've been on a Quest to find all of the known covered bridges in Georgia and the one here at George L Smith State Park has been high on my list. I first discovered it's existence when watching Georgia's Hidden Treasures, but the distance has been a bit of a problem for me when it comes to planning a visit. However, it was a no brainer to include it in our road trip plans on the way home from Savannah. --------------- - - - - We were very lucky that we had the entire bridge area to ourselves for most of our brief visit. Our time was limited, so we didn't do a tour or rent the paddle boats (to our children's distress). But we did thoroughly examine the covered bridge and mill. This bridge is unique in the fact that it is: A) two stories tall and B) had more function than just a way to get from one side of the creek to the other. The bridge was built in 1880 as a combination grist mill, saw mill, covered bridge and dam. The dam was completed by hand and the lumber from the nearby trees was milled on site. It in turn created a beautiful black water lake (caused by tannic acid) filled with old cypress trees who's needles are said to turn fire red in the fall. Lots of signage on the mill tell of it's historical use. Other signs have warnings that are sure to freak some people out concerning the rat snakes in the area. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mV145c9LtdtWDb1XgD8qlg?select=eRdcAJMB6Ye_6RS75Wtd5w#VRfLd-I7T34_WKrKDDm2TA Surprisingly I could not find any information on the measurements of this bridge, but pictures say a lot. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mV145c9LtdtWDb1XgD8qlg?select=eRdcAJMB6Ye_6RS75Wtd5w#eRdcAJMB6Ye_6RS75Wtd5w --------------- - - - - Hope you have a chance to visit this park and enjoy it's peaceful atmosphere. There are playgrounds, trails for paddle boats or kayaks, cabin rentals, campsites and miles of beautiful nature. We took the roads that lead through Metter Georgia, a small town that looked very cool. I don't know much about it, but it's homes were neat and the city was very clean. Next time we hope to stop and look around for a while. George L Smith is definitely a hidden treasure with quiet paddling trails for an offbeat adventure. INTERESTING FACTS * Bald Cypress trees release a chemical that is a natural insect repellent and keeps mosquito's around the lake at a minimum. * Park was named after Georgia's Speaker of the House (1959-1973) * The Park provides an excellent environment for birds such as the great Blue Heron and White Ibis as well at turtles and a variety of fish like crappie and bass. read more

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We moved in one of my kids to Georgia Southern U in Statesboro this weekend. Couldn't find a decent hotel in town with a room available. I booked late. Then I saw the state park nearby had cottages. Never stayed at a state park. The cottage was better than I thought. Thoroughly clean, well maintained and with most of what we needed. It was 30 minutes from campus, but a nice way to check out a state park. The bedrooms and baths were clean and comfortable. The cottage has a fire place, Dish network tv, sleeps 8 with two beds in each bedroom. A screened in porch and barbecue out back. The cottage is grouped in 4s in a cul de sac (8 cottages in this park). We'd come back for the weekend. It was worth checking it out. You can book online or call the parks people directly. read more

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Stopped for a few quick photos. It did not disappoint. I wished I was going kayaking! Place looked amazing all around. Skeeters were buzzing around so lather up!! Love the view of all the cypress trees. read more

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The good ol' days. That's what comes to mind when I think of George L Smith. Back in college I would go to George L Smith with friends and the pups all the time. I even played in a frisbee golf tournament there once. To get to George L Smith ya gotta go deep in the country. Not much good eats around the place unless you want shitty pizza from a small restaurant 20 minutes down the road so remember to pack your lunch. When you drive in to the park from Statesboro's direction you will see a huge lake filled with spanish moss covered cypress trees. You can park here and walk along the lake or you can continue driving on to the park office. Across from the park office is a large covered bridge that was once a grist mill. If you walk through the covered bridge it will take you to 7 or so sandy miles of trails perfect for bird watching and gopher tortoise hole spotting. If you are lucky you will get to see a threatened gopher tortoise. You might also get to see a pileated woodpecker which seems to be the model for Woody the Woodpecker. Watch out for snakes on the trail. There is another short trail that you will find south of the cabins and to the right side of the stream. There are 8 cottages located at George L Smith as well as a large campsite. You can rent canoes, fishing boats, and pedal boats at the park office which will allow you to explore deep within the cypress groves. The best thing about George L Smith is how uncrowded and remote it is. While walking the trails you will be surprised by the solitude. It's what makes this park so fantastic! read more

Georgia has some of the best state parks. We came here over the 4th of July weekend hoping to avoid the 100% chance of rain in the GA mountains. We stayed in the primitive site. The park has a very nice lake and some good history with the mill as well. You can rent kayaks or boats and explore the lake in the great cypress trees that are covered with Spanish moss. We had some great views of the stars at night as well. We had a great time and definitely plan on coming back (when it is cooler though). read more

Great state park. The campground is small but all of the back in sites are on the lake. Site 7 is the most private but rough to get into.