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Southeast Georgia State Parks: Costs, Hours and How to Plan a Trip

General Coffee, Laura S. Walker, Jack Hill and Okefenokee State Park: what each costs, when it is open and how to combine them, checked October 15, 2026.

By Hank Whitlock·Updated October 15, 2026·7 min read

Short answer

Southeast Georgia has four state parks that fit a long weekend: General Coffee in Nicholls, Laura S. Walker in Waycross, Jack Hill in Reidsville and Okefenokee State Park in Fargo. Parking at each is $10 per vehicle for the day, and Okefenokee adds a separate $5 refuge fee because it sits inside a National Wildlife Refuge. Hours, fees and facilities below were checked October 15, 2026 on each park’s Georgia State Parks page.

This is the first guide in our Southeast Georgia section. The region on our map takes in Ware, Coffee, Tattnall, Charlton, Bulloch, Laurens and 22 neighboring counties. We start with the four state-run parks because their hours and fees are published in one place and are the easiest to check. Hours and fees change, so confirm on each page before a long drive; every park below links to it.

Southeast Georgia state parks at a glance

Park	County	Known for	Parking	Hours
General Coffee State Park	Coffee	Heritage Farm, a cypress-swamp boardwalk, 13.4 miles of equestrian trails	$10 per vehicle	Park 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Laura S. Walker State Park	Ware	120-acre lake, sand beach, 18-hole golf course, near the Okefenokee’s northern edge	$10 per vehicle	Park 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Jack Hill State Park	Tattnall	Brazell’s Creek golf course, lake, splash pad, 10 cottages (formerly Gordonia-Alatamaha)	$10 per vehicle	Park 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Okefenokee State Park	Charlton	Entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp, boat tours, a boardwalk of more than 3,000 feet	$10 per vehicle plus a $5 refuge fee	Park 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

How much does it cost to visit Southeast Georgia’s state parks?

Georgia charges $10 per vehicle for parking at its state parks for the day, or $70 for an annual ParkPass, and the pass covers parking at Georgia state parks (checked October 15, 2026). Overnight guests pay the daily fee once per vehicle during their stay; parking is not included with a reservation.

General Coffee, Laura S. Walker and Jack Hill: $10 per vehicle for the day.
Okefenokee State Park: $10 per vehicle, plus a $5 refuge fee. The park explains that because it is inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the gates lock at closing at 10 p.m. For boat-tour and paddling prices, see our Okefenokee Swamp guide.
Extras that cost more: Jack Hill lists miniature golf as a fee activity and General Coffee lists a trail fee for horseback riding. Both Laura S. Walker and Jack Hill run golf courses with their own pro shops. Rentals are listed at all four parks; ask the park office for current prices.

What is there to see at General Coffee State Park?

General Coffee, in Nicholls, is on 1,511 acres of South Georgia wiregrass country. The state calls it one of southern Georgia’s “best kept secrets” and says it is known for the agricultural history shown at Heritage Farm, which has log cabins, a corn crib, a tobacco barn, a cane mill and other exhibits, plus farm animals that usually include goats, sheep, chickens and pigs.

Seventeen-Mile River and a boardwalk wind through a cypress swamp where rare and endangered plants grow (Georgia State Parks, checked October 15, 2026).

Trails: hiking, birding and 13.4 miles of equestrian trails (horseback riding carries a trail fee).
On the water: a 4-acre lake with fishing and boating, and paddling rentals.
Wildlife: the park lists pitcher plants, indigo snakes and gopher tortoises in its wiregrass community.
Stay overnight: 4 cottages, the Burnham Cottage and Hawksnest House, 50 tent, trailer and RV campsites, 10 dry camping sites and 2 pioneer campgrounds.
Address: 46 John Coffee Road, Nicholls, GA 31554; 912-384-7082.

What can you do at Laura S. Walker State Park?

Laura S. Walker, in Waycross, is on 626 acres near the northern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and is the first Georgia state park named for a woman. The state says it shares features with the swamp, including alligators and carnivorous pitcher plants, and lists gopher tortoises, saw palmettos, warblers, owls and great blue herons along the lake’s edge and nature trail (Georgia State Parks, checked October 15, 2026).

On the water: a 120-acre lake for fishing, swimming from a sand beach, boating and water skiing, with kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. Private boats are permitted with a 10-horsepower limit; the park lists an exception from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. DST.
On land: 4 miles of hiking trails, a wildlife observation boardwalk, a dog park, a playground and bike rentals.
Golf: The Lakes, an 18-hole course with a pro shop open 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; the golf course phone is 912-285-6154.
Stay overnight: 6 cottages, 44 tent, trailer and RV campsites, a group camp that sleeps 142 and a pioneer campground.
Address: 5653 Laura Walker Road, Waycross, GA 31503; 912-287-4900.

What can you do at Jack Hill State Park?

