Vogel State Park in North Georgia is one of the most beautiful state parks we've camped at. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Southern Appalachians at the base of Blood Mountain, Vogel has all the wonderful amenities a camper could hope for: shaded sites, water/electricity hookups, a 22-acre lake for recreation/fishing, swimming beach and hiking trails. Vogel even has a magnificent cascading waterfall!
We arrived Monday, May 11 after a very pleasant drive south along the Ocoee River and into the edge of North Carolina before entering Georgia. Our destination was via Blairsville, Georgia. We made a stop along the upper Ocoee lake for a quick picnic lunch.
Our set-up routine is swift and efficient. The weather was windy and chilly with the highs in the 50s, so the campfire was welcome!
Every morning we looked forward to a hearty breakfast cooked over a fire! We ate very well on our camp-out! Since we planned to hike and explore during the day, suppers were prepared in my slow cooker: grilled burgers, chicken with veggies and hobo dinners. Yummy! Supper was ready when we returned to the campsite.
Our real motive for camping at Vogel was to be near the site for the tiny orchid Small Whorled Pogonia [Isotria medeoloides], the tiniest orchid plant in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. It measures about 5 inches tall.
Last year when we checked on the remote site, there was only one plant to be found and it did not bloom. Too much trampling around the site packs down the dirt and impacts the life cycle of this tiny orchid. This year someone had gone carefully into the site area to mark and label each plant.
We counted 8 plants, 5 with bloom buds! Finding these tiny orchids has been my dream for several years. I was thrilled beyond description! I do not share the location of such rare plants. Besides being very finicky about blooming, they require that their site not be impacted by careless foot falls.
In the area were countless Catesby's Trilliums. It was unusual to find a white one because I have observed that most of the Catesby Trilliums in South Carolina and Georgia are pink when they bloom. In the Smokies Cateby's usually bloom white and turn pink with age.
Winfield Scott State Park was open to fishermen, but all the picnic areas were closed due to COVID-19 mandates.
We picnicked at the vehicle, but greeted several people who carried their lunches to areas open for foot traffic.
Wildflowers grew abundantly in the area: trilliums, geraniums and sweet shrub.
A drop-in visit to Smithgall Woods State Park near Helen offered a brief exploration. Several wildflower gardens were scattered about. A huge 5-leaf Jack-in-the-Pulpit stood sentinel over ferns and other woodland plants.
Two volunteers were cleaning out the bog garden near the visitor's center. Green Pitcher Plants yawned to receive lunch - perhaps a juicy gnat or fly.
I have yet to identify what resembles Marsh Marigold. The leaves do not fit the description for Marsh Marigold.
For our return to the campground, we decided to take the Richard Russell Scenic Highway. The views were spectacular!
Looking across the valley, we noticed that spring was not as advanced on the higher peaks.
Upon careful inspection of the mountain range north, you can spot Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia.
Brasstown Bald, near Blairsville, is well worth a visit!
Spring creeps slowly up the mountain.
From our vantage point at the lookout, the sign helped us to identify the distant peaks and points of interest.
On our last day at Vogel, the weather had warmed considerably. We decided a stroll around the lake would be in order.
The swimming area was closed until the state decides it is safe for people to gather. COVID-19 has interrupted the economy and even devastated it in certain areas.
We enjoy finding the geo-markers. This one had no date stamped on it.
At the lower end of the lake, the water is shunted through a slough beneath the dam, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The water spills over the slough and over the rocky ledges forming Trahlyta Falls, named for an Indian princess.
A sturdy viewing platform provided a close encounter with the falls.
Water is pumped from the bottom of the lake and spills over the falls, aerating the stream for the abundant trout which thrive in the stream below the falls.
Just off the trail, a Cateby's Trillium hid among the ferns.
On our way home as we passed through Blairsville, the round-about passed by their lovely courthouse.
I would love to plan a family get-together at Vogel State Park. There are many places to explore: several waterfalls, hiking trails and natural and historic areas. The Park offers family-friendly activities such as fishing, cycling, swimming, miniature golf and non-motorized boating. Rentals are available for biking, paddle-boating, miniature golfing and fishing. Something to interest all age groups!
