Discover Reynolds Nature Preserve in Morrow Georgia
Activities and General Info
This 146 acre nature preserve is located in the heart of Clayton County. The land, preserved in its native state, is a perfect example of rolling hills in the Piedmont region of Georgia.
Enjoy 3 miles of hiking trails. Explore the highest county ridges in a mixed oak-hickory-pine forest, wetlands and ponds fed by natural springs. Take the opportunity to step back in time and admire old farm equipment, spring houses, and a barn dating back to 1867. Don't forget to stop in the Nature Center to see the live animals, environmental displays or just to talk to a ranger!
The William H. Reynolds Nature Preserve is dedicated to promoting public awareness of appreciation of our natural environment. The preserve encompasses 146 acres of undisturbed woodlands, ponds, and streams. Four miles of hiking trails provide an opportunity to commune with nature while enjoying recreational pursuits. A wheelchair accessible native plants trail is located just outside the Preserve Interpretive Center. Native woodland, aquatic, and granite outcrop plants are represented.
The Interpretive Center offers exhibits on native species and is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Preserve is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until dusk. Groups may schedule guided nature walks between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the Preserve Office for details.
Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Nature Hiking Trails, Accessibility for mobility-impaired. Special programs available. Visit website for info. Free admission and parking.
History of the Land - During the Civil War, the court house in Jonesboro was destroyed by fire. With it went records of what is now the preserve. It is known, however, that the Robert T. S. Huie family purchased this property around the time of the war. Originally, the main house was merely four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs with a chimney in the center and a stairway at one end. Foundations of a spring box and a spring house are adjacent to the house.
After the war, Robert Huie added more rooms and a half story attic to the house. A single story porch, stretching across the front width of the house, was also built. In later years, Mr. Huie aded a kitchen porch, and family area with a large fireplace to the rear of the house.
In the late 1920's the property was sold to self-taught lawyer William Reynolds. At that time it contained two barns (one of which is still standing), a corn crib, a spring house, and two tenant farmhouses in addition to the main house. The ponds were created during the late 1930's.
In 1976 Judge William "Bill" Huie Reynolds donated 130 acres of wetlands and woodlands to Clayton County. His desire to preserve a spot of beauty and serenity for the enjoyment of both man and wildlife was realized in the founding of the nature preserve named in his honor. His gift was not only the land but his example of stewardship and his brotherhood with nature.
A federal grant was received from the Lands and Conservation Fund in 1979 to construct the Interpretive Center as well as piers, bridges, and a pavilion. Additional funding enabled landscaping, paving, trailwork, lake renovation, and exhibit work to be done.
In 1997, the Board of Trustees obtained an additional 16 acres of forests adjacent to the original property, bringing the total conservation holdings to 146 acres.
Phone - Address - Hours - Map & Website Link
Phone: 770-603-4188 - Address: 5665 Reynolds Road, Morrow, GA 30260 - Operating Hours: Preserve - Monday through Friday 8 am until dusk - Interpretive Center - Monday through Friday - 8 am to 5 pm. Reynolds Nature Preserve Map -
Reynolds Nature Preserve Website
This 146 acre nature preserve is located in the heart of Clayton County. The land, preserved in its native state, is a perfect example of rolling hills in the Piedmont region of Georgia. 
History of the Land 