Having lived in all sorts of different places (and even continents) growing up, it’s hard to define a specific town as my hometown. If I had to choose one in the US it would be Winder, GA. I lived there until age 4, then returned in 4th grade and 9th grade. Fort Yargo is inside the city limits right near downtown and I remember going there when I was a kid.

We stopped by on the way back from Helen, GA and were disappointed to find all the trails (yes, all 18 miles of trails) were closed due to the excessive rain. The only trail we were allowed to walk was the still-under-construction, paved, ADA approved path. We walked the short trail to and observation deck that looks out over the lake and Trey got to see some turtles and a snake. After some fun on the playground, we headed over to the old fort (which is just a little cabin) before heading home.

Helen, GA likes to advertise itself as an “alpine mountain village” and when you drive into the little town the first thing you notice is that all the buildings are designed in south-German style. Turns out the town used to rely on the logging industry and as that source of income declined they re-invented themselves as a replica of a Bavarian town in the Alps.

We didn’t visit Helen for its Bavarian facades (pun!) but for Unicoi State Park which is just outside of town. We let Trey get some playground time and then we did the 2.5 mile hike around Unicoi Lake and its dam. It was a cool 60 degrees out and perfect for for a long walk.

Amicalola Falls‘ 729 foot waterfall makes it one of Georgia’s most popular state parks. The word “Amicalola” actually means “tumbling waters” in the Cherokee Indian language.

Our visit was on a rainy day that kept us damp but not drenched. Our friend Jym Davis drove over from his home in Canton to hike some trails with us. We hiked up to the falls first then headed on a much less traveled wetlands trail.

That trail led us to an amazing part of the forest in which the ground was covered with bright green ferns. We spent a lot of time taking photos of and in the ferns. It wasn’t until the end of our hike that we saw a sign telling us the area was restricted. Oops! They need to label both ends of the trail!

Georgia’s second most visited historic site is the Gold Museum in Dahlonega. We’ve all heard of the California Gold Rush of 1849 – but did you know the first major US Gold Rush was in North Georgia in 1829? The gold was so abundant that most miners simply used a pail and pan to find their fortunes. However, by the early 1840s all the “easy” gold had been found and larger operations starting digging and washing out the mountains in search for more. Eventually, most of the miners packed up and headed West when gold was found in California in 1848.

The museum is located in the center of Dahlonega in the oldest courthouse in the US. In fact, the courthouse’s brick walls were made from mud in nearby creeks and you can still see specks of gold in the brick. We arrived in town and found out it was the annual Fine Art’s Festival so we also got to see lots of artists’ work on display.

After watching the best mini-documentary I’ve seen at a state historic site (projected on big theater screen as well!) we toured the displays of old mining tools and photographs from the the mid 1800s. Trey was most interested in the water canon which was used to wash away tons of dirt to expose veins of gold in the mountain sides (apparently this was one of the worst ways of mining for the environment). He is into fire trucks and things that shoot right now so that was a perfect blend of the two for him.

Heidi’s brother Kenny drove up from St. Pete to join Trey and me for a trip to the Smokies. We were headed to visit our college buddy Jerry Span who was celebrating his 30th birthday. On the way up  we stopped at the remote Vogel State Park to stretch our legs and recover a bit from the insanely windy roads (that bit north of Dahlonega is nuts!). The weather had been overcast and rainy but when we stopped the skies cleared up just long enough for us to enjoy the mountain scenery.

Trey would have spent all day at the putt-putt course but we walked the mile-long nature trail that loops around the lake. Highlights for Trey were the “gooses” and their babies and the man who had caught two trout.

Sorry Reidsville, GA – your park is pretty lame.

This small park is located in the town of Reidsville and has a swimming pool (was closed), a 9-hole golf course (not even 18? come on!), a playground, no history behind it, no landmarks, and not even a nature trail. Shouldn’t this be a city park? Definitely not up to state park caliber.

We picnicked on the playground then walked over to the lake and checked out the lily pads. Then we drove home.

**UPDATE** I take back my golf course comment. Apparently, they just expanded it to 18 holes. Couldn’t they have at least added a nature trail? Take a machete, hack a path through the woods, put up a sign, and TADA! – a nature trail.