5 Great National Parks in North Georgia for Hands-on History

Nestled in the heart of the North Georgia Mountains, the national parks in North Georgia offer a perfect blend of historic sites, outdoor activities, and beautiful scenery for homeschool families to get hands-on with history and fun.

National Parks in North Georgia

From hiking scenic trails to discovering the rich history of the state, these Georgia National Parks are some of the best places to combine education with adventure.

Whether you’re studying local ecosystems, early American history, or looking for hands-on learning in nature, Northern Georgia’s national parks provide many amazing opportunities for homeschoolers.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is the first of the national parks in north Georgia we want highlight. It of 2,190 miles of trails that travel through Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

In Georgia, the Appalachian Trail winds through 78 miles through the southernmost ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the way to North Carolina. It passes through hardwood forests and the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

Things to Do:

• Blood Mountain – Hike to the highest peak along the AT in Georgia. It is a 4.2 mile round trip day hike to the summit.
• Tray Mountain – Near Helen, GA, this 4,430 foot summit has some of the best views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in GA. It is a 5 mile round trip to the top.
• Springer Mountain – Depending on where you enter the trail, you can do a 2 mile or 8 mile hike to this famous mountain in Georgia.
• Wildflower Viewing – The trail is a great place to see the natural beauty of wildflowers in the spring and summer.
• Fall – See the colorful changing leaves when you hike the trails during the fall season.

Trail of Tears National Trail

The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail travels through Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. This national trail follows all of the routes taken by the Cherokee people who were forcefully removed from their lands in 1838-1839.

10 Historic Sites on the Trail of Tears in Georgia

There are 10 Historic National Park Service sites you can visit to learn more about the Cherokee Indians and their history in Georgia before they were removed. As the trail has so many multiple locations we recommend visiting at least one to your list if you explore the national parks in north Georgia.

New Echota State Park – Located in Calhoun, GA, visitors can tour several original and reconstructed buildings where the Cherokee national legislature established a capital. In the visitor center, guests can view interpretive exhibits and a 17-minute film.

Cherokee Garden at Green Meadows – Garden and history enthusiasts will love this little garden in Marietta. It features traditional plants used by the Cherokee for food, medicines, tools, weapons, and shelter. There is even a short nature trail.

Fort Buffington Trail of Tears – Fort Buffington is no longer standing, as it was built in the 1830’s by local militia. This is the location where soldiers forced the Cherokee Indians from their homes and they were held in stockades here. You can visit the historical markers to get the story of what happened here.

Cave Spring, GA – Cave Spring is located in Floyd County, Georgia. This small town has a flowing spring that comes out of a cave. It is home to the Vann Cherokee Cabin built by a Cherokee, David Vann. This is also the location of one of the first removal sites of the Cherokee people. The cabin, spring, and park offer a place to reflect on the Trail of Tears.

John Ross House and Association History Museum – Cherokee Nation leader John Ross lived in this cabin between 1808 and 1827. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973. You can visit the home and small history museum.

Cedartown Encampment Removal Site – This historical site was one of fourteen forts and camps in Georgia that held forced groups of Cherokee. There are two outdoor exhibits that interpret the removal camp. 

Chief Van House – This two story brick mansion was built in 1804. It includes a 3,000-square foot interpretive center with exhibits about the Vann family, Cherokee Nation, and Trail of Tears. There are guided tours of the building, as well as historic outbuildings to visit.

Chieftains Museum Major Ridge Home – The Chieftains Museum tells the story of the Ridge family, and the Trail of Tears, as well as history of the home and region. The area has a beautiful park like setting with picnic areas.

Rockdale Plantation (George Adair Home) – This 47-acre property includes an 18-room structure (known as the Freeman-Hurt-Evans House) dating from 1785, a “Travelers Rest” house dating from the 1830s, and two other historic buildings.

Free Homeschool Resources About the Trail of Tears

Interactive Trail Map – This is a great map to explore with your kids. Zoom in to search for the museums, centers and historic sites on the trail that you can find in the state of Georgia.

