Pendleton King Park — Attraction in Augusta

This beautiful natural park, home to birds, dogs, and people of all ages may soon be lost to development. For 50 years, Pendleton King Park has been the center of a unique partnership between the City of Augusta and the Trustees of the Will of Henry Barclay King, which designates that the 64-acre bird sanctuary shall remain a park in perpetuity in memory of his son, John Pendleton King. The 64-acre property is not publicly owned like most Augusta parks. Henry B. King, a large Augusta landowner in the early part of the 20th century, specified in his will a portion of the estate remain “a public park for the use of Pendleton Camp and of the city of Augusta and for the protection and preservation of its wildlife, both animal and vegetable,” dedicating the site to his son, John Pendleton King. Pendleton King Park is a 64-acre bird sanctuary of great topographic diversity with pine forests, sand ridges, and marshes. The park is a natural beauty of a gem of nature located in the heart of Augusta and houses a variety of gardens and natural resources. Pendleton King Park offers many opportunities for recreational activities including new playgrounds, an 18-hole disc golf course, tennis courts, an off-leash dog park, a workout course, nature trails for walking and cycling, and open spaces for picnicking and play. It was recently proposed to sell the Park to the City of Augusta for the approximate sum of $1 million. However, the city did not accept the offer, and it now appears that the park has also attracted the attention of a developer who would want to bulldoze the entire Park and create a housing development. If this were to happen, one more natural reserve would be lost to concrete and steel. No more trees, no more bird sanctuary, walking and bike trails replaced by parking lots with white lines. The entire issue regarding the future of the park as a public facility is still to...

This park has everything: a dog park, frisbee golf, a jungle gym, a 1.2 (I'm 95% sure) mile trail, even a tank. I bring my dog all the time to come play at the park. There's almost always other dogs to play with and everyone is super nice. It would be 5 stars if not for the man who closes the park. The park supposedly closes at dusk, but the man has taken it upon himself to close the park whenever he feels like it. He will drive up on his golf cart and yell at us from the street that the park is closing. Not even getting out or waiting to see if we've heard. Just yelling at us and then driving away. Many times we've been forced out while the sun is still high in the sky, usually 45 minutes to an hour before dusk actually occurs. And if it's cloudy, he will close it 1 1/2 to 2 hours before it's dusk. A lot of people with dogs bring them after work and it's hard to make sure your dog gets exercise when the dog park closes 20 minutes after you arrive. I've taken 1 star off for closing the park early and the other for the unprofessionalism of the man who yells at us...

Multi-faceted park offering something for everyone. It's obvious this is a popular area, as you can see some signs of wear, but it is nicely maintained. As you enter, there is a gazebo which would be nice for gatherings, a picnic or shade. Immediately inside the entrance, there is a fenced area for a Bark Park, and a couple of nicely bricked-in gardens. There is also a paved Azalea Walk. Further along, there is a children's play area which includes some modern equipment, and a music park with instruments they can use to make music. There are also some open areas for activities with plenty of shaded areas and picnic tables. The tennis courts look a little worn, but still very usable. There is also a disc golf course on property The mixed elevations throughout make it more interesting. There's a lot to this park, as you can see...