Gold Fever
When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 25
Where: Smithgall Woods State Park, 61 Tsalaki Trail, Helen
How much: $5 plus $5 for parking
More info: 706-878-3087
There’s gold — and precious stones — in them thar hills, and you can learn all about it at Smithgall Woods State Park.
From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, the park will host Gold Fever, a workshop focused on sharing the history of local gold mining and geology.
Smithgall is located at 61 Tsalaki Trail in Helen.
There’s a $5 participation fee, plus a $5 charge for parking. Interested parties must call the park and reserve a spot in advance.
During the morning portion of the class, facilitators will share a presentation about the cultural influences that lead up to the 1828 gold rush in Georgia.
Afterward, participants will be lead on a hike along Martin Mine Trail, where they will be able to interpret how gold mining impacted natural habitats.
Smithgall Woods is located on a 5,600-acre preservation in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Chattahoochee National Forest.
In addition to three miles of hiking trails, the park also has another 18 miles of biking and walking paths and 12 miles of trout streams.
The park regularly hosts nature-related workshops on a variety of topics including bird watching, beekeeping and orienteering.
To register, call 706-878-3087.