Georgia state parks free on Saturday

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-state-parks-free-144904.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

1:56 p.m. Wednesday, September 23, 2009
By Howard Pousner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Saturday is National Public Lands Day, which may not sound like something you’d necessarily celebrate. But this may (especially if the weather is in a rare cooperative mood): Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites is offering free admission at 59 state parks and historic sites that day.

On Free Day in the Parks, the regular $5 parking fee will be waived, historic sites will open for free, and even anglers can skip purchasing a fishing license.

The celebration includes many family-friendly events and service projects. Tap your toes to picking and singing at the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site’s Appalachian Jam.

Learn to canoe and catch trout during Outdoor Adventure Day at Unicoi State Park in Helen.

Listen for owls on a ranger-led night hike at Hamburg State Park in Mitchell. Watch molten iron become works of art at Fall at the Homestead at Red Top Mountain State Park in Cartersville. And youngsters can let it fly at a Kid’s Fishing Rodeo in the Okefenokee Swamp at Stephen C. Foster State Park near Fargo.

Find a full calendar of events at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/events .

The parks also offer campsites (around $23 a night) and cottages, and its five lodges recently introduced lower weekday promotional rates that will be offered this weekend.