Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge in Lanier County, Georgia.
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected wetland in Lanier County, southern Georgia, covering open water, marshes, and forested swamps. Bald cypress trees hung with Spanish moss form the main canopy over much of the lake and its surrounding edges.
The lake's shape was altered in the mid-1800s when Joshua Lee built a dam to power a grist mill along the road between Waresboro and Thomasville. The refuge itself was established later by the federal government to protect the wetland and its wildlife.
Fishing is a longstanding local habit here, with families gathering along the dock to spend time near the water. Birdwatchers also come regularly, drawn by the variety of species that move through the wetland across the seasons.
The refuge is open throughout the year and has free parking, restrooms, and a fishing dock near the water. A boat launch is available on site, and mornings tend to offer calmer water and more wildlife activity than afternoons.
The water here has a dark tea color that comes from tannins released by decaying plant matter, not from pollution, which gives the lake its blackwater character. This same chemical quality keeps the water clear enough to see submerged cypress roots from a boat or the dock.
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