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Recreation
So many ways to play.
Great temps, great times ahead.
Clear skies and a clear head on the picturesque Piedmont Plateau: One of the reasons Meriwether County is such a great place to work is that it’s also great place to play, relax and recharge. Just take a look:
Special Activities:
Refreshing retreats: While Meriwether was initially famous for its warm waters, today’s water recreation could definitely be described as cool. Lake Meriwether, for example, offers over 150 acres of fun in fishing, camping and picnicking—in short, a great place to chill. And while the Flint River, surprisingly, begins in the midst of metro Atlanta, pollution is no problem since the river purifies itself as it flows hundreds of miles beautifully unimpeded—which is very cool, because that also means all kinds of good clean family fun. Start at the Flint River Outdoor Center for guided canoe trips, rafting, tubing and camping.
Above par choices in golf: Meriwether offers superb options in both public and private courses, including multiple courses at Callaway Gardens, home to tournaments like the Callaway Gardens Classic (a Peach State Pro Tour Tournament) and the Georgia PGA Junior Series.
Hunting: The scenery is gorgeous—2,500 acres of rolling hills, towering oaks and pines, broom sedge and native grasses—and the hunting is great at Big Red Oak Plantation Hunting Preserve. While game includes bobwhite quail, whitetail deer, pheasant and turkey, Big Red Oak is also a premier center for clay course shooting, and the 2015 host of Georgia State Sporting Clays Association Championship as well as the National Southeastern Regional Championship.
Fields of Fun: Meriwether’s youth and adult sports stay in action year-round, thanks to excellent facilities for baseball, softball, tennis and soccer.
Top picks in agri-tourism: Come pick juicy strawberries or fresh vegetables, or just sit on a porch and savor home-made peach ice cream, on Meriwether’s working farms where a bumper crop of fun and hospitality awaits. Numerous farms are waiting to host your perfect farm experience.
Tracks and trails: For happy hikers, FDR State Park unspools more than 40 miles of trails, including the beloved 23-mile Pine Mountain Trail with its seven interlacing loops. The landscape is spectacular and unforgettable, dotted with waterfalls and scenic overlooks like Dowdell’s Knob, a favorite picnic spot of President Roosevelt. But you don’t have to get to the countryside for a good stroll: multiple lighted city walking tracks make fitness even more convenient.
Horseback and horsepower: While many residents and visitor take advantage of FDR State Park’s miles of horseback trails (along with private stables offering guided rides), you don’t have to saddle up to enjoy the beauty of the Meriwether outdoor settings—just start your car. The 55-mile loop of the Meriwether-Pike County Scenic Byway offers up much of the same landscape that charmed FDR over a half century ago, as the road takes you past sights like the Flint River and the historic Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge.
Special Areas:
FDR State Park: As Georgia’s largest state park, FDR offers impressive acreage and amenities, encompassing 9,049 acres for exploring that include 40 miles of trails, 109 campsites, 22 cottages, and multiple shelters, camps and backcountry camp sites. FDR is big and beautiful, not only in the pristine natural scenery—waterfalls, wildflowers, wildlife like deer and turkey—but also in many of the inviting man-made additions such as the cottages built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
Callaway Gardens: From clouds of butterflies to riots of blooms, from birds of the air to birdies on the course, the 6,000-acre Callaway Gardens resort is a world unto itself—gardens, lakes, bike trails, tennis courts, golf courses and great lodging, as well as a year-round schedule of high-profile events.
National Fish Hatcheries: The work is serious at the National Fish Hatcheries Facilities, first opened before the beginning of the 20th century to study fish habitat and nurture fish supply for the region. However, with attractive picnic areas and an aquarium open year-round, the Hatcheries are also serious fun for families and nature lovers of all ages.