Trail of Tears Lesson Plans

These lesson plans and activity books are completely free, and will help you teach your children about the Trail of Tears in your homeschool.

• Discover the Trail of Tears Lightning Lesson
• Pathways and Perspectives Lesson Plan
• Trail of Tears Social Studies Lesson Plan
• Trail of Tears Activity Booklets for Students
• Removal Camps Exhibit Brochures

Trail Junior Ranger Program

Trail Junior Ranger – become a Trail of Tears Junior Ranger with this free program. Learn about the journey of the Cherokee Indians while your children complete the booklet. You can do this at home with your own research. Turn the booklet in at any site along the trail, or you can mail it to receive a badge in the mail.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is located in Kennesaw, GA just northwest of Atlanta. This battlefield park preserves the site of a major Civil War battle that took place in June 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign.

This is one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in the country. It gives visitors a chance to walk the same ground where soldiers fought, learn about history firsthand, and explore nature along the trails.

Things to Do:

• Hike the Trails – There are over 20 miles of trails to walk in the footsteps of Civil War Soldiers.
• Hike to the top of Kennesaw Mountain – This is only a 1.2 mile hike with an amazing view at the top of the mountain.
• Visitor Center – The visitor center is home to a museum with artifacts, maps and exhibits about the Civil War.
• Watch a Short Film – Watch a short film about the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain to learn what happened here in 1864.
• Explore the Battlefields – See real Civil War cannons and imagine what the battlefield looked like over 150 years ago. Visit historic earthwork trenches built by the union soldiers and confederate soldiers.
• Battle Anniversaries – Each year on the anniversary of the battle is a live reenactment and living history events and demonstrations. If your homeschool kids love hand-on lessons, try to visit the national parks in north Georgia in the end June to time it with the anniversary of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Resources for Learning

Take your children on a virtual field trip right from your living room, or download many different lesson plans or a junior ranger booklet to enhance your learning about the Battlefield.

Virtual field trips

Your family or homeschool group can sign up for different virtual field trips on Zoom Monday – Thursday. You and your children can attend:

• Pack Like a Soldier: Virtual Program (Soldier Compare & Contrast)
• A Kid’s Life in Atlanta Virtual Program
• The Battle and Geography of Kennesaw Mountain Virtual Program

Curriculum Materials

The Parks As Classrooms program brings the history and great outdoors of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park straight to you with these free curriculum downloads for elementary through high school students.

• What Would You Do? Plotting and Planning Strategies of the Civil War
• War Has Been Declared: Elementary Lesson Plan
• War Has Been Declared: Middle School Lesson Plan
• African Americans During the Civil War: A Compressed History
• A Nation Divided: High School Lesson Plan
• A Nation Divided: Middle School Lesson Plan
• A Nation Divided: Elementary School Lesson Plan
• The Cherokee People and the Trail of Tears: High School Lesson Plan
• The Cherokee People and the Trail of Tears: Middle School Lesson
• The Cherokee People: Elementary Lesson Plan

Be a Junior Ranger

Free Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Download for a Junior Ranger or Wee Ranger Booklet (ages 4-6). Submit your completed booklet in person or by mail to receive a Kennesaw Mountain Junior Ranger badge and certificate.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park – is also on our list of national parks in north Georgia. It’s located in Northwest Georgia and the border of Tennessee and was established in 1895 as the first official National Military park.

Chickamauga Battlefield is in Georgia near the city of Fort Oglethorpe. It was the site of the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.

Things to Do:

• Hiking – There are 50 miles of hiking trails that follow historic roads that were present at the time of the battles, and that take you to monuments and markers located deep within the battlefield.
• Bicycling – Bike riding is very popular here on all paved roads and a few hiking trails within the park.
• Horseback Riding – Horseback riding is permitted on the Red, White, and Blue trails as indicated on the Chickamauga Battlefield Trail Map if you bring your own horses.
• Paddling – Paddle down the the West Chickamauga Creek. This creek played a critical role in the Battle of Chickamauga, as Union forces contested the Confederate creek crossings.
• Ranger Guided Outdoor Activities – There are ranger guided hikes, bike tours, and canoe or kayak tours. 
• Climb the Wilder Brigade Monument – Get a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield from this tall stone tower.
• Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center – See Civil War artifacts, watch a short film about the battles, and explore the exhibits.
• See Historic Cannons & Monuments – Walk through the battlefield and spot over 200 original cannons and over 600 monuments.

