The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

The main garden is fairly small but the property has miles of hiking trails. Download a map because they aren't available at the garden. Besides the planted garden areas there's also a conservatory, a decorative arts museum, a children's play area and garden, and chapel used for weddings. 

   

    

The conservatory and the art museum are accessible. The garden paths are paved but visitors in wheelchairs will need assistance due to the hilly terrain. The hiking trails are too hilly and rough for wheelchair access. 

Our 25' RV fit in the accessible parking spaces in the upper parking lot. Longer RVs can be parked across the spaces. Look for the main entrance and follow the walkway to the elevator to access the gardens. Garden  33.90216, -83.38292

 

Watsadler Campground

 Almost every site in this pretty, Corp of Engineers campground fronts on Lake Hartwell. Amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and water and electric hookups. There are also restrooms, showers, and a dump station.

There are two accessible sites that have pavement under the table, fire ring, and grill. We stayed in site 31 and although it's not designated as accessible it's very nice. The parking pad and table area is hard packed dirt and it has a beautiful view of the lake. Campground  34.34256, -82.84269

 

 

Brick House Campground

 Horses are permitted in this small national forest campground but there weren't any horses when we were there and just a few campers - a very peaceful spot in mid November.  Amenities include tables, fire rings, grills, and vault toilets. For some reason Recreation. gov, who handles many federal reservations and usually doesn't charge a reservation fee, does charge for this campground so our $5.00 a night site became $10.50 once an $8.00 reservation fee was added on and we received our $2.50 ( 1/2 of $5.00) geezer discount. 

The campsites are all fairly level and while none are designated as accessible most are usable. We camped in site 2 and, although I never left the RV because of the cold weather, the ground seemed to be hard packed. 

A 1/2 mile dirt road in good condition provides access. Pass the large, grassy, trailhead parking area on the left and the campground is just down the road on the right. Campground  34.4481, -81.70675

 

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

We were a little too late for large displays of  flowers  but we really enjoyed this garden with its meandering paths and themed gardens. The newly constructed Prairie Castle Playground is a big draw for families. A path leads through the woods to very creative play areas using natural materials such as hollow trees, bamboo, and stacked rocks. Colorful orchids and tropical plants fill the conservatory.

While most of the paths are paved and the path through the woods is hard packed the garden is not accessible without the help of a strong assistant due to the very hilly terrain.  

RVs will fit in the parking lot if backed up over the grass or parked lengthwise through the spaces.  Garden  35.16939, -81.05733

 

Charlotte Museum of History

The large impressive appearing museum building is surprisingly empty and short on history. The main exhibit is about the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, a document from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, that may or may not predate the Declaration of Independence. Other exhibits feature portraits of Charlotte residents and two hundred years of political cartoons. There's also a relocated 1920 schoolhouse, the Siloam School, built for black children in the era when schools were segregated. It served as a house and then a garage before being rescued, restored, and placed on the museum grounds. 

The 1774 Alexander Homesite is part of the museum grounds. A paved walking trail loops past a two story springhouse, the stone Alexander house, a rebuilt kitchen building, and a relocated log barn. Interpretive signs are located along the trail.  

The museum is accessible. The schoolhouse has a ramp and is accessible. The trail is paved but very steep and requires backtracking due to steps in one section. Wheelchair users will need assistance. The Alexander house and the kitchen building are not accessible due to steps. 

 

RVs will fit in the lot if parked through the spaces. The trail can be accessed through the museum and there's also a connector trail on the left side of the parking lot. Visiting the grounds is free. 

Museum    35.23406, -80.76692

 

Toby Creek Greenway

 Both Toby Creek Greenway and Mallard Creek Greenway can be accessed from the Kirk Farms Fields parking lot. We tried Mallard Creek Greenway first but the asphalt soon ended and the trail became rough crushed rock so we backtracked and walked/rolled along Toby Creek Greenway until it ended too at University City Blvd. We covered about five miles total.  

 Even though the trail cuts through the college campus most of it is under forest cover. We came to one spot where the underpass was flooded but the trail has a bypass that crossed the street.

      

 

The trail is almost completely level and in excellent condition. The last section to University City Blvd is very steep and can be skipped. 

 

RVs will fit in the Kirk Farms Fields lot if backed up over the grass.  Trail  35.32098, -80.73215