August 2020
We decided we needed to take a short break in mid-August. We didn’t want to get too far away from home, but we wanted to go somewhere we had not been. We chose Chattahoochee Bend State Park which was just over an hour from the house.
BEAUTIFUL….CLEAN….PEACEFUL…just a few words that came to mind upon our arrival. As we checked in at the visitor center, the staff was super helpful and friendly. Once checked in, we headed to our campsite and we were excited to see such a great layout of the sites. Backing into the site was a breeze compared to some of our other destinations. The site itself was pretty much level which allowed an easy setup.
I do love the fact that we have our own shower/bathroom. But in the days of tent camping, it always meant a lot to see a very clean bath house. Being one of the newest parks in Georgia, their facility has a very nice bath house.
What is there to do at the campground? Well you can hike, kayak, ride bicycles, or just relax at your own site. One of my adventures was to get out and see things. After walking around our campground and checking out the other campground area, I decided to walk on down to the boat ramp. It had a very nice boat ramp, a large parking area, and quite a number of picnic tables with grills throughout the shady areas. It looked like a great place for a family outing for a day.
After seeing signs for the lookout tower, I decided to follow the river trail to see it. The river trail was covered in trees which kept me cool. The pathway was wide and very well marked. I thought it would only be a little ways into the woods, but it actually was about a mile. It was a very nice walk with various wooden bridges, ferns & other greenery, and the sounds of nature. TOTAL INNER PEACE! Once I reached the lookout tower, I climbed the steps to the top (only 3 short flights of steps). The view was beautiful overlooking the river. I then took the trail back to an area that allowed me to join the Turkey Trail, that took me back to my campground. All in all, this was a very enjoyable walk and I got in almost 4 miles.
Along with enjoying nature, food is my passion and we love our evening meals while camping. Our favorite appliances that we take are our Blackstone Griddle and our Ninja Foodie. We keep these stationed under our awning for the trip. Our first night we cooked hamburgers and sauteed onions and mushrooms on the griddle, and air fried our french fries in the Ninja Foodie. This was a meal with great flavor that took under 25 minutes. The next evening we cooked steaks (that had been marinated in Dale’s seasoning) on our griddle and air fried whole potatoes in the Ninja Foodie. And the next evening we stir fried shrimp, scallops and rice. One thing is for sure, we are going to eat good.
What would I rate this trip? 5 out of 5 stars… great campsite, great outdoor activity options, and nature at its best.
Inside Georgia 