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Established in 1931, Vogel State Park stands today as one of Georgia’s oldest state parks. Over 223 acres of land make up this beautiful reserve, known for its extensive selection of trails and crisp, brightly colored forests. Located at the base of Blood Mountain in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel is especially popular during the fall thanks to the blanket of colors that transform the park’s trees and wildlife. In fact, Red, yellow, and gold leaves cover the landscape of the surrounding hills, mountains, and valleys for months at a time.
This park is also full of history, with many facilities being constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. To learn about the “CCC” boys and their incredible story, check out the park museum open seasonally.
The North Georgia Mountains around Vogel were also linked to native tribes for generations before European settlement, and the adventurous individual can still find remnants from their time on this land via the surrounding trails. In fact, there are a variety of trails available, including the 4 mile Bear Hair Gap loop. Bear Hair is easier than other hikes in the area and leads to the Trahlyta Falls, a peaceful set of waterfalls perfect for photo opportunities or a small picnic. More seasoned hikers can undergo the challenging 13-mile Coosa Backcountry Trail, which showcases the regional wildlife and various water features throughout.
If hiking isn’t your thing, the park’s 22 acre lake is open to non-motorized boats, and during summer, visitors can cool off at the mountain-view beach. Enjoy paddleboarding or kayaking while your family watches you from shore, then finish up with a round of mini golf at the park’s 18 hole course.
For overnight accommodations, 34 Cottages, 85 campsites and 18 primitive backpacking sites are all available for a reasonable rate.There is also a pioneer campground available for rent, which is perfect for groups and allows campers to see how past settlers would have lived. During your stay, there are 4 picnic shelters available for use, as well as a group shelter and a lake pavilion, which seat 90 and 100 guests respectively. There is also a general store open year round, with Wifi open at the visitor center.
It was a little confusing trying to find the entrance to waterfall trail due to the construction but once we did super easy to hike to waterfall. Maybe took an hour total and my wife and I stopped to horseplay and take pictures
Was a great time here. The park was great for a family. We were visiting with our two year old and The playground and the trails around the lake were perfect for him. He really enjoyed spending time on the pavilion and looking over the lake. Would definitely recommend it for a quick stop.
Lovely early Fall hike with magnificent colorful foliage canopies. The summer flowers are still around too so it’s the best of both worlds. The mushrooms are spectacular and sometimes you can find a whole section of them which is a treat. We took the Bear Hair Gap trail which we would consider moderate in difficulty. It was relatively quiet as we saw very few people on the trail. It took us 3 hours with our frequent water breaks and with overlook stop to complete the trail. We could smell the swampy lake from the overlook. 😂 Couldn’t see much yet as the leaves are still up. The temperature was perfect, not too hot or cold. They are building some center at the park so currently the parking situation is crowded but people are constantly coming and going so we found a spot.
What a wonderful and relaxing getaway... was always my children's favorite whenever we went camping! We stayed in the cabins for the first time and they loved it. The grandchildren had a blast and are ready to come back! This is our favorite State Park!!
What a well-maintained state park. The grounds are clean and organized. Visitors can enjoy numerous amenities, such as the theater, pool and picnic areas, cute cottages, RV park, bonfires, trails, waterfalls, convenience store, and more.
Hubby and I plan to spend a weekend when the weather warms up. We enjoy taking the scenic route through the Blue Ridge mountains. Now it's time to stay a while.
