County officials went camping on the Georgia coast

A group of Grady County officials went camping this week on Georgia’s coast as part of a fact-finding, camping expedition.

Grady County Commissioner Phillip Drew, County Administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson III, and Grady County Lake Authority executive director Mike Binion, all three who own recreational vehicles and enjoy camping, visited Blythe Island Park in Glynn County this week to learn how the development managed by Glynn County with assistance from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is operated.

Johnson told The Messenger the local delegation would be staying over at the R.V. park to see how it is managed, how it is laid out, and what amenities it offers. In addition, the delegation planned to meet with Glynn County officials to talk about the pros and cons of the county owning and operating an R.V. park.

Grady County commissioners have expressed interest in the possibility of developing an R.V. park at Tired Creek Lake.

“We want to learn from folks who have done it and to find out if they would do it again or if they wished they never had gotten involved in it,” Johnson told The Messenger prior to traveling to the Georgia coast.

In addition to a 97-site, full service campground, Blythe Island Park offers fresh water fishing on Lake Cindee; salt water fishing from the marina located on the South Brunswick River; a saltwater fishing pier; playground; volley ball courts; dockage; boat and kayak rentals; picnic pavilions and tables; bike and walking trails; and live and dead bait sales.

The campground offers vehicular sites and group camping sites. Primitive camping is also welcomed.

All sites have water, electric, sewer and cable. All bath houses are heated and have hot showers. There are coin-operated laundry facilities located at the office. WiFi internet service is available throughout the park. The park has cameras mounted in different areas of the park for security. Park security gates will remain open throughout the daytime and will lock automatically in the evening.

According to the campground’s website, the fee charged is $40 per day plus tax or $225 per week plus tax. A dump station fee of $5 is charged and the boat docking fee is $7 per day.

The park features 24 primitive camp sites and the fee for those is $19 per day plus tax.

Blythe Island Regional Park is a 1,100 acre public park developed and managed by Glynn County with the help of Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources. Located just five minutes from Exit 29 on I-95 between Savannah and Jacksonville, the park is surrounded by attractions such as St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island.

Grady County commissioners and two representatives of the Grady County Lake Authority met recently with the lake authority’s consultant, Will Butler, and Charlie Johnson of the land planners and landscape architectural firm Wood & Partners, to discuss the opportunity for the development of a campground on the north end of the lake near the Cedar Springs East boat ramp. Officials also discussed with Butler and Johnson the possibility of developing a trail system to attract walkers, hikers, mountain bike riders as well as equestrian trail riders.