Sweetwater Creek State Park

After having visit here many more times, it’s become my favorite place to take friends and family. I love the fact you can walk by the stream and jump on the rocks. Choose to walk into parts of the stream too at your own risk of course. The rest of the trail is boring to me without a bike, but it’s a trail none the less. This place is a much bigger place than I had originally imagined with plenty of activities to do. All I’ve done is hiking in this area so I don’t know much else.

Blown away by the stunning views and totally misjudged this place. It has different trails with different levels and scenery.
The yellow trail is one often harder ones that have steep hills but a beautiful view of the horizon
The white trail is the longest but easiest. It loops around and connects all trails
The red trail has some interesting pathways and near the end you’ll get to see the creek as well as the mill where they shot the hunger games movie. You got some unconventional paths that require u to climb across rocks (felt so legit)
A green path that cuts through from one side of the loop to another. This one is all brush but very relaxing
There is a brown trail that is at the very end that I didn’t end up being able to reach because they were closing so I will be back!
Overall I loved it and it was plenty of exercise

For some reason when I first heard about Sweetwater Creek State Park, I thought it was in Duluth, hahaha. It could be because of the Sweetwater area. Later, I learned that it’s a park closer to Six Flags area.
We accidently went towards the fishing and bbq side. We didn’t have cash but was told we could park at the bait store, go inside, and pay with a card. Parking is $ 5. After we paid, we were given a map and was told the walking trails were down the street.
Honestly, driving to find parking for the walking trails was confusing. There were so many pavilions and the walking trails were all the way in the back. We just followed gift shop/visitor’s info.
The map was confusing because the trails are not marked well. I mean, who would’ve thought that there were some trees that were painted with white, yellow, or red? Seriously. It took a minute to understand the map, especially when we saw the huge bridge. Since hubby isn’t as adventurous as I am, we crossed the bridge but didn’t continue on the other two trails.
We did enjoy Sweetwater Creek State Park overall. I love the nature trails, I love feeling Mother Nature’s soil on my feet. The water is serene and beautiful. I will come back (without hubby) and check out the rest of the trails.

Many different trails, beautiful lake, rushing river, wildlife and nature, and guided tours! I know there’s also lots I haven’t yet taken advantage of, so I recommend checking out other reviews and seeing what else Sweetwater has to offer. I think there are camping areas available and a ranger station with bathrooms.
I took my dog for a long walk on the Red Trail, and we enjoyed the heck out of it. It was perfect weather, so I wasn’t surprised to see many other joggers, walkers, and families on the trail, even though it was a late weekday afternoon. I bet that on weekends the trails can be pretty busy. As it was, during our weekday visit, we had some lovely moments of solitude. There were lots of mini trails off the main trails where you could hide near the river and explore other small areas. There are also the ruins of an old mill, which were recently seen in one of the Hunger Games: Mockingjay films.
We did see a snake by the river, so I just want to remind everyone that this park is the native critters’ home first. Be respectful, and they’ll probably leave you alone, but also be careful, especially around the water where snakes like to live. Other than that, though, enjoy! This is a lovely park, and I’m looking forward to discovering more of it! What a great find so close to Atlanta!

This is a great trail. We took the red trail and it is a relatively easy hike with lots of great views of the creek and you see the ruins of the Manchester Manufacturing Company. It is handicap/​stroller accessible for most of the path. The only parts you can’t roll to would be the stairs down to the creek. If you are able to walk, it is definitely worth going down the stairs because you get great views of the beautiful creek. The trail is roughly a mile each way. The trail is woody so lots of trees and shade, even in the afternoon, so it is a pleasant hike in the spring.
The visitor center has some interesting exhibits of the mill, some displays of stuffed animals, and a handful of live reptiles. They also do lots of activities. They had foam blocks for kids to play with, a bat house craft project, and a in-​depth bat talk. Restrooms are also available.
$ 5 parking. Can still be hard to find a spot on weekend afternoons. This is a Georgia State park so a park pass will get you free parking.

