Ocmulgee Flats Hunt Camp

   Mature fir and hardwood trees form a shady canopy making this a beautiful campsite. The large, flat area with little underbrush is roomy enough for many campers. Since it’s a hunt and horse camp it may be busy at times but we had it almost all to ourselves. A few people with horse trailers pulled in for day rides and left at night. Trains in the distance are the only noise disturbance. Poison ivy is prevalent.

  The campsite is a mile in on a one lane gravel road with enough room to allow oncoming traffic to pass. It’s very hard to spot the access road from Route 83. From Ocmulgee River travel one mile northeast on 83 and look for the access road on the left.  Camp

Ocmulgee National Monument

  17,000 years of evidence of human habitation has been uncovered at  Ocmulgee but the park centers around the period from 950-1150 when the Macon Plateau culture people built the seven mounds that are on the grounds. About 5 miles of trails loop around and on top of the mounds. The visitor center has artifacts from an archeological dig sponsored by Roosevelt’s depression era Works Project Administration.

  The visitor center is accessible. The theater has movable chairs. One trail, from the visitor center to the earth lodge, is paved but has a very steep down and then up grade. All of the other trails have soft, uneven, hilly ground or steps. It possible to see the mounds from the park road.

   RVs can park across the spaces in the visitor center lot. Do not drive any farther on the park road with a RV. A railroad overpass with a 8’ 6” clearance is located a short distance in. The road is about a mile long with no sidewalk but it can be walked.  Ocmulgee

        

      

     

Museum of Aviation

  More than 90 airplanes are on display in four buildings along with interesting exhibits about the Flying Tigers, a group of skilled fighter pilots hired by China to stop attacks from the invading Japanese;  the challenge of delivering supplies to US bases in China which involved flying above 15,000’ over the Himalayan mountains on the Indian border;  the role of paratroopers in the D-Day invasion; and the creation of the first black flying unit known as the Tuskegee Airmen.  Allow three or four hours to see everything, more if you read all of the exhibit signage.

  Everything indoors is accessible except for a few exhibits where it’s possible to climb into the seats of the aircraft or trainers. Most of the planes displayed outside can be seen from the road or paved path but some of the signs are in the grass and too far away to be easily read.

  The parking lot is huge with a section for RVs and buses.  Museum

      

Kilbrew Park Campground

   The county power commission manages this little campground. Set up on a site and an employee will be around to register you. The sites have tables, fire rings and water. Some are large enough for any RV. Two have accessible tables but they aren’t marked as accessible sites. We didn’t see any type of toilet facilities.

  The campground is located at the base of a dam and seems to be a popular fishing area. We camped in the middle of the week.  Most of the sites had tents set up on them but nobody camping so it appears that people are “saving” the sites for the weekends. Campground

World's Largest Peanut!

  Georgia grows over 3 billion pounds of peanuts a year, almost half of the nation’s peanut crop. This big peanut, built in 1975 is 10’ tall, sitting on top of a 15’ tower. It’s right off of I-75, actually visible from the interstate, so you don’t have to drive far to see it up close.

  The parking lot is pretty small. Large RVs can park in the sausage store lot.  Peanut

Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site

   After the Confederate army surrendered to the north, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, went into hiding and fled south from Richmond, hoping to escape overseas. He was captured by Union troops on May 10, 1865 at this site. A monument and a small museum were built in the 1930s. The museum contains artifacts from the war and a few personal possessions of the Davis family.  A short film is shown. The museum curator is extremely knowledgeable but expect a slightly southern slant.

  The museum and theater are  accessible. Some of the displays are difficult to see from a seated position. The monument is located in the grass without a path to it so it’s difficult to get close and hard to view from a distance.

  The parking lot is small but there’s enough room for large RVs to park and turn around. Museum

Lowndes County Historical Museum

    The exhibits and artifacts in this small museum cover local history. The displays aren’t very informative but a couple of them caught our attention – the sad story of Gypsy, a circus elephant, and the early life of Doc Holiday who spent his childhood in Valdosta and worked as an apprentice dentist before moving west to become a gambler and gunslinger.

    The accessible entrance is on the left side of the building. There’s a button to push to unlock the door but it’s located too high for a person in a wheelchair to reach. Once inside an elevator provides access to the museum. Some of the displays are hard to see and some of the aisles are too narrow for easy wheelchair access. The paths in the outdoor display area are covered with pine needles which makes pushing very difficult.

    RVs can park in the large lot across the street.  Museum

Dudley Farm Historic State Park

  Three generations of Dudleys lived and worked on their 640 acre farm, raising livestock, fruits, vegetables, sugar cane, cotton, tobacco and peanuts. Eighteen original buildings along with 325 acres were donated to the state by Myrtle Elizabeth Dudley, the last Dudley to live on the farm. The buildings, which include the farm house, general store, hay barn, canning shed and numerous outbuildings, were built between the 1880s and 1945 and allow visitors to experience how farm life has changed through the years. A small visitor center has a short film and displays about the family and farm.

  The visitor center is accessible. The trail to the farm site is paved for a short distance then becomes sandy and uneven, grassy ground. A couple of balloon tire wheelchairs are available to use. The farm house has a lift which requires a key  to operate. It looks like it might be out of commission but we didn’t ask. The general store has a few very uneven steps. It’s fairly east to peek inside most of the other buildings. The nature trail has some roots and a lot of poison ivy.

  Smaller RVs will fit in the main parking lot but large RVs may have to park in the bus lot.

Sawgrass Lake Park Trails

  This little island of maple swampland is surrounded by interstate highway and industrial development. There’s quite a bit of traffic noise which distracts from the experience but the amount of wildlife that can be spotted while strolling along the trails is surprising. Round trip along the boardwalks is about 1 1/2 miles. A loop trail through the woods adds another 1/2 mile. A few outdoor displays are located at the nature center.

  The boardwalks are accessible and in very good condition. The top board of the railings blocks the view somewhat for wheelchair users. The loop trail is hard packed sand with few roots and is fairly easy to push along.

  RVs can park lengthwise across the parking spaces.  Park
          
          

Manatee Village Historical Park

   The Wiggins general store, a two story brick structure built in 1903 and one of the few buildings in it’s original location, is the starting point for a self guided tour of the village. The first floor is set up as a general store with cases displaying turn of the century merchandise. The second floor has exhibits of Manatee County history. Seven other building, along with several outbuildings, have been relocated or reconstructed to form the village.

  The main path in the village is accessible but bumpy at times because of the brick construction. The store, Stephens house,  meeting house and school house (very unsubstantial ramp) are accessible. The boat works and courthouse do not have ramps and are not accessible.  We didn’t visit the bunkhouse or the cemetery.

  The parking lot has long spaces for RVs and buses but the turns in and out of the lot are a little tight.  Village