Ball's Ferry: Hours, Fees and Directions

Water And Ice Safety: read this before you go

Short answer

Ball’s Ferry is a 525-acre public area on the Oconee River near Toomsboro in Wilkinson County, run by the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, with a boat ramp, picnic shelter and restrooms. A hunting license, fishing license or Lands Pass is required and camping is not allowed. Checked October 20, 2026 on georgiawildlife.com.

Hours

Not published

Cost

License or Lands Pass

Where

Toomsboro, Historic Heartland

Dogs

Not published

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A 525-acre public wildlife area on the Oconee River with a boat ramp, picnic shelter and restrooms. Anglers use the ramp year-round, and hunting seasons and managed hunts shape when the rest of the area is open.

Plan it in three lines

Getting In
Cost: .
What to Do
The official page lists River fishing, Wildlife viewing and Geocaching.
Make It a Day
Griswoldville Battlefield is about 29 miles away. Coming up near here: Dublin Christmas Parade in Dublin.
3 events within 30 mi

Ball’s Ferry Hours

No hours are published on the Wildlife Resources Division page.

What It Costs

Access: the Wildlife Resources Division page says a hunting license, fishing license or Lands Pass is needed to use the area. It does not mention a ParkPass or Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass.
Camping: not allowed.

Where It Is and How to Get in Touch

Address25698 GA-57, Toomsboro, GA 31090
CountyWilkinson (Historic Heartland region)
GPS32.78458, -82.96457 (directions in Google Maps)
Wildlife Resources Division Region 3 office706-595-4222
Official pagegeorgiawildlife.com/balls-ferry

Dogs and Strollers

The Wildlife Resources Division page does not publish a pet rule for this area. Call the Region 3 office at 706-595-4222 before you bring a dog, especially during managed hunts.
Strollers: the park does not publish stroller rules. Paths range from paved walks to rough trails, so call ahead (706-595-4222) if you need a stroller-friendly route.

What’s at Ball’s Ferry

Facilities the park lists: Boat ramp on the Oconee River; Picnic shelter; Restrooms; 525 acres.

Things to do: River fishing; Hunting in season (deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl); Wildlife viewing; Geocaching.

Events Coming Up Near Ball’s Ferry

Around Ball's Ferry within 30 miles

State parks and historic sites

1Griswoldville Battlefieldstate-run battlefield29 mi
2Hamburg State Parkstate park31 mi
3Jarrell Plantation State Historic Sitestate historic site48 mi
4Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodgestate park48 mi

Events coming up

5Dublin Christmas ParadeDublin17 mi
6Christmas Candlelight Tours at the Old Governor's MansionMilledgeville26 mi
7Milledgeville Christmas ParadeMilledgeville26 mi

Straight-line distances from the site’s GPS point. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable. The same places are listed below.

Dec 5Dublin Christmas Parade, Dublin (about 17 miles away)
Dec 5 – Dec 19Christmas Candlelight Tours at the Old Governor’s Mansion, Milledgeville (about 26 miles away)
Dec 6Milledgeville Christmas Parade, Milledgeville (about 26 miles away)

Events within 30 miles in the next 90 days from our Georgia event calendar, as of October 20, 2026; distances are straight-line from the site’s GPS point. The park’s own ranger programs and events are on the Georgia State Parks events calendar.

Nearby State Parks and Historic Sites

Griswoldville Battlefield (state-run battlefield, Jones County), about 29 miles away
Hamburg State Park (state park, Washington County), about 31 miles away
Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site (state historic site, Jones County), about 48 miles away
Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge (state park, Telfair & Wheeler County), about 48 miles away

More on It’s Georgia

All Georgia state parks and historic sites, by region
Historic Heartland: more places to go in the region

Source: the Ball’s Ferry page on georgiawildlife.com (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division); the state parks list names it a partner site, checked October 20, 2026. Hours and fees change, so check the official page before a long drive. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will re-check it.

Safety Notice

Water And Ice Safety: Read This Before You Go

Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, beaches and ice can kill, quickly and without warning. Conditions change by the hour and we cannot see them from here. This page is general information only. It is not a safety assessment, and it does not say or promise that any place, water, ice or activity is safe.

We do not inspect, test, measure or monitor water, ice, currents, depth, water quality, algae, wildlife, access, closures or lifeguard staffing at any place we list.
Posted signs, closures, advisories, flags and the directions of rangers, lifeguards and the land owner or managing agency always override anything here. A place being listed does not mean it is open, legal to enter, or permitted for swimming, wading, boating or fishing, and does not give you permission to be on private land or private water.
Children and weak swimmers: the CDC says to assign a responsible adult to watch children closely and constantly in or near water, with no phone, reading, alcohol or drugs, and to use life jackets for children in and around natural water. It also says inflatable or foam toys are not safety devices.
Open water hides hazards. The CDC names currents, waves, rocks, vegetation and poor visibility. As general guidance (not from a named source), also expect sudden drop-offs, very cold water even on a warm day, submerged objects, boat traffic and changing weather. Never swim alone, and never mix alcohol with water or boats.

Emergency in the United States: call 911. Learn CPR, as the CDC recommends.

Not ConfirmedWe have not verified current water or ice conditions, water quality, access, swimming or boating permission, lifeguard hours, fees, rules or closures for any place on this page. The land owner or managing agency (a park, city, county, state or federal office, or the property owner) is the one who can confirm them. Ask them before you go.

Sources read on 8 November 2026: the Minnesota DNR ice thickness guidelines (dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/thickness.html, no page date shown) and the CDC drowning prevention page (cdc.gov/drowning/prevention, page dated 29 September 2025). Guidance can change and can differ by state and by place: check the current text and your local agency before relying on it. This notice is general guidance only. It is not legal, medical, rescue or professional safety advice, and nobody on this site is a lifeguard or safety professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for any children and pets with you, and you use this information at your own risk. Water, ice, weather and local rules change quickly and differ by state, county and property. To the fullest extent the law allows, this site, its owner and its contributors are not responsible for any injury, death, loss or damage that results from using this information or from visiting any place, water or ice mentioned here. If you do not accept that, do not rely on this page (see the Limits Of Liability in our Terms Of Use).

Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Ball’s Ferry”, itsgeorgia.com/places/balls-ferry/ (updated 2026-11-09). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.

Getting In

What to Do

Make It a Day