Lake Blackshear State Park
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Georgia — Resort park on 8,700-acre Lake Blackshear in the Flint River basin — Georgia Veterans Memorial Museum on-site honors all Georgia veterans. The lake is renowned for trophy largemouth bass and offers a 18-hole golf course, marina, and lodge. Named for General David Blackshear.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Georgia |
About Lake Blackshear
Lake Blackshear State Park in Crisp County provides resort-style recreation on 8,700-acre Lake Blackshear — a Flint River reservoir in southwest Georgia’s agricultural heartland. The Flint River is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the eastern U.S. and supports one of the most diverse freshwater mussel populations in North America (over 30 species). The park’s resort lodge overlooks the lake, making it one of Georgia’s most comfortable state park destinations.
Things to Do
Swimming, fishing for bass and catfish, staying at the lakeside lodge (50 rooms), golfing at the Veterans Memorial Golf Course, boating, waterskiing, and exploring the Flint River’s extraordinary freshwater biodiversity.
Getting There
Located on Lake Blackshear Road off Highway 280 near Cordele — the “Watermelon Capital of the World.” The park lodge (50 rooms) provides comfortable lakeside accommodation. Veterans Memorial State Park (10 minutes south) and the Georgia Veterans State Park museum are excellent nearby additions. Two hours south of Atlanta via I-75.
History & Ecology
The Flint River runs 344 miles from the Atlanta airport to the Apalachicola River — one of the longest unimpounded rivers in the eastern U.S. The river’s mussel populations are globally significant, with several species found only in the Flint system. Cordele, nearby, produces more watermelons than any city in Georgia and hosts the annual Watermelon Festival each June. The park lodge and golf course make this a true resort destination.
Insider Tips
Georgia Veterans Memorial: Lake Blackshear adjoins the Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park — honoring Georgia’s military heritage. Pro tip: The lake was created by damming the Flint River — part of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system at the center of Georgia’s “water wars” with Alabama and Florida. Gopher tortoise: The sandy soils around the lake support gopher tortoises — a keystone species whose burrows shelter 350+ other species.
Best Time to Visit
Spring: Wildflowers and mild weather. Summer: Lake recreation. Fall: Comfortable weather. Winter: Mild — great for golf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Tri-State Water Wars?
Georgia, Alabama, and Florida have fought over Chattahoochee-Flint-Apalachicola water for 30+ years. Metro Atlanta needs the water for growth. Alabama needs it for industry. Florida needs freshwater flows to sustain Apalachicola Bay’s oyster industry. The dispute has reached the US Supreme Court twice. No lasting resolution exists — it’s one of the most complex water conflicts in the eastern US.
