Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Camping gets a glamorous makeover at Sweetwater Creek State Park. With the opening of Yurt Village, which consists of ten wooden-and-canvas structures nestled in the woods and overlooking the most sapphire of lakes, you can appreciate the rustic camping experience while still getting a restful night’s sleep.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the “glamping” phenomenon, in this region where the swelling foothills of Appalachia are punctuated with evergreen pines. While the park offers a range of activities, from kayaking to boating (non-electric) to fishing, my favorite was exploring the outdoor nature trails. Accompanied by my partners-in-crime (my husband and young son), we spent the day meandering the best of the parks’ numerous hikes through the woods. Most memorable was the rambling, one-mile trek down to the historic Civil War–era textile mill. Many would recognize the mill from its debut in The Hunger Games’ Mockingjay, where it served as the backdrop for an emotional moment between Katniss and Gale.
You don’t have to be a movie location scout to know this is indeed an exceptional place. It’s hard to choose which is the most impressive beauty of Sweetwater Creek State Park—the shimmering night sky, the intoxicating vistas, or the aging Civil War relics—but the back porch of Yurt #2 is the perfect place to consider it for a while.
