Seven options offer variety for group tours

Oxbow Meadows offers group tour programs for schools, scouts, adults, families and others.

General tour information

Oxbow Meadows provides group tour programs year-round to schools (pre-K to grade 12), civic groups, clubs, scouts and the general public.

The programs are about 90 minutes with both indoor and outdoor sessions and involve hands-on exploration, activities, wildlife presentations and interpretive trail walks. Tours may accommodate up to 50 participants (unless other arrangements have been made). Material covered is correlated to the Georgia Performance Standards.

Our outdoor pavilion provides a unique open-air classroom setting, or it can be used by touring groups as a picnic area, upon request.

Tour fees and payment

(Tour programs are available by reservation only.)
Tour fees should be paid three weeks in advance ($40 deposit required). By prior arrangement, groups may pay upon arrival. Cancellations must be 10 days prior to visit.

Weekday tours: $4.00* per person (minimum $40 per group)
Weekend tours: $4.00* per person (minimum $40 per group)
Prices subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tour times and reservations

Tours can be scheduled after:
9 a.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 1pm Sunday.
To schedule a group tour program, call Oxbow Meadows at 706-687-4090. We will send a confirmation letter prior to your visit.

Tour program topics

Animals of Oxbow and Their Habitat
Explore the diversity of animals found around Oxbow Meadows and in the Chattahoochee River. Learn about different habitats and basic needs (food, water, shelter and space) that animals require for survival. On a trail walk through a wetland habitat, search for animals and evidence of animals (tracks, nests) while looking for their basic needs.
K-12th grade; Adults

Reptiles
Snakes, turtles, tortoises and alligators. Learn the similarities and differences between various reptiles. Discover the unique characteristics and adaptations that separate one group from another. See and touch live specimens up close. Walk the trail to study the habitats of reptiles.
Pre-K-9th grade; Adults

Adventures in Arrowheads & Atlatls: Southeastern Native American Culture
Native peoples once inhabited the land at Oxbow. Explore the ways they used land, wildlife and other natural resources for hunting and gathering, farming, games, medicine, tools, clothing and shelter. Visit a reproduction of a Native American homesite and discover the use of an atlatl and “arrowheads”. Learn the truth about some common myths & misconceptions about the Southeastern Indians.
6th-12th grade; Adults; Group size limited to 35

Wetlands are Wonderlands!
Explore the importance of wetland ecosystems — their functions, the inhabitants and the dynamic food chains they support. Meet some of the snakes, frogs, turtles and birds that live in wetland habitats and learn about their adaptations. On the trail, discover the role of plants in a wetland ecosystem and identify aquatic plants commonly found there. Examine leaf shape and arrangement as a way to identify trees.
3rd-12th grade; Adults; Seasonal program, offered March - October

Predator to Prey — A Raptor Show
Meet the live birds of prey at Oxbow, including a screech owl, barred owl and red-tailed hawk (non-releasable animals). Learn about their habitat needs, unique anatomy and adaptations (vision, flight, beaks, talons), predatory hunting and reproduction. On the trail walk, play vision & speed games to experience the specialized adaptations of these great birds for hunting prey. Study the habitat, look for food sources and hear calls of raptors via audio tape.
K-12th grade; Adults

Owl Pellet Dissection Lab (1-Hour Raptor Show "add-on")
This program is a hands-on investigation of the predator-prey relationship. Owls prey on other animals for food. As they don’t have teeth, they swallow their prey whole. The undigested hair and bones are pressed together and packed into a ball (pellet) and regurgitated. Using a dissection booklet and a bone ID sheet, dissect sanitized owl pellets using toothpicks and remove any feathers, fur or bones. From these components, identify small animals eaten by the owl. Group size limited to 35. *Fee (raptor show and lab), $7 each (includes cost of booklets & owl pellets), 4th-10th grade

Pondering a Pond — Dipping for Aquatic Life
Using the ponds at Oxbow, this program is an in-depth study of water as an essential natural resource, focusing on the creatures living and reproducing in fresh water. A dip net is used to collect aquatic organisms from the ponds (small fish & macroinvertebrates such as insect larvae, snails, crayfish, worms and leeches). Animals are placed in trays for sorting & identification. Finally, since some aquatic organisms require more dissolved oxygen and are more pollution sensitive than others, water quality can be evaluated based on pond life diversity. With smaller groups and upon request (up to 35), pH and turbidity testing is also available, discussed in the context of pollution movement through watersheds. 3rd-12th grade; Adults; Seasonal program offered March - October

To schedule a group tour program, call Oxbow Meadows at 706-687-4090.