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On State Route 99 and US 17, this driving tour runs for 17 miles through McIntosh and Glynn Counties and the City of Darien. You will travel from the Sapelo Island Visitors Center to the historic Needwood Church and School.  Tour Description:The Byway passes Fort King George, Butler Island and Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantations, the Darien waterfront, sweeping marsh views, and majestic Live Oaks draped with Spanish Moss. This Byway lets visitors explore both the rich cultural heritage and the diverse marsh ecosystems found along Georgia's coast. The Altamaha Historic Scenic Byway displays a collage of history; from Guale Indians and 16th and 17th century Spanish missionaries to the pre-colonial occupation of Fort King George; from hardy Scottish Highland soldiers and colonists to the rice and cotton planters who succeeded them. Descendants of early African slaves who built the nineteenth-century plantations live in the area today, contributing their culture and traditions to life in communities scattered along the byway. |
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 The Geechee community still survives on Sapelo Island and descendants of the 177 Scottish Highlanders who first settled Darien are scattered throughout McIntosh County. Enhanced by the archaeological remnants of a long ago era, this byway adds a rich cultural and historical note to the ecological beauty found in the present. Roads Included in Byway are SR 99, McIntosh Road, SR 25 Spur and US 17. Places to Visit in Driving Tour Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge - The refuge's 5,618 acres include maritime forest, salt marsh, freshwater marsh and beach habitat. |
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Directions: There are 2 ways of reaching the Altamaha Historic Scenic Byway below. |