Following the successful introduction of 11 all-terrain wheelchairs in 2022, Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are proud to announce an expansion of their comprehensive outdoor accessibility program Outdoors Beyond Barriers. This initiative aims to grow accessibility options across the state, ensuring that all visitors, regardless of physical limitations, can fully enjoy the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of Georgia's state parks and outdoor spaces.

The Georgia Board of Natural Resources on April 24 named a former congressman as the recipient of the 2023 Rock Howard Conservation Achievement Award during its meeting on Jekyll Island.

The Paulding County Emergency Management Agency is sponsoring a Search and Rescue Training Exercise on 4/27/2024. This exercise will provide participants with an opportunity to assess capabilities, plans, policies and procedures relating to lost/missing persons incidents. It will focus on decision-making, coordination, and integration with other organizations during a search. The expected outcome of the exercise is to enhance search and rescue operations capabilities and strengthen interagency coordination.

Several Georgia State Park and Historic Site employees were honored yesterday during a Rangers Conference at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder. Assistant managers, interpretive rangers, maintenance rangers and golf superintendents participated in training activities, team building and sharing ideas. An awards ceremony celebrated the efforts of those who make more than 60 sites outstanding destinations for Georgia’s citizens and visitors. Learn more about these attractions operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at GaStateParks.org.

Fort Yargo State Park in Winder has closed its popular swimming beach and day-use area for a major renovation project this year. Once complete in mid-2025, park visitors will enjoy a larger swimming beach, more parking, a new pavilion, picnic areas and more. Hiking and biking trails, cottages, campsites, yurts, boat ramps and group facilities will remain open during construction.

Georgia residents will be able to book accommodations 14 months in advance at sites operated by Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, one month earlier than out-of-state visitors. This includes newly renovated full hookup campsites at Vogel, historic CCC cottages at F.D. Roosevelt and yurts at Cloudland Canyon.