We all have secrets… some deeply hidden, others just below the surface and easily discovered. Parks have hidden secrets too. At times they are so seductively sublime that, when discovered, they can be a real revelation. Little Ocmulgee holds that type of secret and when revealed, shows why our park is so unique.
The park’s history dates back to the 1930’s when it was first constructed by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a federal works program designed to help men and their families in the recovery from the Great Depression. Many of the buildings located around the park are from this era and are crafted from timber hewn from trees felled when clearing land for the lake.
One of the oldest secrets of the park is actually the land on which the park is located. Between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago, the prevailing winds deposited sands in an inland geological formation known as Eolian Dunes. This foundation provides for a unique soil structure that hosts some of the most spectacular natural communities found in our state parks. We actually host nine distinct natural communities on the land of Little Ocmulgee State Park. Along our trails, you can experience one of these highlighted by the stands of longleaf pine and turkey oak. Also, in this area are the endangered gopher tortoise and the harmless indigo snake.
Enjoy your time wandering the many environments of the park and see how many trees, plants, and animals you can identify.