Augusta Riverwalk, Augusta, Georgia

“Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that we are both inhabitants and stewards of nature in our neighborhoods.”

David Suzuki

Lower Riverwalk

Marina Store

Today was a clear winter day in January and not too cold. It was a great day for a walk. We decided to walk the whole Riverwalk, which we hadn’t done since the new section got built that now goes all the way to 13^th Street. We parked in the Riverwalk Marina parking area figuring we would start on the lower level.

The Riverwalk has two levels. The lower part of the Riverwalk winds through a city park next to the Savannah River and the upper level is on top of the levee. We started by going into the Marina Store to look around.  There are many interesting things to buy including prints, postcards, souvenirs, drinks, ice cream, and snacks. You can also buy tickets there for boat rides down the Savannah here also. This is a great place to get your bottled water and snack for the walk.

The first thing we saw as we entered the park was a lovely playground for the children. There is seating for the adults to sit and watch their children play and get a great view of the Savannah and the train trestle bridge.

We continued along the path and were entertained by the squirrels were actively exploring and running all about. The birds were singing loudly as they do in Spring and making us think they were confused with the warmer weather. All along the path there are nice places to sit and look out over the Savannah River. The path is nicely landscaped and looked pretty even in the winter with the trees bare. In the spring and summer, there are flower gardens along the way to see.

They have a paddle wheel on display that was a replica of the Kathryn S, Augusta last stern-wheeler that was built in 1933 and wrecked in 1964. That must have been a wonderful time on the river seeing those boats going up and down the river and watching the cotton barges coming and going.

Down a little further on the path you see a nice covered stage area with swings to sit on facing the river. Looking away from the river you can see the levee and the opening to 8^th Street,  where they have a Saturday Market. You can see the groove in the wall where they add a wall when the flooding gets really bad to protect the city. Back in 1908 the city of Augusta built a levee that was made from only dirt and rocks to protect the city from flooding. Then in 1929, there was a flood that came over the levee and severely flooded downtown. It wasn’t until 1936 that the Flood Control Act was passed by the Corp of Engineers and they rebuilt the level to the height is is today in the early 1950’s. After that they built the Clark Hill Dam to control the river levels and provide power to this area. It still does flood this park area on occasion but nothing like the floods years ago.

There is a marker on the trail showing where the 200 mile mark – which is 200 miles to the mouth of the Savannah River. There are many picnic areas along the river also making a great spot to enjoy that snack or lunch you brought with you and enjoy the views.

Jessye Norman Amphitheater

Next we see the Jessye Norman Amphitheater. It is a great venue for concerts, outside movies and events, and church services. It was named after the local legend, Jessye Norman, an international opera star and humanitarian who was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1945 and went to school in town. The grand opening for this theater was April 16, 1996. While we were there we saw a few people running up and down the stairs for exercise.

Japanese Garden in winter

We walked past the Japanese Garden which doesn’t look like much in the winter when the water is not on and the flowers are not blooming but believe me during the spring and summer it is a lovely spot. It was dedicated in 1993 honoring Augusta’s sister city, Takarazuka, Japan.

Heroes' Overlook

Next comes Heroes Overlook which is a lovely dedicated area to Medal of Honor Veterans. People in the city could buy a brick honoring their lost loved service members. There are over 900 memorial bricks that were bought and laid. Flying above the memorials is the United States flag and the POW flag. It is a serene place to reflect on those who gave all.

Morris Museum of Art

From there we headed to the upper level of the Riverwalk. The Morris Museum of Art is there which was established in 1985 and opened on September 26, 1992. It is the oldest museum in the country that is specifically dedicated to the artist and art from the south. There are over 5,000 works of art in this museum to see.

Weather Station

We came upon a weather station with a historical sign stating that Augusta began meteorological measurements in 1870. Measurements have continued since then and the sign gives the average temperatures, highs – lows, and wind gust, and latest and earliest frost. When you walk up to is you can hear the weather being broadcast.

Georgia Cyber Center

Then we walked on the new section of the Riverwalk which passes by the Georgia Cyber Center which is located on the Nathan Deal Campus for Innovation. It houses classrooms for Augusta University, Augusta Tech, as well as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Defense, and other state, federal and private organizations. It is a beautiful building with a nice courtyard area.

Coming up towards 13^th Street you can see the SRP Park across the river in North Augusta. That is the new baseball park for the Green Jackets, a Minor League Baseball team. It was opened April 12, 2018 and has seating for 4,782 people. It is a beautiful park and nicely designed.

When we got to the end of the canal on 13^th Street, we saw the memorial sign the states information about the flood protection and that the River and Canal Commission designed the levee from 1908 and 1919 on one side and on the other lists the Mayors and members. At that point, we turned around and headed back.

On the Savannah River Esplanade all streets are marked on the levee trail. The Augusta Marriott Hotel is accessible from the Riverwalk and you can spot their courtyard with pool. It looks lovely. Then on 10^th Street you see a circle adorned with a fancy clock and two fountains at the hotels entrance.

All along the Riverwalk are historic plaques that tell about the history of Augusta, the geology, topography, sports in Augusta, and wildlife in the area. There are many interesting reads as you walk along.

Jessye Norman Amphitheater

Historic Flags

Upper Riverwalk in Spring

Now we pass the Jessye Norman Amphitheater from the top. What a lovely venue with such a beautiful view of the river behind the stage.

On top of the levee are historic flags of the French, British, and Spanish Founders on top of 7^th Street signifying Augusta’s founder, Oglethorpe.

9th Street Fountain

When we get to 9^th Street we look down at the gorgeous fountain in the middle of the circle with landscaping around it. I loved the fish in the lower pond squirting water towards the top of the fountain. It is just lovely.

Analemmatic Sundial

Then we came upon the Analemmatic Sundial and tried it out. It is a horizontal sundial that has a vertical gnomon and hour markers in an elliptical pattern. Joe stood on it and his shadow was cast at the right time.

Winter without the fountain going looking downtown

The fountain on 8th Street in the Spring 

Another overlook that is interesting to see is looking down to 8^th Street which is where the Saturday Market is held and where the fountain shoots up out of the street in the warm weather for the kids to run through.

Saint Paul's Church

Celtic Cross Monument with Saint Paul's in the background

Railroad trestle bridge

The YMCA and Unysis are also located on the Riverwalk. After that you can look down in the courtyard of St. Paul's Church on one side and the playground and trestle bridge on the other side. Just on the other side of the street where the trestle bridge is, you can see the Augusta Museum of History which has an old locomotive inside and has a James Brown Section.That reminds me of the time he drove by me and smiled real big and waved.   I drove  by later realizing it was James Brown.  Joe and I were fortunate enough to see him a few times in Augusta.     You can also watch a movie on the history of Augusta.

The Marina

We walked back down the stairs to the lower portion and got in our car to drive home. On the way out we drove past the marina boats and saw how high the Savannah River still was with all the rain we’ve had. It was a lovely walk and it felt great to get outside and enjoy the cool day. This is a great spot to see if you are in Augusta.