Human friends and their dog friend introduced me to the pretty sweet Sweetwater Creek State Park. For a mere $ 5 to park, you can get your fill of nature and hiking, complete with rushing rapids and ruins of the old New Manchester Manufacturing Company mill.
Because it is so close to Atlanta, Sweetwater can be congested so that’s a drawback but that’s basically the only negative that I could find. I did go into the reservoir entrance by mistake (the one at the end of Cedar Terrace Road) and quickly learned that the main entrance is on Factory Shoals Road. Parking by the Interpretive Center where the trailheads are located can be a challenge. You may have to make a big loop and park by the group shelters.
The Red History Trail is recommended for newcomers and seems to be the easiest and is the shortest at a mile each way. It’s fine and flat for the most part but there were a few rocky areas to maneuver. If you want something longer, you can try the White or Yellow trails. The roar of the creek made a perfect soundtrack, and gorgeous wild azaleas were in full bloom. Numerous butterflies flitted around. I even saw a great blue heron nab and swallow a huge fish, rad!
If you like reptiles, there are a lot of [caged] snakes in the Interpretive Center, along with snack, souvenirs, and composting toilets. There are also a lot of specialty hikes offered too, like geology hikes and evening hikes. Peruse the list of events if you’re interested.
I’m excited about more return trips to Sweetwater Creek in the future, hopefully to do a little boating, a little picnicking, and a little more hiking. And maybe some yurting. It’s just fun to say «yurt.»

The scenery was breathtaking!!! I had already read the reviews and knew that I would be taking the red trail, which takes you along the creek and to the mill ruins. The trail is an awesome way to spend 2 – 3 hours easily. There are tons of spots along the way to take amazing photos and I really enjoyed every single minute of the hike.

My boyfriend and I came here and we took the red trail. We really enjoyed it. There was a lot to see along the way and the scenery was so refreshing. We got a great view of the Sweetwater Creek along the red trail and also got to see the New Manchester mill. The trail gets a little more difficult towards the end since there are more rocks and steps you have to overcome, but it is definitely doable. As we were heading back we decided to take the white trail back to the visitor center and from there it wasn’t much to see and it felt as if we were just walking in circles. Even though that was probably not the case. Inside the visitor center there is a little museum which is fun to look at and very informative. Also, the restrooms there are quite interesting. (TMI) It isn’t run on a sewage system but the waste is composted. Despite that interesting fact, it didn’t smell funky or anything and it was still clean.

Today I completed my second hike at this state park. I must admit that I enjoyed today’s hike as much as I did my first one. There were a decent amount of people present, and everyone was friendly. The hike was decent, and a good place to go to get your heart racing a little. We did the red trail and returned on the white trail– a total of about 3.5 miles. If you are looking for a nice simple hike this is a great place to start– maybe I will see you out there one day!

Great casual hiking spot! There is a $ 5 parking fee and parking can be limited near the trailhead so carpool if you can. We went on Saturday around 2pm to hike here. The lot was definitely packed, but we got lucky and found parking right away.
There are bathrooms here and it’s relatively clean (yay!). The trail head starts out nicely paved, but this is definitely a trail that can be a bit bumpy and rocky if you’re bringing young children/​babies. We took the red trail and continued on the white to go back to the trail head in a loop. Most people stop at the red trail and turn back, but the white trail is a great easy hike if you’re looking for something quieter and longer. Some trees have colors painted on them to tell you which trail you are on, but this can still be a bit confusing. We had to second guess ourselves during the split at the white/​brown trail (keep right by the creek to continue on the white trail).
THis is a great place to come on a nice day. It’s mostly shaded so it’s not too hot to go after noon either.

There is always room for improvement, but given the almost free admission to the state park, it’s amazing to see that people’s tax dollars are making a difference in preserving our precious natural resources. Not only that, but thanks to State Parks like this one, the amount of forested land in the US has actually grown over the course of the last century. So, here is my key points depending on what you are seeking out of the trip:
— SIGHTS: Ruins of the mill are a must, so do the Red trail if you are a first time visitor, but do expect crowds on weekends.
— CALMNESS: White trail is the way to go, but it is longer. Very few people here.
— ROMANCE: Bring yourself a picnic blanket and snacks, set it up on one of the rocks by the creek and enjoy the rush of water flowing by while relaxing. Just clean up after yourself please.
As much as I love this park, I think there are areas of improvement. Because of the heavy foot traffic, there is quite a bit of trash along the red trail. It kills the nature, pushes that trash into the creek and our larger water reservoirs and ruins the experience. The park needs to implement better and smarter programs for people to get rid of trash. Whether that means having some trash cans that aren’t overflowing or creating a new program. For example, ask each person to pick up just one piece of trash when they are paying for parking. Or, give them a glove and ask to pick up a small bag full of trash in exchange for a waived parking fee! So many cool ways to address the issue and keep the forest clean… i am sure if the team put their minds to it, there would be even more ideas than what I came up with in the last few minutes. Many people would love to contribute to help clean up our nature.

