19 July 2022
I’m on the road again – this time to Georgia. I’ve been a good little boy and have pretty much stayed home since my last trip in May other than trips to the doctors’ offices for check ups and trips to the grocery store (all with mask). I want to get back out into the woods and on some hiking trails. The problem is the heat of summer which seems, for some reason (can you say global warming) is hotter than normal for most places. As a consequence, I will not be camping in a tent.
I can take cold weather camping, spring camping, and fall camping, but as I get older, I don’t seem to take the heat as well. It’s probably partly an age thing and probably partly a thing of enjoying air conditioning too much. As a consequence, I’ll be camping at a Hilton property the first two nights and then cabins in state parks for the remainder of the trip.
The reason for the Hilton for the first two nights is the Florida state park I want to visit outside of Clermont (Lake Louisa State Park) has vacancies for cabins but no two nights in a row. The problem is they require a two night minimum, consequently, the Home2 Suites by Hilton in Clermont. I look forward to exploring Cleremont a little on the first day and hitting hiking trails at Lake Louisa on the second day. I intend to travel up US27. It’s been years since I’ve been on that highway. It’ll take me an hour longer but I get to pass some neat small towns on the way.
The the third and fourth nights are in Stephen Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia. Who knew there was a Fargo other than in North Dakota? It’s an eco-cabin (whatever that means) and is a one bedroom, one bath, with full kitchen and !wifi! I was planning on eating in town at the only restaurant, the Swannee River Cafe, but Google says it is now permanently closed. The good news is Fargo does have a grocery store. By the way, Swannee is the way they spell the cafe name. I’m used to the Suwannee spelling as in the river.
The fifth and sixth nights are my ultimate goal at Smithgall Woods State Park in northern Georgia. The mailing address for the park is Helen. I spent some time at Unicoi State Park, also near Helen and never realized there was another state park near there. Again, my main purpose is hiking trails and seeing a few water falls. This park is near several water falls that I’ve hiked to before plus others that will be new. It’s also near Tallulah Gorge which I’ve hiked.
What’s special about Smithgall Woods is the cabin. It’s setting me back $375 a night but it looks to be worth it.
What I first thought to be a cantilevered cabin over a stream now seems to be a cantilevered cabin over a park road. I’ll take it for the front porch alone.
My last two nights will be at Laura S. Walker State Park near Waycross, Georgia. Thankfully, Waycross is blessed with restaurants. I remember one trip to the Okefenokee Swamp where we stayed at the local Holiday Inn and eating fried chicken every day for lunch. My cholesterol shot up about 80 points that trip.
Laura Walker’s “cabin” is more like a 60’s ranch style house in design but it comes with all the amenities.
It seems like parks are now getting on the wifi bandwagon since every place I’m staying now has wifi. It used to be the rare exception to find a signal anywhere near the park and sometimes not even phone service.
I spent yesterday packing. It’s amazing what nine days on the road requires me to pack.
I admit, I over pack. The blue container contains cooking equipment and supplies like olive oil, coffee, coffee filters, pots and pans. Even though cabins supposedly are supplied with cooking equipment, I find what is often advertised is not what is delivered. The green pack contains dehydrated meals (for Fargo), the short round canister has cleaning supplies, the tall canister has protein bars, carbohydrate bars, etc. for lunch on the trail. At least I can get by with one suitcase which probably has too many clothes stuffed in it.
If I were tent camping, it would add one more large container and one more very large backpack with tent, a foam pad, and more miscellaneous stuff I always think I need but don’t really.
Below is my itinerary.
20-22 July Home2 Suites by Hilton 4h 7m
1450 Champions Way
Clermont, FL 34711
352-227-2900
Hiking Trails at Lake Louisa State Park
22-24 July
Stephen Foster State Park 3h 3m
17515 Highway 177
Fargo, GA 31631
912-637-5274
EcoCottage 6
24-26 July
Smithgall Woods State Park 6h 49m
61 Tsalaki Trail
Helen, GA
Garden Cottage
26-28 July
Laura S. Walker State Park 5h 26m
5653 Laura Walker Road
Waycross, GA
Cottage 1
28 July
Home 5h 47m
Stay tuned! I’ll be posting all through the trip!