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Outdoor Recreation
Belle Meade Hunt’s Opening Meet is billed
as the World’s Largest Rolling Tailgate
Party™. The opening meet, featuring the
“Blessing of the Hounds” is held on the
first Saturday in November. This marks
the opening of the fox hunt season which
runs through March. Scarlet-coated riders
recreate the old English fox hunt, following
their hounds through 20,000 acres of
woodlands. Visit bellemeadehunt.org for
more information and advance tickets.
Join spring and fall tours of approximately
five historic churches through rural areas
in the Historic Pews & Pulpits Ramble.
Go inside the churches to be inspired by
songs and words from the chancels and
pulpits. At each church there will be a
brief history program or music sampling
centered on the congregation experience.
You’ll also have time to walk the grounds
and photograph the destinations. Snacks Clarks Hill Lake
and lunch are included. Reservations:
historicpewsandpulpits.com
Enjoy a beautiful day at Belle Meade
Country Club in Thomson, featuring a Outdoorsy types will love the recreational Office at 800-533-3478 for more
newly renovated golf course, fine dining, activities around the J. Strom Thurmond information on recreation facilities –
fully stocked golf shop, pool, and tennis Dam and Reservoir – commonly called including Amity Recreation Area and Big
facilities. Tall Georgia pines and various Clarks Hill Lake – including camping, Hart Recreation Area and Campground –
hardwoods line the fairways with ponds fishing, boating, skiing and other water and shoreline use.
and streams meandering throughout the sports, hiking, swimming, and much more.
property. Tremendous elevation changes The reservoir’s massive 71,000 surface Amity Recreation Area is a wooded
occur on the back nine with a premium on acres are on the border of Georgia and day-use area with two miles of shoreline,
accuracy. Each hole has its own distinctive South Carolina. Completion of the J. Strom beaches, boating, fishing, a ballfield, and
personality and is challenging for golfers Thurmond Dam in 1952 created the lake more. Keep an eye out for bald eagles,
of all levels. along the Savanah River. ospreys, and deer. No physical address,
2660 Twin Pines Road NW the coordinates are: 33o 38’ 46.48”N,
Thomson, GA 30824 Contact the U.S. Army Corp of 82o 28’ 41.92”W
706-595-1553 | bellemeadecountryclub.org Engineers J. Strom Thurmond Project
At Big Hart Recreation Area
and Campground, you can drop a line
where Big Creek and Hart Creek flow
together on the western end of Clarks
Hill Lake. The area offers great fishing,
swimming, boating, and camping among
a mix of pine and hardwood forest.
5258 Washington Road
Thomson, GA 30824
Georgia’s Little River Water Trail, which
runs along the McDuffie and Wilkes
County line and through the Clarks
Hill Wildlife Management Area, allows
you to explore the rich history of this
dynamic area, from gold mines to Quaker
settlements and Native American heritage.
The water trail is a 20-mile portion of the
river with four access points. The trail has
three sections ranging from 5.5 to 7.6
Belle Meade Country Club miles. Visit gawatertrails.org to browse
options for outfitters, and more.

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www.thomsonmcduffiechamber.com • 706-597-1000