George L. Smith State Park: Primitive Campsites Loop (Blog Hike #725)

Trail: Primitive Campsites Loop

Hike Location: George L. Smith State Park

Geographic Location: east of Swainsboro, GA (32.55556, -82.12143)

Length: 2.7 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: December 2018

Overview: A fairly flat loop through piney woods and along a cypress-filled lake.

Park Information: https://gastateparks.org/GeorgeLSmith

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=727010
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Take US 80 to George L. Smith State Park Road, which is located 12.2 miles east of Swainsboro or 24.4 miles west of Statesboro.  Turn south on George L. Smith State Park Rd.  Drive George L. Smith State Park Rd. 1.7 miles to the signed turn-off for the boat ramp on the left.  Turn left and drive the boat ramp access road to the parking area near the boat ramp at its end.  A restroom building is located on the left here.  Park near the restroom building.

The hike: Somewhat rustic and remote George L. Smith State Park occupies 1634 acres of south Georgia’s cypress-filled wetlands and sandy-soiled pine-covered uplands.  The park centers around the historic Parrish Mill, a combination grist mill, saw mill, covered bridge, and dam that dates to 1880.  The park is named for George L. Smith, Jr., an Emmanuel County native who served as the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives for 11 years over 2 intervals between 1959 and 1973.

            Today the mill at the park’s center is a museum that can be explored via a self-guided tour.  Also, the dam forms 412-acre Parrish Lake, which makes the park a top-tier canoeing destination.  The park offers limited amenities, which include a cozy 18-site developed campground, 8 cottages, 4 primitive campsites, some picnic shelters, and 2 main hiking trails: a 3 mile loop on the east side of the lake and a 2.7 mile loop on the lake’s west side.

I came here planning to hike the 3 mile loop, but that trail was closed due to construction work on the dam, which also caused water levels in Parrish Lake to be much lower than usual.  Thus, I was forced to choose the 2.7 mile loop.  The 2.7 mile loop is mainly an access trail for the park’s primitive campsites, but it also offers nice views of cypress-filled Parrish Lake and a fairly easy walk through the pine-covered uplands.

Trailhead near boat ramp

            The hike starts at a brown metal sign located to the left (west) of the restroom building; the sign reads “Primitive Campsites.”  The wide single-track trail heads north into woods dominated by loblolly pines.  The trail is marked by light blue rings painted around trees, and the large number of these trail markers ensures you will have no trouble following the trail.  Some interpretive signs describe the flora and fauna of the surrounding piney woods.  Mountain bikes are also allowed to use this trail, but I did not see another single person on the Monday afternoon that I hiked here.

Hiking along the lake

            At 0.2 miles, the first of several unmarked side trails exits left to the Pioneer Campground.  Interestingly, this park makes a distinction between pioneer camping and primitive camping with the latter offering fewer amenities than the former.  Cypress tree-filled Parrish Lake comes very close on the right here, and the drawn-down water levels gave me the rare opportunity to hike on a canoe trail had I chosen to leave the official hiking trail.

Drawn-down Parrish Lake

            Wooden distance markers appear at half-mile intervals, and just past the 0.5 mile marker you pass the first of the four primitive campsites.  Metal signs attached to wooden posts mark the spur trails to the primitive campsites.  Near the 1 mile marker, the trail curves left and gains about 30 vertical feet as it leaves the lake area.  The trail surface gets sandier now, and the white sandy soil under foot contrasts brilliantly with the surrounding grass and trees.

Hiking along the ridge top

            At 1.7 miles, where another unmarked trail continues straight, you need to turn left to begin heading southbound along a low ridgetop.  Watch for the light blue rings painted around trees here.  A slightly muddy area allowed me to spot some deer tracks, evidence of what had been here before me.

The main park road comes into view through a pine planting on the right just before the trail ends at the boat ramp access road.  Turn left and walk 0.3 miles along the road to return to your car and complete the hike.  While you are here, be sure to check out the historic mill.  Also, a scenic 0.5 mile nature trail along the lake connects the mill area with the park’s developed campground.