BEST WINDOW INTO THE PAST ETOWAH INDIAN MOUNDS STATE HISTORIC SITE, CARTERSVILLE The landscape may be a sea of grass, but its contours make it easy to imagine the vibrant settlement that once occupied this 54-acre plot. Constructed by the Mississippian people between 1000 and 1550 A.D., six earthen mounds rise above a broad expanse that once served as a central plaza. Surrounding it all are 10-foot defensive ditches and the sparkling Etowah River, which still holds the Native Americans’ ingenious stone fish traps. Only one of the mounds has been excavated and consequently reconstructed, revealing 350 graves and intricately crafted artifacts, including a pair of painted marble effigies on view at the park’s museum. The other five are undisturbed, making Etowah the most intact site of its kind in the Southeast. BEST HEART-PUMPING HIKE BLACK ROCK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK, MOUNTAIN CITY This quad-busting 7.2-mile grind is worth it for the sweeping views and forested beauty. As the most advanced hike in Georgia’s highest-elevation state park, the James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail challenges with lengthy and steep ascents, especially on the latter half, along with stunning Blue Ridge panoramas. Survey the scenic Wolffork Valley, miles of indigo peaks and a vivid palette of wildflowers: flaming azaleas and deep-purple trillium in spring, pale-pink mountain laurel in summer. Other features include cascading streams and a sparkling lake. Recuperate in a rocking chair on the porch at one of the park’s 10 newly renovated cottages for a helping of blissful solitude. BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET MISTLETOE STATE PARK, APPLING The vast, glassy surface of Georgia’s largest reservoir, Clarks Hill Lake, makes an especially beautiful mirror for pink-streaked skies at this family-friendly park. Take in the view from 10 fully equipped cottages and cabins overlooking the water, a lakeside “tent cabin” for four (bring your sleeping bags) or campsites on a peninsula surrounded by open water—which means you can watch the sun set and rise without moving your hammock. When you’re not kicking up your feet, hike or mountain bike on more than 15 miles of shaded trails, play on a sandy beach, rent a kayak to explore numerous quiet coves or try your luck reeling in the trophy bass for which the reservoir is famous. 72 #EXPLOREGEORGIA MISTLETOE STATE PARK, APPLING/GEORGIA STATE PARKS
Official State Travel Guide 2023 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 72
