Watson Mill Bridge Is One Of Our Favorite Georgia State Parks For A Day Trip
By Lisa Sammons|Published September 12, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
We have no shortage of great state parks in Georgia, so many that it’s almost overwhelming to try to explore them all. I’ve been making a point to try to spend more time outside, and one park that ranked pretty highly on my to-do list is Watson Mill Bridge State Park. This 1,018-acre park is in the tiny town of Comer, about half an hour outside of Athens. I’ve been there before and remember enjoying it a lot, but it had been several years since my last visit, and I definitely wanted to return. The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities, including canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, swimming, and sightseeing, and there’s even a campground for overnight stays. It’s a perfect getaway for families, couples, or solo travelers – basically, anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors can find something to love about this great park!
My name is Lisa, and I write for Connecticut, Georgia, and Kansas here at OnlyInYourState. I was born and raised in Georgia and am lucky enough to still call the Peach State home today. I love getting out and exploring all that this great state has to offer. There is honestly so much to do and see in Georgia that it feels like it could take a lifetime! Welcome to OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers, a series of travel articles from local experts exploring their own backyards — and beyond.
There are several parking lots at Watson Mill Bridge State Park, so you should have no trouble finding a spot, even on a busier day. I arrived pretty early, and the park was virtually empty.
Admission is free, and parking is just $5 per car. If you'd like to spend some time on the water, there are plenty of access points not far from the parking lot, with kayaks available for rental from the main office.
There were a few picnic tables near the parking lot right by the water - it'd be a perfect spot for al fresco dining.
One of the first things you'll see upon entering the park is the covered bridge that shares the park's name. The 229-foot bridge was constructed in 1885.
The one-lane bridge is open to both foot and vehicular traffic. The parking lot I parked in was on the opposite side of most of the park's attractions, so I got to walk through it, which was a neat experience.
I was surprised how much cooler it was inside the bridge than out - it was a good 20 degrees chillier. The views through the lattice were lovely, but I couldn't stop very long to enjoy them since it would have blocked cars from getting through.
A few of the areas on the trail had some tree roots on the ground, but overall it was a very easy, pleasant trail that felt like a nice walk in the park. There were plenty of flat sections where we could jog some.
There were benches and a few fallen trees where you could stop to rest every so often.
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I love animals and kept my eyes peeled for any critters out and about - surprisingly, all I saw was this American giant millipede, but he was quite an impressive specimen!
Have you ever visited Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Georgia? Or do you have another favorite park in Georgia you think we should feature? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
To discover more incredible boots-on-the-ground adventures across America from our team of local travel experts, check out all of the articles in OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers series. What destinations would you like to see featured next? Tell us where we should go on our nominations page.
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