Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Banks Lake spans over 4,000 acres of freshwater wetlands, including open water areas, marshes, hardwood swamps, and cypress trees covered with Spanish moss.

Joshua Lee built a low dam across the drainage creek in the mid-19th century to operate a grist mill along the stagecoach route between Waresboro and Thomasville.

The refuge maintains a tradition of connecting people with nature through activities such as wildlife observation, photography, and an annual youth fishing competition in June.

Visitors can access free parking, concessions, equipment rentals, a boat ramp, restrooms, and an accessible fishing dock throughout the year.

The natural pocosin formation resulted from ancient tidal actions, creating a blackwater lake environment where dragonfly nymphs emerge from cypress bark.

Location: Georgia

Inception: 1985

Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/banks_lake

GPS coordinates: 31.01970,-83.12750

Latest update: March 6, 2025 05:01