Chaires Creek & Tucker Lake

Explore a phenomenal tidal creek system and see beautiful natural scenery and wildlife by paddling a short distance along Chaires Creek. Paddling the waterways will eventually lead you to Tucker Lake, a large brackish lake connected to the Ochlockonee Bay, by way of the creek.

Tucker Lake is the largest body of water in the park and thus a central natural feature. The 175-acre lake is surrounded primarily by flatwoods and pines.

A small channel was dredged in order to connect the waters of the lake to Chaires Creek, the largest of Bald Point's diverse salt creeks. An extensive estuarine tidal marsh lines the creek with black needlerush growing abundantly along the shore.

This tidal marsh environment provides a habitat for a variety of marine creatures.

Many deep-water fish find this habitat preferable to large open waters, as the grassy marsh helps safeguard their young from predators. A variety of other marine species populate the waters of Chaires Creek and Tucker Lake. Phenomenal fishing in the lake and creek can bring in catches of sea trout, red fish, flounder and sheepshead. This is also an excellent area to cast a net for mullet or catch blue crabs. 

When planning the Chaires Creek portion of your journey for the day, pick a time when there is a fairly high tide. This will help avoid getting stuck on an oyster bed or sandbar. Kayak and canoe access is available at a launch site at Bald Point State Park for open water access.

To explore the tidal creek system, it is a short paddle to Chaires Creek from the Tucker Lake canoe/kayak launch.  

• Access to the canoe and kayak launch can be made by taking the last dirt service road on the right off Range Road, 200 yards west of the Chaires Creek Bridge.