Loved this place, the red line was awesome hike and so beautiful. A little rough for children and older adults bc of all the rocks but a wonderful hike.

Only spent time canoeing on the reservoir. 4 hours for $ 30.
Went on a Wednesday — maybe a total of 5 boats in the 4 hours we spent on the lake. It was awesome. You can’t swim or dock the boat even though you could try it. Be on the lookout for rangers though. But I think they’ll just give you a warning.
But overall, if you go in the middle of the week with a small crowd there, it is awesome and fun. Totally worth the drive.

Sweetwater Creek Park is a giant state park with many activities for visitors. We chose to go hiking on the White Trail on a Friday morning. The trails are very well marked and there was never any confusion or feeling of being lost. It took a little under 2 hours to complete the hike, but the distance walked somehow varied. Our meter said 4.6 miles, the trail map said 5 miles, a passerby said 6 miles, and a website we saw beforehand claimed 4 miles. The views at the beginning when we were next to the creek were really beautiful. We even saw a heron on the river which was pretty cool! There was an abandoned mill along the way as well. After this portion of the hike the trail transitioned from moderate difficulty to easy since it was wider and cleared of all tree roots. The only reason I didn’t give a ⁵⁄₅ is because the latter half of the trail was fairly basic with no sight of the creek and no changes in terrain either. Lots of people had their dogs with them on leashes, for the animal lovers. I would definitely visit this park again since they have picnic areas and a lake that we did not explore yet.

Absolutely love this state park! And if I am not mistaken, it’s the red trail I love… if that’s the one where the huge lake sits. Great for a weekend picnic just to relax and enjoy the peacefulness and scenery! I did get bit once by what we believe was a hornet while hiking (we never saw it)…my my my that was the worst! I still love this park though!

The Yurt Village at SWCP is a wonderfull escape from City Living, while still being in the City!
What’s a Yurt? Well it’s somewhere between a Tent and a Cabin. Seems to be constructed out or Wood and Canvas. Each unit here sleeps 6 people. There’s electricity, a heater, a table w 4 chairs, a bunk bed that sleeps 4 (but 6 thin people can fit), a futon that sleeps 2, but NO BATHROOMS in the Yurt. You also will NOT find a TV, Radio or Kitchen in the Yurts either. Which means I will be bringing my TV/​VCR combo.
Yurt #6 is directly across from the Bathhouse. I believe it is a handicapped accessible room as well. #1 is unique in that you have to climb a few stairs to get to the Yurt. And #10 is the most secluded of the 10 Yurts available for your rental.
The Yurt itself is very roomy. I don’t like that the bunk beds 2^nd level is up really high. But I do like the pillow top mattresses on the bunk bed. They were very spacious, comfortable beds. And carved out of some beautiful wood.
Outside each Yurt is a firepit, BBQ Grill and water thingy (spigot). Along with a place to hang your lanterns. But the deck with its Adirondack chairs and the beautiful views of the lake was my favorite part of this visit. I could sit on the deck for days!
For $ 85/​night you can enjoy nature and just get away from all the stress this world has to offer. Check In is at
4 PM and Check Out is at 11 AM.
Other things to note:
The doors lock
QUIET Hours are from 10 PM — 7 AM
Bring linens/​pillows and something to cook on the grill with
There is a Tent Campsite in this
same area
At this time, you can NOT bring Fido
$ 5 to park and only 2 cars permitted per Yurt rental
You can make reservations 13 months in advance
You will love this place!
1−800−864−7275 is the Reservation line

This was our second visit to this park and both times were great. Finding a parking spot took a minute, but we found one! We started out on the white trail for the first half and then ended up on the red trail for the way back. There were plenty of people with their families and dogs. It’s just wonderful to be outdoors in such a lovely setting. The red trail can be a little challenging and that’s what makes it fun. After a day of hiking and enjoying nature, we had a picnic. There are plenty of picnic tables and grills so that is another added bonus!

