Reed Bingham State Park

Reed Bingham State Park is only six miles from one of the nation's busiest interstate corridors, yet remains remote and isolated in a quiet corner of South Georgia's wiregrass region. Even the many "snowbirds" heading south on I-75 in RVs rarely venture even this far in for an overnight stay. Yet visitors will be rewarded with glimpses of the distinct South Georgia ecosystem. The park's hiking and biking trails offer the chance to spot bald eagles, turkey vultures, river otters, and gopher turtles. In fact, the park maintains a Gopher Turtle Management Area to protect the official state reptile, and its ongoing Gopher Tortoise Management ...

Reed Bingham State Park is only six miles from one of the nation's busiest interstate corridors, yet remains remote and isolated in a quiet corner of South Georgia's wiregrass region. Even the many "snowbirds" heading south on I-75 in RVs rarely venture even this far in for an overnight stay. Yet visitors will be rewarded with glimpses of the distinct South Georgia ecosystem. The park's hiking and biking trails offer the chance to spot bald eagles, turkey vultures, river otters, and gopher turtles. In fact, the park maintains a Gopher Turtle Management Area to protect the official state reptile, and its ongoing Gopher Tortoise Management Project always welcomes volunteers, who are trained to collect tortoise eggs in May and June, monitor the eggs and care for the babies after they hatch, and release babies from the eggs that they collect. With a 375-acre lake, an impoundment of the Little River, fishing is a popular activity here, with anglers casting for bass, catfish, and breem, among other varieties. A boardwalk trail traverses a lush river swamp of cypress, tupelo, and spruce pine, and leads to two observation decks. The 1,316-acre park also features camping, a swimming beach, canoe and kayak rentals, bike rentals, miniature golf, and pontoon boat tours.

About the Expert

Kap Stann has written or contributed to many guidebooks to the American Southeast for such publishers as Moon, Avalon Travel, Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness, and Mobil Guides.