rock-climbing

From hiking and biking to canoeing and swimming, there are many ways to get your exercise outside. Research suggests that even low impact activity in the outdoors stimulates endorphins and contributes to both mental and physical health.

Across Georgia, there are thousands of acres of land open for you to explore. Georgia’s state parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, lakes, and other public lands are great places for wildife viewing, hiking, hunting, fishing, and general outdoor enjoyment.

In this episode we'll experience The Tri-the-Parks Triathalon Series, the Georgia State Parks' Canyon Climbers Challenge and attend Unicoi's State Park's annual Outdoor Activity Day looking for other unique outdoors adventures.

Web Resources

Georgia State Parks
With 63 State Parks & Historic Sites, Georgia gives you plenty of options for outdoors adventure. And you won't have to travel far. Your biggest challenge - deciding what to.

The National Forests of Georgia
As part of America's national forest system, the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests represent the finest outdoor recreation opporutnities and natural resources Georgia has to offer. These lands are rich in history and culture you'll find fascinating to explore.

Georgia’s Great Lakes
From camping to boating, fishing to resorts, the nine Great Lakes of Georgia beckon visitors from around the world to enjoy these water wonders.

Tri the Parks
The Tri the Parks Triathlon and Duathlon Race Series is the only multi-sport event series in Georgia. Five triathlons, four duathlons, and one aquathlon comprise the series for 2008. One of the events is an all female event. We’ll see you at the start line!

Canyon Climbers Club
For years, marathon runners have endured long distances in their quest for bragging rights and prestigious t-shirts. Now, state park hikers have their own conquest that ends with an exclusive “I did it!” t-shirt. Georgia’s new Canyon Climbers Club is reserved for those few who have scaled to the top of Amicalola Falls, explored the depths of Providence Canyon, braved the swinging bridge in Tallulah Gorge and faced the daunting staircase in Cloudland Canyon.

Muddy Spokes Club
Visit the 11 state parks in the Muddy Spokes Club and ride the designated bicycle trail at each one for a total of 68 miles. Some of the trails are fairly easy, some are moderate and some are strenuous and will give you a challenge. Be sure you are in good health, wear safety gear and take plenty of water along.

Annual Georgia Geocachers Association Challenge
Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache's existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS unit can then try to locate the geocache.

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Recently, Camping Life Magazine ranked Georgia's State Parks as the best in the US and in contrast, the United States National Trust recently named Georgia as having the most parks in peril. Join Host Michael Skinner as he explores, rock climbs, horseback rides and hikes some of Georgia's most beautiful public land including Tallulah Gorge State Park, Black Rock State Park and Ft. Mountain State Park.

100 miles long and 25 hundred feet high, Lookout Mountain spans three states as it stretches from Gadsden, Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Upon it's length one will find waterfalls, canyons, scenic vistas, unique towns, state and national parks and preserves and many more natural wonders.

We'll start in Chattanooga at the northern tip of Lookout Mountain. Underground, Ruby Falls plummets into a crystal clear pool. Above Ruby Falls lies Point Park and the Lookout Mountain Battlefield, part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Just south from Point Park, and just inside the Georgia state line, is Rock City Gardens famous for its barn-top signs declaring, "See Rock City".

South of the Chattanooga area is Cloudland Canyon State Park, one of Georgia's most scenic parks, offering rugged geology and beautiful vistas. Nearby is the Lookout Mountain Flight Park offering hang-gliding lessons and flights. And just south of there is the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, one of the most diversely utilized WMA in Georgia offering caving, rock-climbing, horseback-riding, camping, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, not to mention hunting and fishing. Also, within its boundaries is the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail, an 800-foot boardwalk meandering through a patch of uncommon wildflowers.

Lookout Mountain continues another 60 miles into Alabama. Here lies Little River Canyon National Preserve and the Desoto State Park. Lookout Mountain finally comes to an end at the Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama.

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Any weekend throughout the year offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities in Georgia. Mild winters and long springs and falls invite Georgians to do everything from rafting and hiking to hunting and fishing.

Join us for A Georgia Outdoors Guide to Never Spending a Weekend at Home. We'll explore outdoor activities month by month for Georgians and our visitors. For example, in January, you can visit Sky Valley in North Georgia and learn to snow ski and the next weekend cycle with the Coastal Bicycle Touring Club on the warm coast! March offers both the chance to hunt a turkey, and to raft the Chattooga River. But don't forget fishing and camping. Once the weather heats up, we'll tell you where to go diving one weekend and caving another. And if you've never gone birding, we'll show you what you've been missing and how many places there are to bird in Georgia.

September offers lots of hunting opportunities and Georgia is rich in public fishing areas where you can "wet a hook" all year long. The cooler weather of November offers clear night skies for star gazing and in December you can skip the malls and participate in the Partners in Flight Christmas Bird Counts. So, be careful, if you watch this program, you'll have no excuse to stay at home!

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