Crawfordville, GA
A.H. Stephens was the Confederate States Vice President and a GA state governor after that. This state park bearing his name is fronted by his historic home and grounds. Despite his infamous legacy, it’s quite interesting to visit and see the original furnishings of this nineteenth century home, including his bedroom kept in its original condition and the specialized law library out back. The park itself is largely one for camping and horseback riding as it has several equestrian trails and stables.
Kayaking on Lake Buncombe (12 acres)
Since the larger Federal Lake is only for campers, my time kayaking at AH Stephens was spent on little Lake Buncombe. Despite the small size, it was an enjoyable and relaxed time–the lake feels very isolated, especially if you go around the corner away from the parking when there are few people on the trail around the lake. Other than lying down and nearly napping while floating out on the water, I especially enjoyed hanging out near the large the patch of rushes at the back where I saw several lakebirds including a small red-headed guy bobbing his head up for a look from the grass, possibly a gallinule?