Learning Resources for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

Did you know that out of all the national parks in north Georgia, this one is a military park? In fact, its the first national military park and there are so many free resources available to learn about it. Even if you can’t visit it in person, you can learn at home.

There are documents to learn about the history, education videos with virtual learning programs, junior ranger badges to earn and more!

Documents on the History of the Park

• The Administrative History of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (1983)
• Historic Resource Study of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (1999)
• Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Historical Handbook (1961)

Educational Videos

• Early American Indians
• American Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears
• Causes of the Civil War
• The Civil War
• Reconstruction
• Geography of the Park

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park

Things to Do:

• Birth Home Tours – Visit the house where Martin Luther King Jr. was born in 1929 and learn about his childhood and early influences. Free ranger tours are available on a first come first serve basis.
• Visit Ebenezer Baptist Church – See the church where Dr. King was baptized and later preached as a pastor. Listen to recordings of his sermons in the sanctuary.
• King Center and Memorial Tomb – Visit the King Center, founded by Coretta Scott King, which highlights Dr. King’s work. See the eternal flame and the memorial tomb of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King.
• Explore the Visitor Center Museum – Watch films and exhibits about Dr. King’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. Learn about nonviolent protest and its impact on history.
• Walk the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame – See the footsteps of Civil Rights leaders, including Rosa Parks and John Lewis.
• Visit the “I Have a Dream” World Peace Rose Garden – Enjoy a peaceful garden with quotes from Dr. King’s speeches.

Free Learning Resources About Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park

Traveling Trunks Program

The Traveling Trunks Program allows families to borrow educational trunks filled with books, activities, and lesson plans about Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. These trunks include hands-on materials that make history come alive at home.

The trunk can be mailed directly to your home for the cost of shipping and you can check it out for two weeks. It’s perfect for a unit study on Martin Luther King.

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is the final one one our list of national parks in north Georgia. Located north of Atlanta, it protects 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River and offers families a perfect place for outdoor recreation.

The park features over 60 miles of trails, scenic river views, and opportunities for hiking, fishing, paddling, and wildlife spotting. The Chattahoochee River provides drinking water for millions of people, making it an important natural resource.

Things to Do:

• Hike the Trails – Walk through over 60 miles of trails along the river, where you can see wildlife, forests, and historic sites.
• Go Paddling on the River – Rent a kayak, canoe, or tube and float down the scenic Chattahoochee River.
• Visit Island Ford Visitor Center – Stop by the main visitor center to see exhibits about the river’s history, wildlife, and how people have used the river over time.
• Fish in the Chattahoochee – Try your hand at catching trout, bass, and other fish in one of Georgia’s most famous fishing spots.
• Wildlife Viewing – Look for deer, turtles, river otters, and over 240 species of birds while walking or boating along the river.
• Explore Historic Sites – Visit old mill ruins and Civil War earthworks hidden along the trails.
• Picnic by the River – Pack a lunch and eat at one of the many picnic areas and picnic shelters with beautiful views of the water.
• Learn About Water Conservation – Discover how the Chattahoochee provides drinking water for millions of people and why protecting it is so important.

Free Homeschool Lesson Plans About The Chattahoochee River

The park offers curriculum and lesson plans that are a great addition to a visit to the park, or learning about the river in your homeschool. These are the lesson plans that are available to download and print for free:

• Chattahoochee’s Cold Water Fisheries
• What Happens to the Water When We Brush and Flush?
• Scrubbing Your Water Clean!
• The Atlanta Campaign

Final Thoughts

Taking the time to visit all the amazing national parks in north Georgia is a sure way to bring history to life for your elementary to high school kids. If you want explore more parks throughout the US or have your students turn those fascinating field trips into school work, be sure to grab these 2 great packs from our store. Have fun exploring!