Holiday Shopping, Pioneer Harvest Festival and Native American Heritage Month at Georgia State Parks

Let’s Go Leaf Watching

Georgia’s forests are blanketed with gorgeous fall color during early November. To best enjoy these autumn hues, use the Leaf Watch Travel Planner filled with tips to help you find top parks, campsites, cabins and more. You’ll find vibrant maples at F.D. Roosevelt State Park and copper-colored cypress needles at George L. Smith State Park. Instagrammers, tag your best fall photos with #GaLeafWatch and #GaStateParks for a chance to be featured on Leaf Watch.

November is Native American Heritage Month

Celebrate the culture of our land’s native people throughout November. More than 1,000 years ago, vibrant civilizations thrived across the Southeast. Their earthen mounds and legacy remain at Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Cartersville and Kolomoki Mounds State Park in Blakely. Later, in the early 1800s, the Cherokee Nation established its central government in north Georgia. New Echota Historic Site near Calhoun showcases this capital through original and reconstructed buildings, and nearby Chief Vann House Historic Site features a stunning 1804 home.

Pioneer Harvest Festival at General Coffee

Celebrate pioneer life with the Southeast Coalition of Authentic Reenactors at General Coffee State Park. On November 13, travel back to the late 1880s to watch soap making, butter churning, candle dipping, smoking meats, cooking, cane grinding and syrup boiling. Browse craft vendors, enjoy music and food, and mingle with the park’s farm animals. General Coffee is located in southeast Georgia and offers cabins, camping, walking trails, bike rental, fishing and picnicking. For a unique treat, stay overnight in the park’s historic Burnham Cottage.

Making Campfire Banana Boats

Relaxing next to a toasty campfire is the perfect way to end a day of hiking. Make it even sweeter with a yummy dessert cooked over your fire. In this video, Ranger Sarah shows how to make easy banana boats with chocolate, marshmallows and peanut butter. You’ll find more campfire recipes, park tours, historian interviews and more on the Georgia State Parks YouTube channel.

Holiday Shopping Made Easy

Winter nights are perfect for snuggling under blankets and cozying up to campfires. Their online gift shop features not just blankets, but also hiking stick medallions, patches, Canyon Climbers Club memberships, annual passes and more. They even have gift cards which can be used for cottage reservations, campsites, golf green fees and items in our gift shops. They make it easy to find the perfect holiday surprise. GaStateParks.org

November Events

Astronomy Night – November 6, Providence Canyon State Park, Lumpkin

Veterans Day Celebration — November 11, F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain

Colonial Autumn Encampment — November 13, Fort King George Historic Site, Darien

Fall-Color Paddle – November 13, Hard Labor Creek State Park, Rutledge

Leaf-Looker’s Hike – November 13, Mistletoe State Park, Appling

Movie Night – November 19, Laura S. Walker State Park, Waycross

“Come and take it!” Encampment – November 20, Fort Morris Historic Site, Midway

Thanksgiving Crafts – November 20, Victoria Bryant State Park, Royston

Opt-Outside Hikes – November 25, Many Georgia State Parks

Find more happenings on GaStateParks.org.