Weekend getaway: Georgia Wilderness Vacations
THE PERFECT SPOT
Students at GCSU can find some great camping spots around Milledgeville. Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee offer makeshift campgrounds that provide fantastic views of the water. It is recommended that would-be campers check the weather and temperature predictions before choosing a location to set up camp. For example, camping next to bodies of water on cold windy nights make for a chilling and miserable overnighter.
Other local options include camping at Little River Park, which is only eight miles away and nearly directly off of Highway 441. This campground offers convenient access to Ocmulgee National Monument and whitewater options on Murder Creek or Little River. Scenic Mountain Campground is also close to Milledgeville, offering many of the same fun opportunities.
If gas money is not a concern, a trip to Desoto Caverns in Cleveland provides plenty of family fun. This caving experience is breathtaking and makes for a nice day trip. Also the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, starting at Amicalola Falls and stretching all the way up to Mount Katahdin in Maine, presents some of the most difficult and yet satisfying backpacking trails in America. Some of the most famous offshoots of the AT are located in the Georgia section of the more than 2,000-mile trail.
Freshman Megan Leach likes to go camping on the weekends, and lists Bear Mountain and Sea Camp at Cumberland Island as her favorite spots. Leach likes Sea Camp for its “laid back atmosphere and beautiful scenery.” Sea Camp can certainly provide both – it is a secluded national park, which prides itself on its peaceful, clean, and beautiful landscape.
Georgia also has some great places to canoe or Kayak, from the swamps of the Okefenokee to the rapids of the Nantahala or Ocoee. These rivers and lakes always have several campgrounds clustered around them as well. For a beginner, either Lazy River or the Chattahoochee River is a great place to paddle or float downstream. For an experienced Kayaker, Georgia also has some great whitewater opportunities such as the Chattooga, Tallulah, and Cartecay rivers.
THE GEAR
Once the location and activities are nailed down, think about the gear. Besides the necessities of a tent, some pillows, and a sleeping bag, why not bring along some marshmallows, dark chocolate and delicious graham crackers to top off the typical camping experience. To start the campfire, bring lint and a couple of matches – just make sure to check if there is a fire ban in the area.
For long stays, or if campers do not have access to clean water, purification will be necessary. Hand pumps can do the job, but the area must have a relatively large water source to use one. Iodizing purifiers like Polar Pure are the best option, which can be used on any amount of flowing water. This is especially important in Georgia, because the drought dried up many of the natural springs along the Appalachian Trail and in other areas of Georgia. With water you’ll need the proper gear to eat with-a spork or other utensil is a necessity (you won’t be a happy camper if you forget this little detail), a container to eat out of, and a separate container to prepare food in.
The clothes brought on any trip can either ensure a comfortable camping trip or make it miserable. Full raingear is absolutely necessary since Georgia weather can be so unpredictable, and can also serve as shell to block the elements you encounter in the wilderness. A fleece jacket or other comparable insulation layer may also be needed, especially in the winter months. Other clothing essentials are sturdy hiking boots, a synthetic shirt to wick moisture off the skin, and an insulated hat. Of course, a good backpack will be needed to carry all of your gear and clothing-a school book bag works well as day-hiking pack, but for overnight hiking excursions find a comfortable backpacking bag with a frame to help distribute the load properly on your back and shoulders.
THE MUNCHIES
Nothing is more satisfying than a yummy snack or meal when in the wilderness. Plan all meals and snack-foods ahead of time, and expect to eat more than you normally do. Great snacks in the woods might include pouches of tuna and Ritz crackers, granola bars, or baby carrots with peanut butter. Make at least one of your meals each day a hot one. Dinner is the default hot meal during camping. All you need is a fire, aluminum foil, a meat choice, and some veggies, like canned corn or peas, to make an easy dinner. Wrap all the ingredients into a foil pouch and put over hot coals on the fire for 20 to 30 minutes. For a tasty dessert, use a can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and cover individual dough sections with cinnamon and sugar. Wrap in foil and cook on fire for 15 to 20 minutes. Amp it up by adding canned peaches or cherries to make a camper’s cobbler.
Location – check. Essential gear – check. All there is left to do now is to find an open weekend and some friends.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Nov 21 2008. Filed under Features.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
