Photo Essay: Kolomoki Mounds State Park
April 17th, 2010
After setting up camp by one of the two lakes in Kolomoki Mounds State Park on Thursday, I eased the Pelican into the calm water and paddled south. On the far bank, I encountered the most delightful entrance to a cypress cove. Spanish Moss hung from the trees. Red and green lilly pads covered much of the water’s surface along both banks. With the woodpeckers hammering the trees on both sides, I eased back into the cove with just a hint of that fear of the wild that haunts such places. For better or worse, no gators or snakes emerged on this trip. Friday morning, I just had to get up early and visit the place one more time — with the fog hovering over the water catching the morning sun. [Click on the image for a larger view.]
The lilly pads provide a camouflaged habitat for all kinds of critters, and to the wary boater, there’s always the possibility of an alligator lurking. We heard there was one gator on the upper lake, but we never saw one here.
The colors of spring are not as dramatic as fall in south Georgia, but nature always provides a moment in time and light — if you know when and where to look. It’s just fine as wine and a very good time to get the boat in the water, if you know what I mean.
Ah, there’s nothing like waking up to that early morning fog on a scenic lake in the South…
The red-winged blackbirds loved the lake’s edge, where the tall grass hid their feeding and mating rituals from most prying eyes — except those of us with a big lens.
Near the entrance to the campground by the lake, the purple martins played in the sun all day.
A lone Canadian goose swam and fished the lower lake all weekend…
A turkey vulture taking off from a perch in the late afternoon light…
A view of the camp site…
After breaking camp, we headed over to the museum and the site of the mounds. This temple mound of an ancient Native American people stands high over the landscape providing a mystery even modern archeologists have not been able to fully solve. The theory is that hundreds of workers hauled thousands of baskets of dirt to make this primitive version of a pyramid around 200 AD. Was it the scene of a great tribal ceremony long before European settlers found this side of the world? In the absece of a lot more research, we will never know for sure.
According to the park’s Website, this is the oldest and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern U.S., occupied by American Indians from 350 to 750 A.D. Georgia’s oldest great temple mound, standing 57 feet high, dominates two smaller burial mounds and several ceremonial mounds. The park’s museum is built around an excavated mound, providing an unusual setting for learning who these people were and how they lived.
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April 17th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Beautiful shots, Glynn. Thanks for sharing. I was not familiar with this area, but would love to visit.
April 17th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Very nice. I want to visit now, too.
April 17th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Beautiful pixs…wish I was there.
April 17th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Cool place.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Very nice, Glynn. Good to hang out with you and everyone at the 280 Boogie this weekend as well. Yes, I want to check on the duck photography chance.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:37 am
We’ll check on those wood ducks in Roebuck one day this week.
Thanks for letting me borrow your Kelti. Found this site and will get my own before the next camping trip.
http://www.kelty.com/