An official website of the State of Georgia.

Welcome to Idlewilde Event Center at Indian Springs State Park


Conveniently located near I-75 in middle Georgia, Indian Springs is one of the oldest state parks in the United States and a popular spot for outdoor recreation.

Idlewilde Event Center at Indian Springs State Park is available for reservations. The name is derived from the majestic house on the property that serves as the park office and visitor center; and is on the National Historic Register. With another nod to past, the individual rooms in the center are even named after the historic hotels that once thrived in the village of Indian Springs. Idlewilde has 20,000 square feet of event space including a massive lake side porch with beautiful views of the water. With a capacity of 500 people, Idlewilde can accommodate a variety of events, from birthday parties and family reunions, to weddings and corporate retreats. Additional features include a catering kitchen and audio visual capabilities in every room.

For inquiries or to join the Idlewilde Event Center waiting list, please contact us on 470-707-8071.


  • Operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
  • Available event hours: 8:00AM – 10:00PM
  • Total footprint 19,557 square feet
  • Opened September 2018

 

B.F. Grant WMA

B.F. Grant Wildlife Management Area is located near Eatonton with the majority of the property lying in Putnam County, and a small portion in Morgan County. This 11,40-acre property is owned by the University of Georgia, and has hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, dove, and waterfowl. It is managed as a quality deer area and thus antlered deer that are harvested must have at least 4 points (1-inch or longer) on either antler or a minimum 15-inch outside antler spread are legal. The property was originally the Central Georgia Experiment Station, and started as a WMA under that name in 1965. The WMA was changed to B.F. Grant in 1973, named after Bishop Franklin Grant. Grant was a Professor of Forestry at the University of Georgia from 1929 to 1965. He was inducted into the Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 1969.

B.F. Grant is synonymous with quality deer and in November of 1974 Thomas Cooper harvested the largest buck ever on Georgia public land, a 215 7/8" non-typical Boone & Crockett. This deer was also the largest killed in North America that year.

The property is home to a 45-acre waterfowl M.A.R.S.H. (Matching Aid to Restore State’s Habitats) project that was constructed in 1991. The project is a cooperative effort between DNR, Ducks Unlimited, and University of Georgia. The project consists of an open water pond, a green tree reservoir, and a moist soil impoundment. The B.F. Grant M.A.R.S.H. pond acts as a wintering refuge for waterfowl, and thus is not open for duck hunting.


Accommodations & Facilities

  • Campsites
  • Dove Field
  • Lake (access controlled by UGA)
  • MARSH Project

Activities

  • Camping
  • Geocaching — not allowed during managed hunts or before 10 a.m. during turkey season
  • Hunting
    • Quota Hunts
    • Youth Hunts
  • Lake Fishing
  • Wildlife Viewing

Nearby Properties

 

Nearby Accommodations

Bed Icon MAKE AN OVERNIGHT RESERVATION