Mistletoe State Park: Office/Campground Loop (Blog Hike #922)

Trails: Cliatt Creek, Office, Beach, and Campground Loop Trails
Hike Location: Mistletoe State Park
Geographic Location: north of Thomson, GA (33.64327, -82.38517)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2022
Overview: A rolling lollipop loop over low pine-covered hills.
Park Information: https://gastateparks.org/Mistletoe
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=926674
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In eastern Georgia, take I-20 to SR 150 (exit 175).  Exit and go north on SR 150.  Take SR 150 north 8 miles to Mistletoe Road and turn left on Mistletoe Rd.  Drive Mistletoe Rd. 3 miles to the park entrance; continue straight to enter the park.  At the first intersection inside the park, turn left, heading for the Nature Center and park office.  Park in the blacktop parking lot in front of the Nature Center and park office.

The hike: For my introduction to Mistletoe State Park, see my hike on the Rock Dam Trail, which is this park's most famous trail.  The hike described here is not the most popular trail in the park, but it follows some lesser-used trails through some nice pinewoods.  Also, this hike passes through the park's campground, so if you are camping here you can go directly from the RV to the trail.

Start of rubberized surface trail

            Your first task on this hike is to find the start of the Office Trail.  Though other routes to the Office Trail exist, I suggest starting on the rubberized surface trail to the right of the park office because it is easy to find.  Made out of recycled car tires, the rubberized surface trail ends at an interesting place called the Canyons.  The Canyons is a deep ravine with highly eroded walls, and it makes an interesting short detour on this hike.

The Canyons

            About halfway to the Canyons, you need to turn left to leave the rubberized surface trail and begin the Cliatt Creek Trail, which in turn will take you to the Office Trail.  Only a wooden sign with an arrow marks this trail intersection.  Marked with white paint blazes, the Cliatt Creek Trail embarks on a winding northbound course with a shallow ravine to your right.  The pinewoods that will dominate this hike become apparent here, and a thick bed of pine needles cushions your steps.

            At 0.3 miles, you reach another trail intersection.  The white blazes of the Cliatt Creek Trail turn right here, but you want to stay left to begin following the magenta blazes that mark the (long-awaited) Office Trail.  The Office Trail climbs slightly to cross a seldom-used paved park road before descending gradually on an old dirt woods road.  As I hiked here, I kept thinking that "Office Trail" is such a boring name for this trail and that "Pine Woods Trail" or "Old Woods Road Trail" would be more appropriate.

Joining the old woods road

            At 0.75 miles, you reach the north end of the Office Trail where it intersects the Beach Trail, another uninspiringly named trail.  Angle left to continue north on the yellow-blazed Beach Trail, which continues following the old road for a short distance before angling left to roll off the top of the finger ridge.  Next you cross several small creeks on wooden footbridges.  These footbridges look suspicious, but they all got me across their bridged watercourses without incident.

Hiking the Beach Trail

            1.1 miles into the hike, you reach an intersection with the Campground Loop Trail, which goes straight and left.  For no real reason, I chose to turn left and use the trail going straight as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  Marked with white paint blazes, the trail climbs slightly to cross the paved main campground access road.  A wildlife opening, an open grassy area designed to attract deer and other wildlife, sits to the left here, and some boulders placed around the opening make the only nice places to sit and rest on this hike.

Wildlife opening

            A park work area comes into view on the left as the trail curves right and descends gradually.  The pine woods that dominate this park persist as you reach the lowest elevation on this hike at 1.7 miles.  This point is only a few feet above Clarks Hill Lake, and a narrow arm of the lake comes into view to the left.

Best Clarks Hill Lake view

            A gradual climb comes next, and 2 miles into the hike you reach the campground entrance.  Walk along the shoulder of the campground road going straight, pass the dump station, and look for the brown metal sign that says "Trail to Office" to find the continuation of the Campground Loop.  Turn right to head back into the woods and begin the final leg of this loop.

Exiting the campground

            The trail undulates somewhat with the lake in view downhill through the trees on the left.  Cross the road that leads to the park's cabin and primitive camping areas, and at 2.6 miles you close the Campground Loop.  Retrace your steps along the Beach, Office, and Cliatt Creek Trails to return to the park office and complete the hike.  Be sure to take the short detour to the Canyons on your way back if you did not do so on your way out.