DO IT: Hiking - Gopher Tortoise Bike Loop – Reed Bingham State Park

Reed Bingham State Park

Six miles west of Adel, GA and I-75, Reed Bingham State Park is a pristine example of the long-leaf pine habitat that used to cover much of the Southeast U.S. coastal plains. Now, such habitats account for less than 3 percent of their former acreage.

Reed Bingham State Park, which sits on the border of Cook and Colquitt counties, has miles of walking and biking trails for visitors to explore. In addition, a 375-acre lake is popular with boaters and paddlers, while fishing for bass, crappie, catfish and bream is excellent. Paddlers can rent canoes and kayaks to explore this beautiful lake lined with fragrant water lilies and tupelo trees. Guided pontoon boat tours are sometimes offered during events.

Numerous picnic shelters and parking areas allow visitors to easily explore the park, which was named for Amos Reed Bingham who was instrumental in the establishment of the park. Wildlife is abundant year-round with steady sightings of gopher tortoises, yellow bellied sliders, alligators, and indigo snakes. Nesting bald eagles are often seen in winter, along with roosting black vultures and turkey vultures, commonly referred to as “buzzards.”

Heading west on GA Hwy 37 from Adel, take a right on Evergreen Church Road and then a left on Reed Bingham Road to enter the park.

The Gopher Tortoise Bike Loop

This 1-mile bike trail covers an area that was once cultivated and features a variety of scrub oaks, longleaf pine, saw palmetto, and wiregrass. You’ll also see large live oaks and wax myrtle. This section is also part of the Gopher Tortoise Management Area and the tortoises are commonly seen here, so use caution when biking.