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September 2026 Issue
FIELD GUIDE COLUMBIA COUNTY OF GA
Cooler weather is on the horizon! While the first official day of fall is in late September, it’s definitely still a hot month! However we can look forward to lower humidity and cooler nightly temps giving us a bit of a break and helping us get outside and enjoy nature before the winter sun sets earlier each evening. September is one of our favorite months to get outdoors because of this slow cooling resulting in milder weather and the last baby birds busy fattening up before migration starts in full swing.
September is full of field trips at Reed Creek Park but also some great opportunities to get outsides such as our EcoTrip to Congaree National Park or our guided group Paddle Tour to Stallings Island! Plus familiar favorites like our monthly Nature Game Nights or weekly classes Lil Waders for early nature education is ready for you with a new theme for September. We can’t wait to see you at a program or event soon!
In this Issue
Fall for Nature! Our fall calendar may not be as busy as spring but with cooler weather and lots of daylight there are still plenty of great opportunities to get outdoors with us!
Quick Reference Office Location: Reed Creek Park 3820 Park Lane, Martinez, GA Visitor Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Closed Saturday & Sunday Contact Info: 706 - 312 - 7358 kdegelman@columbiacountyga.gov
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Adult Program
Visit Congaree National Park Our fall series of EcoTrips are here and ready for you to enjoy: come with us to visit unique habitats around the CSRA and learn about the plants and animals that live there. Bring a friend or make new ones while enjoying the great outdoors.
Field Trips for Adults! Our next EcoTrip takes us to Congaree National Park near Columbia, SC on Saturday, September 12th from 8am 4pm for a full day of exploring this unique park.
We’ll provide transportation and a picnic lunch at the park before heading out on the trails. You’ll get to choose between two guided options for your choice of adventure
based on your, interest and comfort level to explore the park. Walk among champion trees, the tallest of their species among some of the tallest canopy in the East!
EcoTrip Details $10 per person - registration required. Ages 18+
Transportatuin provided for all participants
Pack plenty of water plus snacks if desired
Bionculars available to those that need them
Meet at Reed Creek Park 3820 Park Lane, Martinez, GA
Closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and bug spray recommended
Beginner friendly experience
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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Enjoy a day at our closest National Park We know you miss the boardwalk at Reed Creek Park, cause we do too! With construction at our swamp starting soon we want to take you to visit the boardwalk at Congaree which also recently got repaired but is now fully open and ready to enjoy.
We’re true Swamp People and can’t wait to show you the biodiversity at this hidden gem. Enjoy the subtle secrets of a southern bottomland forest by slowing down and exploring a new habitat. We encourage participants on this EcoTrip to bring their Park Passports and some pocket change when we stop by the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.
October’s EcoTrip: Hitchcock Woods Our next and last EcoTrip of 2026 takes us to Hitchcock Woods on Friday, October 6th from 9am - 12pm where we’ll spend the morning exploring some of the largest privately-owned urban forest in the United States with guide and naturalist Heather Levy. With sand underfoot and towering pine trees overhead you’ll forget you’re right in the heart of Aiken!
This half-day trip will cover over a mile of trail with uneven terrain so wearing shoes with good traction and bringing trekking poles is recommended for the best experience. Registration Opens: Friday, September 18th at 8am CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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All Ages Program
Stallings Island Kayak Tour Come join us for a fun filled water adventure with bonus “wild” donkey experience by coming along on a guided trip up the Savannah River to historic Stallings Island! Guides from Savannah Rapids Kayak Rentals
Enjoy a river paddle experience like no other!
Know Before You Go
Launch into the Savannah Several boat options are River above the headgates of available to best suit your the historic Augusta Canal needs: before paddling up river to Single Kayak Rental Stallings Island and visiting $30 per person with the donkeys! Enjoy an ages 13+ educated discussion of the Tandem Kayak Rental various plants and animals $45 per person found along the river. ages 3+ Bring Your Own Boat This is a family friendly $15 per person experience for all ages; for safety children ages 12 or under must be in a tandem kayak with an adult.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Registration required Ages 3 - 99 $15 - 45 Savannah Rapids Park Historical Canal Headgates Questions? Contact Christi DeLoach 706.312.7411
Saturday, September 26th at 9am!
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All Ages Program
Annual Create by the Creek event has moved! The annual Create by the Creek art event has moved to the Savannah Rapids Park for 2026. We are so excited to continue our partnership with the county’s engineering department to celebrate Stormwater Awareness Week
Need to Know
Be inpsired! Registration is not required for this event, we just ask if you are interested to sign up to help us plan. This event is open to anyone of any age and ability. Artistic skill NOT required! Free to attend. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
with this unique community event on Saturday, September 26th from 10am 12pm. Enjoy the natural setting of the canal headgates and the mild rapids of the Savannah River. Get creative with activity stations designed around water to make some take home artwork or take part in the community canvas. This public art event will be
located under the Dance Pavilion near the Columbia County Visitor Center. For more information: contact Korde Jones ekjones@columbiacountyga.gov
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Youth Program
Lil Waders comes “Home Tweet Home” in September! Our Lil Waders cooled off in the August heat with our “Water Wonders” class with watercolors, sprinklers, and fishing fun! Now we’re ready to look up at the trees for “Home Tweet Home” classes.
Did you know September is one of the best months to plant trees and shurbs? Thanks to warmer soil and lowering air temps early fall is a great time to add a tree to the yard. That’s good news for all the animals that call trees home! This month our Lil Waders will be learning about trees and the animals that call them home through story,
song, and self discovery! Learn how useful both busy trees and dead wood is to all kinds of animals. We will also enjoy crafting our own take home nests to keep baby animals safe among the branches of our bedrooms. This indoor & outdoor class will have your early learner seeing trees in a whole new way just in time for leaf peeping!
How to Join Us
Weekly Classes on Tuesdays at 11am at Reed Creek Park Registration is open! Fee of $2.50 per child per class Weekly Class Schedule: Sept 1st Sept 8th Sept 15th Sept 22nd Sept 29th Lil Waders is for children ages 2-5 years old; parents must attend. Space limited to 15 children
This program is designed for both early learners and their guardians. Each topic offers different learning experiences for children of a variety of play styles. Don’t forget the handout on your way out for more ways to play at home! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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All Ages Programs
Monthly Social Programs Enjoying the outdoors comes in many forms; that’s why our team loves supporting some more unique ways to connect with nature each month through our drop-in social programs. These programs are great ways to unwind and connect with others!
Nature Game Nights!
Wild Pages Book Club
Thanks to Cardboard Castle Games we are able to bring you plenty of FREE demo games to try out each month inside the Wetland Interpretive Center at Reed Creek Park! Enjoy complimentary snacks while making new friends or enjoying a unique date night out. Stop in for a quick round or play the night away!
We welcome bookworms of all types at Reed Creek Park’s monthly book club! Love it, hate it, or didn’t finish it we would love to meet you and hear your thoughts!
Not sure what to play or how to play it? Don’t worry, staff is here to help!
The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants by Karen Bakker
Tuesday, September 1st from 5-9pm Tuesday, October 6th from 5-9pm Questions? Call 706 - 312 - 7358 to learn more
Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 29th at 6:30pm September’s Read: