image courtesy of Brian Hursey
 
It was announced yesterday that the three year-old drought is finally over. This is fantastic news for the city of Atlanta. However, Lake Lanier is still about 9 feet below full pool.  Additionall rain this week should help that out.

The one thing we should all take away from the severity of this drought is how quickly we can get into trouble. I am hoping that the water conservation efforts don't fall by the wayside given this news. In the past 18 months, the city of Atlanta has dropped it's water use by more than 20% according to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Management District.  I think we can do better and it is important that we try since we are a growing city and the largest major city with the smallest water supply.

So, even though this is great news, everyone needs to stay vigilant with their conservation efforts. See the WaterSense website for ways to conserve in your household.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Atlanta

Written by husband and wife Randy & Pam Golden with the American Hiking Society.

This is a great book for getting out of the house for an inexpensive, fun outing. My wife bought this for me for my birthday last year just after moving back to Atlanta from Charlotte. Our goal is to hike all of the trails in the book over the course of the next two years. That puts us at about one trail every two weeks. We've done about 8 hikes in 3 months which is behind schedule but the weekend weather has been chilly and we had to throw in some slack time during the holidays.

The book is divided into regions and hiking types at the beginning. The region is divided into Atlanta (hikes near downtown), Northwest, Northeast and South. Each region has about an equal number of hikes which makes this useful no matter what part of town you live in. They also classify the hikes by type; Busy Hikes, Hikes Featuring Waterfalls, Hikes Featuring Wildflowers, Hikes Good for Children, Hikes Good for Solitude, Hikes Good for Wildlife Viewing, Hikes With Steep Sections, Historic Trails, Lake Hikes, Scenic Hikes, Trails Good for Mountain Bikes, Trails Good for Runners, Urban Hikes, Hikes Less than 3 Miles, 3 to 6 Miles and Longer than 6 Miles. The one thing I wish they had added is a category of Hikes Good for Dogs. Dog lovers will have to check ahead.

Each hike has a map with an elevation chart. The writers provided directions as well as a section for At-a-Glance Information. The book also takes each hike and gives an 'In Brief' overview of the hike. This is followed by a couple page description of the hike with landmarks, points of interest, clarification of areas that may cause confusion as well as historical information. Each hike ends with a brief section of nearby attractions.

Our next planned hike is Kennesaw Mountain: Burnt Hickory Loop. The "In Brief" on this hike is that it "is the most challenging trail in the book and one of the most rewarding in the Atlanta area." We're looking forward to this one and you'll probably see a post on it in the near future.

The GreenPeaches rating on this one is a 4 out of 5 peaches. Buy it from Amazon if you are interested or try your local library to see if it is available there.



mdh

As Georgian's we are very fortunate to have a diverse range of regions. We have beaches, coastal plains, foothills, canyons, mountains and much more. We are also lucky to have a very robust state park system. The Georgia State Park network has over 40 parks and many more historic sites that protect nearly 75,000 acres. These parks provide a great opportunity for a family outing or just a reconnection with nature and/or the history and culture of our state. Many of the parks are just a short drive from metro Atlanta. Click here for a state map.

Some of the most popular parks within driving distance of Atlanta are Amicalola Falls, Vogel and Sweetwater Creek. The falls at Amicalola are the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River and are absolutely beautiful. Additionally, there are numerous trails to hike around the 800+ acre park. At Vogel State Park, you can see some of the most picturesque scenes in all of Georgia. The park is at the base of Blood Mountain and offers some of the best camping in the state. With lake and mountain views, this one is a must visit. Sweetwater Creek is perhaps more famous right now for the beer that shares its name but the park is as good as if not better than the beer. The creek is a nice setting for relaxing, fishing or feeding ducks but our favorite part is the visitor center which is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Georgia. It is LEED - NC Platinum certified which is the highest rating that the US Greenbulding Council gives.

Sprawl has been and continues to be an issue for many of the parks around metro areas. The National Park Trust has been evaluating and working on these issues for more than a decade. Unfortunately, many of our parks in the metro area have already been encroached upon by commercial and residential development. The current economic crisis is impacting reparis and maintenance in the parks and we should expect to see continued cutbacks with proposed budget shortfalls.

Regardless of these issues, our park system is robust and is there to be enjoyed by everyone in Georgia. Get out and go for a hike and don't forget to bring your camera (with charged batteries).

Look for upcoming posts featuring many of our state parks and their surrounding areas.


Additional Info..

Website - www.gastateparks.org

Park pass - $30/year or generally $3/day for parking

Pets - Most of the parks offer hiking and I have found that they are usually dog friendly. It is always a good idea to check ahead to be sure if you are bringing your canine companion. Many of the parks offer camping and some offer RV hookups if that is your style.

Related Groups and Organizations - Friends of Georgia State Parks, Get Outdoors Georgia