Springs Fever

by Ian Wilson

This tour begins in the historical Warm Springs, GA, continues on to Providence Canyon and then to Radium Springs, and wraps up at the Okefenokee Swamp. PRICES FOR SPRINGS FEVER Tour Bus: 10-20 person capacity. (Figures based on 10 people. If more people go, the cost will be less, so bring your friends!) Example: 10 people: $20 per person. 20 people: $10 per person. Warm Springs Little White House Tour: $7 for Adults, $4 for children under 12. Bed & Breakfast Lodging for 4: $135 per night. ($33.75 per person) Providence Canyon Lodge for 4: $59 per night. ($14.75 per person) Guided Hiking Tour: $5 per person. Radium Springs Hotel for 4: $109 per night. ($27.25 per person) Okefenokee Swamp Entry: $12 for Adults, $11 for children under 12. Hotel for 4: $90 per night. ($22.50 per person) Final Costs (Figures based on the minimum; 10 people) Bus: $200/10 = $20 per person. Adults: $20 + ($7 + $33.75) + ($14.75 + $5) + ($27.25) + ($12 + 22.50) = 142.25 + 15% (or $21.34) = $163.59. Children under 12: $20 + ($4 + $33.75) + ($14.75 + $5) + ($27.25) + ($11 + $22.50) = $138.25 + 15% ( or $20.74) = $138.25. Map Drag and drop the image in your address bar to see a larger image. Warm Springs (Meriwether County) Warm Springs probably has the richest history of all of the Seven Wonders of Georgia, because President Franklin D. Roosevelt treated his polio at this wonder. He frequented it so much, he had a "Little White House" built near the springs so he would have an abode whilst getting treatment. He even passed away there in 1945. The Little White House is now open to the public and daily tours are available. The springs themselves stay at a constant temperature of 88º and are said to be warmed by geothermal energy beneath the surface of the earth. The springs are now used conservatively for rehabilitation purposes. The Little White House Video courtesy of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Visit Georgia Public Broadcasting if video does not load. Providence Canyon (Lumpkin County) Providence Canyon is often called the Little Grand Canyon. It used to be just a plot of land, but starting in the early 1800's, farmers cleared the land, and in the process, exposed the highly erodible soil to the elements and over 150 years nature has dug a canyon. The erosion process has slowed in the past decade or so as the wind and rain are reaching the more erosion-resistant soil levels. The tour occurring in the spring provides an excellent opportunity to admire the largest wild population of Plumleaf Azaleas in the world. These large natural gardens attract many species of butterflies and insects. Providence Canyon is also home to a very fascinating tree - the Bigleaf Magnolia. Its leaves get very large; up to 30 inches! The natural beauty in Providence Canyon is astounding, with many photograph opportunities. A Bigleaf Magnolia leaf Plumleaf Azaleas Video courtesy of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Visit Georgia Public Broadcasting if video does not load. Radium Springs (Dougherty County) Radium Springs is the most inaccessible of the Wonders of Georgia, as most of it is closed off to the public. There was a casino in the 1920's that was flooded in 1994 and 1998, and was eventually demolished in 2003. The springs were originally called Blue Springs before the discovery of Radium in 1925. There is a trail and arboretum that you can enjoy at this time. Video courtesy of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Visit Georgia Public Broadcasting if video does not load. Okefenokee Swamp (Charlton, Ware, Brantley and Clinch Counties) The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge stretches across 395,080 acres of land and a small portion leaks into Florida. There are are 6 different habitat types, including more than 70 islands, shrub swamp, blackgum forests, open water, and prairies. The large variety of habitats offers homes to a large amount of plants and animals, including, 234 species of birds, black bear, turtles, snakes, alligators, otters, deer, fish, and amphibians. There is much to see on the hike, so don't leave your camera at home! In the warmer weather, 'gator opportunities abound. Excerpt from Georgia Stories Page. Click to see video if it doesn't load. "This segment examines typical wildlife found in the swamp and covers the history of people who lived in the swamp. Don Berryhill, science specialist with the Okefenokee Regional Education Service Agency guides students in a canoe through the swamp and points out alligators, snakes, and insect-eating pitcher plants explaining their places in the food chain. Georgia is home to one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the country and it has a very specialized ecosystem. Bill Cribbs, a descendant of a subsistence farmer who came to Billy’s Island in the Okfenokee in the late 1800s and park ranger Pete Griffin describe life in the swamp when people worked at the Hebard Lumber Company cutting cypress trees. Following in the footsteps of the first human inhabitants of the swamp: the prehistoric Indian cultures, Timucans, Creeks, and finally the Seminoles, members of the logging community lived in the swamp until 1936 when the federal government bought it and established it as a national refuge. Like any mysterious place, legends abound, and Cribbs and Griffin have a few stories to tell."

The design and layout of this page was made by Ian Wilson and Joan Garrett Wilson, 2010