Fort Yargo State Park — Attraction in Winder

Great State Park property in close proximity to Atlanta. Various hiking/ biking trails encircle the lake area allowing visitors to explore and enjoy loops from approximately 7.5 to 12.5 miles in circumference. Biking and hiking pathways can be planned for anywhere from easy to a very difficult moderate. There are numerous benches along the routes for a short rest or a brief picnic. Short trail areas can be found that are difficult. There is a bike maintenance and repair work area at the main visitor center and office if needed. Fishing and boating are available on most occasions. The lake mainly has bream, bass and catfish. Boat engine size is restricted to 9.9 hp because of the overall size and depth of the 260 acre lake. The water is often murky so depth is hard to determine. The deepest section of the lake is proximal to the dam where it is approximately 6-12 feet deep, other areas may be very shallow and in certain places rocky areas may be close to the surface across large areas of the lake. Underwater obstacles are common so swimming is restricted to designated beach areas for safety. There are housing opportunities to suit every taste starting with group pioneer camping sites with limited access and facilities, regular camping sites, RV and camper sites, yurts, camper cabins, and traditional cabins. There is also a variety of picnic areas and facilities available from enclosed group areas with basic kitchen facilities and open group pavilions that require reservations to numerous free access picnic tables with grills. Fort Yargo Sp can also accommodate numerous meeting facility needs and sizes. Handicap and wheelchair accessible areas are available throughout the park. There are several great playgrounds for children up to 12. There are wonderful views throughout the park and it is a great place for birding. There is a wonderful historical fort on site at the park which is used for reenactment activities. Check with the park office for upcoming events and activities. The beach, disc golf, and putt putt areas are all currently closed and under renovation until...

My husband and I visited the beach and went fishing. The sights of the park were breathtaking. The beach area and surrounding picnic areas were all kept and clean. The fishing area we chose was by a boat ramp, and we stood on a beautiful bridge to fish. People in the area were also paddle boarding, kayaking, and boating. The whole experience was very calm and serene.

We were very pleased with our trip. Make sure you have cash to enter the park and get your pass, or you will have to go pay with a card at the visitors center. It may benefit you to look at a park map as well, we did get turned around looking for the beach.

They are very strict about park occupancy so if it is too full you will have to wait for access. While some may find this bothersome, this does make for a better experience at the beach. I can only vouch for the beach as it is small, and as the time grows closer to mid-day, the population was quite high. Without the parks' regulation of traffic, the experience could have quickly been dampened by overcrowding.

Only 2 cons. Due to a lightning strike the splashpad/ outdoor showers to rinse off after the beach were out of commission. This is obviously not the fault of the the park. The other con is that there is only the trading post by the beach for food. It was very limited in choices so make sure to pack food or be ready to exit for nearby restaurants when you get hungry. Speedy reentry is not guaranteed after you leave. Remember, they are watching the number of people present in the park. You can BBQ here on provided outdoor grills. Do not bring your own.

Again we had a great time doing those 2 activities but the have so much more to offer. We...

Before coming to Fort Yargo State Park, I called ahead to confirm whether I could leave briefly to pick up a food delivery and be allowed back in with my day pass. I was told yes, as long as I met the delivery driver at the front entrance. Based on that, I ordered pizza and met the driver—no problem there.

But when I tried to return, the road back to the beach area was blocked. I explained that I had called ahead and was told I could re-enter, but the staff at the gate said no. Even though I had a valid day pass, they told me to park elsewhere and take a “short trail” to the beach.

That “short” trail? I couldn’t even find it at first. After wandering around, I got back in my car and encountered another worker who said, “I’m not sure why they told you to come here. That trail is a 3-mile walk—it’ll take about an hour.” I was never told that.

Eventually, I drove back to the blocked road again and was told this time that I could only be let in if someone from the front gate called them. No one mentioned this earlier. I was sent in circles for 40 minutes while my family waited and my pizza got cold.

When I finally went to the visitor center, even the staff there didn’t understand why I was being denied re-entry. One person even said, “I think I know which guy you’re talking about,” referencing the rude staff member denying access. Only after someone from the visitor center called him directly was I finally let back in.

This was a terrible and frustrating experience. If you’re going to sell day passes and give out information over the phone, make sure your staff actually honors it. Do better, Fort Yargo. Visitors deserve clear communication and...