Sweetwater park is absolutely beautiful. It’s actually where my wife and I got engaged but that was in the picnic area beside a lake.
This review is about the hiking trails specifically the RED trail. This trail is the one recommended for beginners which definitely includes myself and my wife who has done more hiking than myself recently but still not that much.
The park is very well maintained and clean so that $ 5 you pay to enter is well worth it!
Anyway, the beginning of the red trail is super easy, perfect for a pretty leisurely stroll but then once you pass the warehouse ruins headed towards the mill, it gets tougher (for a beginner at least). There are lots of rocks to climb through, steep inclines and stairs but, it’s all doable. The red trail gets pretty crowded especially on a Saturday I’m assuming. There were lots of people with their dogs, couples and lots of parents with kids. We would just move to the side and let people pass us since, as newbies, we might’ve been a little slower. But, everyone was so nice and friendly, almost everyone stopped to say hello or talk a little.
Speaking of the mill though, we never found it! Where is it? Lol. We felt like we climbed as far as we could on the red trail, ending at the bottom of the falls and we still didn’t see it. By that time we were exhausted and since we started a little late and didn’t know how long it would take us to get back, we decided to make the trek back. I was a little disappointed but we will find it next time for sure! And once we’ve conquered the red trail then the white and blue trails are next.
But we had a great time. I kept thinking that this would be a great «first date», a nice easy hike on a beautiful day and I think we spotted several first-​dater-​s. Next time we’ll bring a picnic lunch too so we can stop and enjoy nature while we eat. Like one reviewer stated, we hardly saw any black people, maybe they were all at home preparing for the Mayweather/​Paquiao fight. The only black people we saw was a dad and the cutest little boy ever. He stopped to talk to us and show us two fish he’d caught. They were about as big as the palm of my hand but he was soo proud of them and the fact that he caught them himself. He wouldn’t stop taking them out of the bag and showing them off. Super cute!
Next time we’ll come earlier so that we can check out the visitor’s center and museum, they were closed on our way back up. We also want to partake in the candlelight hike that sounds so cool. Can’t wait!

We had been planning a weekend visit to the park for quite a while and were really stoked to finally get the chance to hike the trails, see the river, experience the park as a whole, and have a bit of a pseudo-​city adventure. We entered the park from the entrance a bit farther down I-​20 to avoid some of the spillover craziness from Six Flags and it was great. At first, I thought it was a bit desolate for a large State Park to be near, but it turned out to be much better than I had anticipated.
We pulled in, payed the $ 5 fee, and made our way to the parking area for the hiking trails. The place was hoppin’ for a Saturday afternoon, which isn’t surprising, so we parked in a bit of an unorthodox area. Be ready to find ulterior parking options if the park is super busy.
The only negative thing I can report for the entire park is the restroom area near the parking lot. Its like walking into a sarcophagus. Literally every arachnid and antenna-​bearing creature has found a home within this restroom and happily touts its crawly nature as you try to relieve yourself. Kinda like that scene from Indiana Jones with all of the bugs… Good luck, fair hiker/​traveler/​tourist.
We started out on the red blaze and met up with the white blaze loop which is about ~4 miles roundtrip. We made our way to mill ruins portion of the trail near the river and decided to opt for the red blaze yet again to hike up to the falls overlook. I’d highly recommend doing this as the rapids are actually pretty beastly along the waterfront portion of the hike. They are beautiful. I was actually surprised to see such rapids along this stretch of the water. Easily class ¾ rapids in areas and we even saw a few kayakers trying their hand at them.
It’s a gorgeous park with tons of scenery to enjoy. Take a small lunch, scramble up the rocks, and enjoy the rushing water. It’s definitely worth the $ 5 price tag and built-​in sweat you’re bound to work up.

Sweetwater Creek State Park is a natural oasis within driving distance of Atlanta. It is a perfect retreat from the city for hiking and spending time outdoors.
The trails here are very well maintained and there is a good range of difficulty levels. If you want to stay along the creek the trails are nice and flat and soft padded dirt (great for walking). If you want more of a challenge you can take a steep route up into the hills complete with stairs. This is a really good hike. Parts of it are a bit treacherous, with some uneven ledges and small handrails separating you from the creek below, so I wouldn’t recommend it for young children or anyone with balance difficulties.
There are a number of places at Sweetwater creek where you can hop from rock to rock to get to the middle of the river. There is nothing quite like the peace in the middle of the river with the view upstream and the water rushing past.
In addition to the hiking and nature, there are ruins of an old textile mill along the river and a visitor center. I have yet to make it to the visitor center, but according to their website it is award winning (that there are visitor center awards is news to me) and environmentally friendly.