This cache is placed with permission from the Park Manager and follows the guidelines for caches hidden in Georgia State Parks.
Please follow all park rules, noting that the park is open from dawn to dusk (no night caching, please). A daily parking fee per vehicle is required to enter Georgia State Parks unless you have a valid annual ParkPass.
Cell service may be limited in various areas around Don Carter State Park. Please plan accordingly.
Remember to bring a pen, items to trade, and follow the recommended
Geocaching Etiquette.
The End of Terrapin Cove Trail
The Terrapin Cove Trail winds through the wooded hillsides of Don Carter State Park before reaching this quiet corner of Lake Lanier. Along the way, hikers pass through a mix of hardwood forest and pine stands while catching occasional glimpses of the water through the trees.
As the trail nears its end, the forest opens slightly and the slope of the land begins to fall toward the shoreline below. Through the trees you can often spot a quiet section of Lake Lanier and the wooded shoreline across the water.
This stretch of shoreline is also visited by paddlers exploring the coves and inlets along Lake Lanier.
The water visible through the trees is part of Lake Lanier, the reservoir created when the Chattahoochee River was dammed at Buford Dam in the 1950s.
There are two ways to approach this cache:
Approach 1 (Trail Access)
Follow the Terrapin Cove Trail until your GPS directs you off the trail. The cache is located uphill from the path.
Approach 2 (Water Access)
Paddlers exploring Whale Tail Paddle Trail may notice a boat ramp nearby along the shoreline. From the water, pull your kayak or canoe ashore and hike uphill toward the Terrapin Cove Trail and the cache location.
Many visitors pause here near the end of the trail to check the park map, enjoy the quiet forest, or take in the view before turning back toward the trailhead.
After signing the log, return the container as found and enjoy the peaceful surroundings before continuing your hike through Don Carter State Park.
Trail Map: Don Carter State Park Trail Map