Tugaloo State Park in Georgia
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We typically try to keep our camping to the cooler months as summertime in the scorching south can get decidedly buggy and uncomfortable, but with one kid headed off to college soon, we needed a bit of a family getaway. So we meandered north to Georgia in our Forest River Surveyor travel trailer!
Tugaloo State Park is in the northeast corner of Georgia along the South Carolina border, with “tugaloo” originating as a Cherokee word for a place at the fork of a stream. Tucked next to Lake Hartwell, it proved to be a great place for hiking, fishing, all sorts of water recreation and just all around relaxing.
For a bit of hiking, we set off on the Sassafras Trail, which is only 3.8 miles according to the map yet the trailhead signs warn the average hike time is four hours. We did it in two, partly in the rain, but it’s something to bear in mind before starting your hike: make sure you have plenty of water and snacks! The trail map was spectacularly detailed, and the trail markings were excellent. Florida State Parks could learn a thing or two, not gonna lie! Down to latitude and longitude, elevation changes, and a clear numbering system, any chance of getting lost was pretty much wiped out.
Tugaloo was also a great place for wildlife. Between us, we saw deer, a fawn, millipedes, skinks, a woodpecker, bluebirds, songbirds, fireflies and we even got to see a small box turtle and a larger one laying eggs! Looks like more box turtles will be coming to Tugaloo soon!
On the first night, a couple of the kids spotted a red fox near the edge of the woods across the field near our site. Very exciting! So of course, the next couple of nights, we all kept an eye out to see if we could spot it. Each night someone managed to catch a glimpse – except for me! Until, that is, the very last evening. The kids called out and sure enough, we all got lucky! Not only did we see mama red fox, but we also saw her two kits, or pups, prancing along the edge of the woods. Too far away and too dark for a share-worthy photo, but a joy to see nonetheless!
I also had the chance to introduce my kids to the wonder that are pill bugs, or as we used to call them, roly polies. They were plentiful around camp if you knew where to look. The kids soon collected a small colony, created a habitat and named them all Greg. Why? Who knows! These are the simple joys of camping that I treasure!
Tugaloo is a large park with access to Lake Hartwell which is popular for water skiing, jet skiing and tubing. Unfortunately, we couldn’t try out any of these fun things to do but we did enjoy a swim at the beach area where the kids also built sandcastles and tried to catch fish with their bare hands. Surprisingly, it worked!
Some of us later tried some fishing with actual rods and reels at a couple of fishing spots around the park, catching and promptly releasing back into the waters.
The campground has both back-in and pull-through sites. We were at site 101, near to both a comfort station and a field – this was perfect for frisbee, running, catching fireflies, and a game of ball. One couple played boules there. From our site, it was easy to keep a watchful eye on kids both on the field and at the playground on the opposite end. There was a gray/sink water drain directly across from our site, which would have been very handy if we were staying longer, and our site was elevated so we could get a view of the roads that led down to the water. The kids really enjoyed the narrow roads for ripstiking – they rated this park excellent for ripstiking and other kids looked very happy on their bikes. In fact, our kids ripstiked so much, they completely broke down some wheels, which is how we learned about getting deliveries via Amazon Hub Lockers.
Good news alert! It’s always a joy to find out you have nice and considerate camping neighbors and we were pleasantly surprised when our neighbors walked over and asked if we needed anything from Walmart, which was some 12 miles away. They had jet skis and a boat and had lost an anchor so needed to get a replacement. How thoughtful of them to ask! We love it when campers look out for each other!
Minor inconvenience: we happened to be here when there was a major early morning tree trimming project going on. I personally cannot sleep through that noise but several lucky family members somehow could. I fully understand this needs to happen from time to time. In fact, when we arrived, the campground had no electricity because a tree somewhere had fallen and cut it off! It was fixed within just a couple of hours of our arrival and I know they just want to prevent other potential problems, which I appreciate. But so early in the morning? Quiet early mornings listening to the birds wake is one of my camping highlights. Having said that, a large branch fell in the woods while we hiked the Sassafras Trail and that was scary! Way too close for comfort.
All in all, Tugaloo is a beautiful state park. The camp sites are good, and Tallulah Gorge State Park is a beautiful day trip from here. With any luck, we’ll definitely be back!