Jack Hill, in Reidsville, was renamed from Gordonia-Alatamaha in 2020 to honor the late Georgia senator Jack Hill. The park sits on 662 acres on the Southeast Georgia Wiregrass and Woodpecker Trails, close to the Ohoopee and Altamaha Rivers, and is described as a favorite for picnicking, family reunions and golf (Georgia State Parks, checked October 15, 2026).

Golf: Brazell’s Creek Golf Course, an 18-hole Par 71 course with a pro shop and junior and senior discounts; the golf course phone is 912-557-7745.
On the water: a 12-acre lake with fishing docks, an observation deck for spotting beaver dams, boat, kayak and aquacycle rentals (electric motors only for private boats).
For kids: a seasonal splash pad that the park lists as open Friday through Sunday (call for hours), a playground and outdoor fitness equipment.
On land: a 1-mile nature trail, bike rentals, FootGolf and miniature golf (fee).
Stay overnight: 10 cottages facing the golf course, with screened porches, fireplaces and televisions, plus 29 tent, trailer and RV campsites and 1 walk-in campsite.
Address: 162 Park Lane, Reidsville, GA 30453; 912-557-7744.

What can you do at Okefenokee State Park?

Okefenokee State Park, in Fargo, is a primary entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp, which the state calls one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders and the largest blackwater wetland in the South. The refuge around it covers 438,000 acres, and the state says officials estimate 12,000 American alligators live there (Georgia State Parks, checked October 15, 2026). Boat-tour prices, which entrance to use and paddling permits are in our Okefenokee Swamp guide.

Reservations: the park recommends reservations for guided boat tours, says sunset and night tours may be available, and says boating depends on water levels.
On land: a boardwalk of more than 3,000 feet with a shelter at the end, hiking, birding, biking and stargazing under dark skies.
Rules to know: pets are not allowed in boats, anglers should not use stringers, and minnows are not allowed as bait.
Stay overnight: 9 cottages and 52 tent, trailer and RV campsites in the park. The Suwannee River Eco-Lodge is 18 miles away in Fargo.
Phones: the park says Wi-Fi is available only at the Trading Post and the Eco-Lodge conference area and not in the cottages.
Address: 17515 Highway 177, Fargo, GA 31631; 912-637-5274.

How can you plan a trip around these parks?

Waycross base: Laura S. Walker lists Okefenokee State Park and the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross among its nearby attractions, so one park can anchor a swamp weekend. Check a map for your own drive time; we have not measured it.
Heritage and history: General Coffee’s Heritage Farm shows farm buildings and animals, and the state lists Laura S. Walker and Little Ocmulgee State Park as nearby.
Golf trip: Laura S. Walker and Jack Hill both run state-park golf courses with pro shops and cottages on site.
Parking pass: parking is $10 per vehicle at each of the four parks, and Okefenokee’s $5 refuge fee is charged on top.

For park-by-park comparisons across the whole state, see every Georgia state park, compared, and for accessible trails, Georgia state parks with free all-terrain wheelchairs.

FAQ

How much is parking at General Coffee, Laura S. Walker, Jack Hill and Okefenokee State Park?

Parking at Georgia state parks is $10 per vehicle for the day, or $70 for an annual ParkPass. Okefenokee State Park also charges a $5 refuge fee (checked October 15, 2026).

Is Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park still open?

Yes, under a new name. The state renamed it Jack Hill State Park in 2020, and the old gastateparks.org address now opens the Jack Hill page (checked October 15, 2026). It is in Reidsville, Tattnall County.

Which Southeast Georgia state park has a golf course?

Laura S. Walker State Park has The Lakes, an 18-hole course, and Jack Hill State Park has Brazell’s Creek, an 18-hole Par 71 course (checked October 15, 2026).

Which Southeast Georgia park has a farm to visit?

General Coffee State Park has Heritage Farm, with log cabins, a corn crib, a tobacco barn, a cane mill and farm animals that usually include goats, sheep, chickens and pigs (checked October 15, 2026).

Can you go horseback riding at General Coffee State Park?

Yes. The park lists 13.4 miles of equestrian trails and says horseback riding carries a trail fee (checked October 15, 2026). Call the park at 912-384-7082 for details.

Can you stay overnight at these parks?

Yes. All four list tent, trailer and RV campsites, and all four list cottages: General Coffee 4 plus the Burnham Cottage and Hawksnest House, Laura S. Walker 6, Jack Hill 10 and Okefenokee 9 (checked October 15, 2026). Reservations are 800-864-7275.

Why does Okefenokee State Park lock its gates at night?

The park says it is inside a National Wildlife Refuge, so gates lock at closing at 10 p.m. (checked October 15, 2026).

How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on October 15, 2026. Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.

Sources

Checked on October 15, 2026 against the Georgia State Parks page for each park. Hours, fees and facilities change, so confirm with the park before you go.

About Hank Whitlock

Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.

Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Southeast Georgia State Parks: Costs, Hours and How to Plan a Trip”, itsgeorgia.com/destinations/southeast-georgia/southeast-georgia-state-parks/ (updated 2026-10-15). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.