Tag Archives: Georgia Recreation

Crystal Lake, Irwin County: July, 1940

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Pavilion

These snapshots were made by Frances Trammell McCormick in July 1940. The image quality is not the best, but they give you an idea of how popular this place was, even before World War II. This early pavilion (above) was quite different from the two that followed. It was an open-air shelter and likely held a concession stand.

The edge of the pavilion is visible at the extreme left of this photograph, made from the lake. A small wooden structure, likely a diving platform, is also visible. There are cars parked near the shoreline.

Boaters passing a wooden slide

Water skier

A couple walking on the beach, with the slide visible to the left

Oconee River, Wheeler-Treutlen County Line

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This was made when the Oconee was well beyond its banks.

Willis Park, 1904, Bainbridge

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Willis Park is one of the nicest city parks in South Georgia, and is a beautifully maintained green space in the middle of town. It  has been the center of life in Decatur County ever since it opened to the public in 1904.

Bainbridge Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Hampton River Marina, St. Simons Island

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This modern marina on the Hampton River serves the north end of St. Simons Island.

Massengale Beach, St. Simons Island

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Driving north from the Village, Massengale is the first public beach you will encounter. In recent years its popularity seems to have waned in favor of East Beach (Coast Guard Beach) but it’s still a great spot. The dunes here are nearly gone but are still recognizable as you enter the beach (above).

Shark Tooth Beach, Jekyll Island

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Located on Jekyll Creek, Shark Tooth Beach is perhaps the least known beach on the island, likely because it’s not a beach in the traditional sense. It gets its name from the prehistoric shark’s teeth commonly found here.

There’s no sign pointing you to Shark Tooth Beach. The name doesn’t even officially exist on maps and charts, but judging by the number of people who had found their way here at the time I visited, it isn’t as unknown as it once was. Still, it requires a hike or bike ride of about a mile. No motor vehicles are allowed.

The beach is littered with oyster shells and the remains of other marine life. Wrack dominates the high end of the tide line.

If you’re looking for isolation on Jekyll Island, and don’t mind the short hike, this may become one of your favorite spots.

The entrance to Shark Tooth Beach is located slightly south of the entrance to Summer Waves water park . Look for a simple gate on the right side of the road. You can park near the gate. Follow the trail to its end and you will reach the site. Shoes are strongly suggested as cacti and other sticky plants dominate sections of the trail, not to mention the sharp shells and other detritus on the beach.

Cabretta Beach, Sapelo Island

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A scenic view of sandy dunes with tall grasses under a blue sky.

At the north end of Sapelo Island is Cabretta Beach, sometimes referred to as Cabretta Island for its isolation at high tide. If you could imagine a place more isolated than Nanny Goat Beach, Cabretta might come to mind.

A silver Airstream trailer parked beside a wooden cabin in a wooded area, with two bicycles positioned on the ground nearby.

The only land-based point of access is the Cabretta Campground, which requires reservations. It’s a pristine natural area with a small comfort station and a canopy of Live Oaks.

A sandy pathway leading through grass-covered dunes under a clear blue sky.

A short walk through the dunes provides access to one of the most undisturbed beaches in Coastal Georgia.

Tall grasses swaying in the breeze against a blue sky at the beach.

Sea Oats are dominant here, as they are on all of Georgia’s Sea Islands.

A sandy beach landscape with tall grasses and gentle dunes under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.

Like Nanny Goat Beach, Cabretta is a prime example of a barrier island environment that has never been developed.

A large piece of driftwood with sprawling roots and branches on a sandy beach, with a blue sky and water in the background.

Driftwood can be found here, as on other Georgia barrier islands.

A serene beach scene featuring white sand, green grasses, and a clear blue sky with scattered clouds, overlooking calm waters.

It remains a favored fishing and crabbing spot for the Gullah-Geechee people who call the island home.

Yonah Mountain, White County

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Yonah Mountain [3166′], better known as Mount Yonah, is the great natural landmark of the Sautee-Nacoochee Valley. Located between Cleveland and Helen, it is seen here from its eastern slope. Yonah means bear in Cherokee. It is located within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

Chattahoochee River, Helen

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At Helen, not far from its source, the Chattahoochee is one of Georgia’s most natural and beautiful rivers.

Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail

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The Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail is one of the nicest walking/hiking trails in Northeast Georgia, following the Chattahoochee River from the edge of downtown Helen to the Hardman Farm State Historic Site.

Much of the prime riverside property was donated to the Trust for Public Land in 2007 by Ted Turner and his foundations, insuring forever its protection from development. The one mile trail (2 miles round trip) is also ADA accessible.

Lush vegetation and pristine river views can be found all along the paved trail. We also found a few bear scratches, so be careful on the trail.

In Helen, access the trail from the parking lot just below the Helen Tubing & Water Park off Edelweiss Strasse.