We spent the morning at Unicoi State Park recently. We went to hike around the lake, but what we found was so much more. Unicoi State Park has something for everyone and can be visited for a few hours or a few days. There’s so much to do there that maybe a few days wouldn’t be long enough.
History of Unicoi State Park
Unicoi State Park was named for the Unicoi Turnpike, an 1830s toll road that settlers used to get to North Georgia. It ran completely through Cherokee territory and the name came from the Cherokee word for “white.” Long before it became a state park in the 1950s, it was the site of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to put thousands of Americans back to work during the Great Depression. Roosevelt’s idea was “putting city men to work restoring the country to its ‘former beauty.’ [It was] ‘a massive salvage operation destined to become the most popular experiment of the New Deal.’” In Georgia, the work included reforestation (much of the land up here had been stripped bare of trees), building roads, controlling erosion, and fighting fires. I read recently that Vogel State Park has one of two CCC museums in the country. Vogel’s is a small museum and the only CCC museum in the state.
The area became a state park in 1954, under the name White County Area State Park. In 1973, the lodge was built and named Unicoi Lodge. 1974, the park renamed itself Unicoi State Park. It now covers over 2,000 square acres which are available for recreational and education research activities.
A Walk in the Woods
We arrived about 8:30 to hike the Lake Trail which follows the lake line. The trail is 2.5 miles long and is designated as an easy hike that should take about two hours. The trail begins on the east side of the dam on Hwy 356 and is a wide, fairly level hike for the first mile or so. The trail descends to lake level, takes a left turn at that point, and goes by the Visitor Center. At the center are restrooms, drinks, snacks, maps, and more. It also has a nature center in the back with examples of wildlife that live in the area. It’s well worth the stop.
The trail continues around the lake, passing the fishing pier, and then begins to climb. From that point on, the trail is up and down, and has a lot of roots and rocks to get around. We saw a handful of people running the trail, so it’s good exercise, but the easy hike designation seems a little inaccurate to me.
Along the trail are eight viewing docks and the views of the lake are spectacular. We happened to be there at the perfect time for photographing images of the lake. The mirror-image effect was beautiful.
The trail continued through the beach and swimming area, and then ends at the west side of the dam. Throughout the hike, we saw Pileated Woodpeckers (think Woody Woodpecker), fall flowers in bloom, and beautiful images. It was a morning well spent.
Unicoi State Park Activities
The Park offers housing in the Unicoi Lodge, the barrel-shaped cottages, and the campground which offers a variety of camping options. The Park also offers a variety of activities, such as paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, fishing and swimming on the lake. Also available is zip-lining, biking, picnicking, and bird-watching. Additionally, there are five maintained hiking trails that vary from 1/3 mile to 4.8 miles long, and a bike trail that is 8 miles long. Park rangers also offer a variety of educational programming during the year.
To plan your trip, be prepared with good hiking shoes, water, food, and your camera and/or binoculars. There is a $5.00 parking fee required for the day. The park regularly fills up during the fall, so plan to arrive early for the day. To stay longer, make your reservations well in advance.
The fall leaves are not to be missed at Unicoi State Park. The Park is located close to Helen, Georgia, giving you lots of options of how to spend your time in this park gem.
