Outdoor Adventure Day at Sloppy Floyd State Park

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: September 2012 - More

Each September, James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park hosts an incredible event called Outdoor Adventure day. We try to attend every year if possible. Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, but this year was perfect. We always camp when attending this event because the park is beautiful and Sloppy Floyd features one of our all-time favorite campgrounds. With just 25 sites, the campground isn't as large and crowded as some state parks, and the sites are level, spacious, and plush with native trees and shrubs. 

With all that said, perhaps the greatest bonus for the Richardson Tribe is the abundant supply of fossils and semi-precious gemstones scattered over the ground. Sloppy Floyd is a rockhounding paradise, and we are rockhounds. On this trip, we found mostly druzy quartz and fine lace agate, but we also found a geode or two.
 

We arrived at the campground on Friday evening, set-up the camper, and built a fire. The evening brought a slight chill, one of the first of the Fall season. Early in the evening, some other campers stopped by and told they used the PB&J Adventures website to plan their family camping trips. Their extended family was visiting the park for Adventure Day because they had learned of it on our website. Needless to say, that made my day.

The Adventure Day festivities began at 9am Saturday morning, and we were there bright and early, beating the crowds. The kids started with a virtual video hunting game, but I think one or two thought it was a little too realistic. Then it was archery. All the kids did great, but Lainey actually received applause after her round. She put five arrows in a perfect grouping, all within just a few inches of one another. Santa brought all the kids bows and arrows two years ago, and their practice has paid off.

From the archery arcade, we wandered to the opposite end of the lake where the rock climbing wall was located. Lee Thomas and John Micah opted to try their hand at fishing while Lainey and Heath conquered the wall. Then it was bb guns where all the kids did very well. Again, practice makes perfect. Soon it was lunchtime, and that meant free hot dogs and soft drinks for all. Heath thought they were the best hot dogs he'd ever tasted.

The afternoon was spent in much the same way. We rode the pedal boats and canoes and fished. I'm not sure how many times the rock wall was scaled or how many hot dogs were eaten, but a good time was had by all. When 2pm rolled around, we were ready for the snake show. Each year at Outdoor Adventure Day, Jason Clark from Southeastern Reptile Rescue provides an educational and entertaining reptile demonstration. He teaches what snakes are dangerous and how to recognize them at a safe distance. We all learned some great lessons about how snakes keep the rodent population under control, and how venom is being used to cure certain illnesses. We now know and respect snakes a lot more.

We spent the balance of the day enjoying the campground. Lee Thomas and I enjoyed a game of chess while the others made a movie with Lainey's new camera. The movies' main stars, made from marshmallows, were Marsha and Marshall Mallow. They went on a camping adventure that ended tragically with a fire. Perhaps we'll air it on YouTube after a little editing.

For lots more details and pictures of James H Sloppy Floyd State Park and Outdoor Adventure Day, click here.

This Week's Top Five Destinations:

Friday, May 11, 2012 1- Chester Frost Park - Hixson (Chattanooga), TN 2- Ridge Ferry Park - Rome, GA 3- Doll Mountain Campground, Ellijay, GA 4- Chattahoochee Bend State Park - Newnan, GA 5- Lake Allatoona - Cartersville, GA #1 Chester Frost is no surprise, but we think it's awesome Ridge Ferry Park is in the #2 position. The searches are probably a result of the big  Roman Roast on the River event. We love Ridge Ferry Park for the bike path, the river, awesome playgrounds, and much more!   The weekly "Top 5" is defined by the number of visits for each particular destination page on the PB&J Adventures website. This data does not indicate that these destinations are better, just more searched. Performance data is provided by Google Analytics®.

James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park - Summerville, GA

The Park that Inspired the Tribe. In 2007, the Richardson Tribe reserved a cabin at James H Floyd State Park, a place we'd visited only once. The cabins were new and very clean, and the park was lovely. We spent two glorious days relaxing and having fun. This trip stands out for us mostly because the two and a half-year-old twins' experienced their first real hike. As we were checking out on our final day, a couple in a "class c" motorhome were checking in. We admired their coach, and dreamed that we might have one some day. It was approximately one month later that we purchased our first motorhome. The rest is history. James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park is a precious gem nestled in a little valley near Summerville in Northwest Georgia. The park is named for James H Floyd, otherwise known as "Sloppy," a local politician (state rep.) from decades ago. The surrounding area is primarily wooded, but there is also plenty of farm land.   Regarding amenities and activities, James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park has plenty. The park features two lakes where row boats and pedal boats can be rented. Motorized boats are not permitted on either lake. If you have a Georgia fishing license, you can fish from shore or the footbridge that crosses the lake. There are two playgrounds: one near the lake and one in the campground. If you have children and plan to camp, we really recommend the sites 20 through 25 are very near the playground. Site 21 practically owns the playground, making it convenient to enjoy a campfire while the children play nearby. Hiking and mountain biking are virtually unlimited because the Pinhoti Trail runs along Taylors Ridge, a short hike from the lake. If a shorter hike is what you have in mind, you can hike up to the old marble mine and reflection pool (en route to the Pinhoti).   If you like rockhounding, this is the place for you. Taylor's Ridge, especially this portion, is covered with shattered rocks. Apparently a geological event caused the limestone to buckle and shatter, like an explosion. The result is amazing. What's even more amazing is the fact that much of the rock is a very fine laced agate. You will also find rose quartz, druzy quartz, pink marble, purple chert, fossils, geodes, and more. There are also a couple of other rockhounding and fossil sites nearby.   There are occasional events at Sloppy Floyd State park. One of our favorites annual events is Adventure Day. This is an entire day dedicated to activities such as rock climbing, fishing, archery, bb guns, snake shows, good (free) food, and more. In summary, this James H Floyd State Park is simple, but it's beautiful. There's no miniature golf or game room. It's a place to fish, hike, mountain bike, rockhound, and relax. This is our kind of place. For more pictures, details, and PB&J Adventure Journals, click here.