Parks see different summers

Officials at two area parks say high gasoline prices and low lake levels likely have affected business this summer, but in different ways.

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Jim Blaylock/Staff

Chuck Bartlett and his daughter Brooke, 8, relax at their campsite at Wildwood Park. Park officials say higher gas prices are leading more people to camp, but Mistletoe State Park is saying the opposite.

"We've been busier than anything," said Ollie Bargeron, a camp host at Wildwood Park in Appling.

Attributing the steady number of campers to high gas prices, she said the 61 campsites are booked for the rest of the summer.

"We don't have anything until the middle of September," Ms. Bargeron said.

But at Mistletoe State Park in Appling, clerk Mary Coultas said gas prices might be keeping campers away. She said business has been slower than last summer.

"Weekends have been pretty good, but the weeks are a little slow," she said.

Low water levels at Thurmond Lake also could be having an effect, Ms. Coultas said.

"With the lake water down, some people are a little bit hesitant to take their boats out," she said.

She said Mistletoe officials are telling boaters to stay in the channel areas and to use depth finders if they have them.

Though campsites are available, Ms. Coultas said, not even a seven-day minimum stay in the summer has kept vacationers from Mistletoe's 10 lakefront cottages.

"The cottages are booked. We've only had a minimal amount of cancellations, but then they book right back up," she said.

The approach of the new school year might slow business in the next couple of weeks, Ms. Coultas said. But Mistletoe will offer a number of upcoming weekend programs.

For more information about Wildwood, call (706) 541-0686 or visit www.columbiacountyga.gov.

For more information about Mistletoe, call (706) 541-0321 or visit www.gastateparks.org. To make reservations, call (800) 864-7275.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.