NOTE:  Preregistration is required.  Please email Hal Massie at:

Description:   Upatoi Ravines Natural Area, in Talbot County, is Georgia’s newest Natural Area and covers about 9,500 acres, including some critical habitat in pristine condition. This will be the first Botanical Society field trip to Upatoi Ravines, which just opened to the public last month. Because the property is so new, this will be an exploratory trip to take a look around and see what we can find! Several rare plants have already been found along the rocky streams that are more reminiscent of the North Georgia mountains than a site that is right on the Fall Line. I doubt there will be a lot in flower, but you never know, and, hopefully, we will see a little bit of fall leaf color.

Special Considerations:   Like nearly all WMAs and Natural Areas in the state, a fishing license, hunting license, or Lands Pass is required when visiting these properties.

Directions:   From Talbotton, take GA 280 west for 4 miles to GA 315. Turn left onto GA 315 West and go 4 miles to West Taylor Rd. Turn left onto West Taylor Road, which eventually turns to dirt. Keep going straight for about 1.25 miles. You will see a double set of gates with DNR signs. Just past the last gate, there is a small parking area on the left. Park there or just up the road on the right at an old hunt camp. If you pass the old hunt camp on the right, you have gone too far.

If coming from the west, take GA 315 east from US 27 Alt in Ellerslie. Travel about 8 miles and turn right onto West Taylor Rd. From there follow the above directions to the meeting site.

GPS coordinates: 32.636377, -84.669649

Meet At:  10:00 am.

Facilities:   None.

Difficulty:   There are no trails in Upatoi Ravines, as yet, so we will be traveling cross-country along a rocky stream. We may do a bit of road walking later in different areas. Total walking should be less than 2 miles.

Bring:   Lunch, water, camera, hand lens, and a sense of adventure. Keep an eye on the weather (use Talbotton or Geneva) and dress accordingly. Mid-November in west-central Georgia is usually fairly mild.

Contact:   Hal Massie (478-957-6095), cell reception may be poor on morning of trip. Register for the trip by sending an email to .