Directions: Take Beamis north out of Valdosta, then take Knights
Academy (small side road) east for about four miles. The marked and gated entrance
to the Grand Bay wilderness/wildlife/waterfowl management area will be on your left.
Trail Information: There's a 2.5 mile dirt-road loop that is off-limits
to vehicles most of the time. It is flat and runs through pine forest with
occasional passes by ponds and creeks with cypress. If the dirt-road gate is open
(it's usually closed), check the schedule during hunting season, as some weekends are
live-fire. Almost no one uses this area: If you found no cars/trucks in the parking
lot, you could probably jog it naked and nobody would be the wiser. Summer is very
buggy--deer flies and mosquitoes. There are several dirt roads that branch from the
loop for you to explore as well.
Miscellaneous Information: There is also a 1/4 mile boardwalk and several
story viewing tower overlooking the shallow swamp that is quite nice. If you walk to
the back of the small building by the boardwalk parking lot, you can pet the friendly,
purring Bobcat caged there.
And if you want someone to run with, drop me a line. jeff@doplay.com
Jeff Harper