Dog-Friendly Days & Nights at Indian Springs State Park

On our most recent trip to Georgia, we stayed at Indian Springs State Park. Though we usually tent camp during our adventures, we were excited to learn about and stay at a pet-friendly cabin within the park.

Cabin Glamping

Nearly 30 Georgia State Parks offer cabins with at least one cabin designated as pet-friendly. Cabins can be one, two or three bedrooms and in most cases, are located on lakes or hillsides to provide spectacular views of nature. All cabins have both heat and air-conditioning making them great for any time of year.

Our cabin at Indian Springs, pet-friendly Cabin 2, had a screened front porch with three rocking chairs, a fully equipped kitchen (stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, coffee pot and toaster), a separate dining area, two bedrooms, one bathroom and a nice size living area with a fireplace and a flat screen television. The back deck and stairs lead down to a picnic table and our favorite, the fire pit which is where we spent our evenings relaxing and listening to the critters in the surrounding forest.

We loved our cabin camping experience at Indian Springs and would highly recommend Georgia State Parks pet-friendly cabins to anyone who asks us about them. If you are not “outdoorsy” enough for tent camping but enjoy the peacefulness of the forest, Georgia State Parks cabins and cottages are a must-try! NOTE: There is a nonrefundable pet fee of $45 payable upon check in to your cabin just in case of damages.

About Indian Springs

Indian Springs State Park is one of the oldest state parks in the U.S. The park is named for several springs which the Creek Indians used for centuries to heal the sick and visitors can still sample the spring water flowing inside the stone Spring House built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

Within the park is the beautiful McIntosh Lake, named for Creek Chief William McIntosh who signed an illegal treaty deeding land to Georgia in 1825. During our visit, Lake McIntosh’s water level was low as the park is making repairs to the dam. However, when the Lake is full it offers fun activities like a beach, swimming and wading, fishing as well as kayak, canoe and aquacycle rentals.

Hiking and Exploring

We arrived well before the official check-in time for our cabin, so we spent the early afternoon walking and exploring the park. The first “trail” we found was near the day-use area which followed a little stream back into the woods. It was short and stopped in a dead end but it was Oz’s first romp through the fallen autumn leaves which was fun. We then found the nature trail and hiked up and down in the hilly forest.

The next morning we hiked the Indian Springs Multi-use Trail. The Multi-use Trail is a hiking and biking trail that connects Indian Springs to Dauset Trails Nature Center. It is a 6 mile out and back trail with a rating of moderate for its rocky terrain and lots of hilly ups and downs. We hiked over 1.5 miles in and then turned around as 6 miles seemed a bit too much for Oz. Along the way the trail gives hikers an obstructed view of Lake McIntosh and the park.

Wildlife Visitor

Each night, as we relaxed by the outdoor fire we had a special visitor. We could hear him coming long before we could see him. Oz was so tired from hiking every day that he didn’t even mind as Lieutenant Dan the Army-dillo trampled through the fallen leaves searching for food.  We didn’t want to get too close and disturb him; we got just close enough for a photo or two.

Autumn at its Best

Indian Springs State Park is a great park for spending pet-friendly days and nights. The park is clean, quiet and beautiful especially when decorated in autumn colors. The pet-friendly cabins are a home away from home, situated in their own peaceful campground where you can enjoy the sounds of nature. If you are ever in central Georgia, we highly recommend you visit this park.