Sweetwater Creek State Park

Atlanta was blessed with gorgeous brisk fall weather all weekend. Saturday morning was so refreshing when I stepped outside, there was a soft breeze to even out the warm sunshine. After our successful hike in North Georgia RG and I decided take advantage of the weather and try our luck a little closer to home. After doing some quick research I found Sweetwater Creek State Park, just 20 minutes outside of the city.

We packed up the dog and headed out for a Saturday hike. What drew me to this park was the history. Most of the trails at Sweetwater cross ruins of an old textile mill that was destroyed during the Civil War. In addition to the ruins, the trails climb rocky bluffs to picturesque views of the creek rapids below.

When we arrived I was surprised to see how crowded it was…I guess it didn’t cross my mind that others would have the same idea on such a beautiful day. We took a moment to watch the crowds and realized there was one trail most people stayed clear of…the yellow trail. So this is where we headed, we were looking for the least foot traffic so we could let Marley off leash and enjoy the hike too. This turned out to be one of two trails that do not pass by the mill ruins, instead we crossed through beautiful scenery and a large rock overhang along a dried out creek bed. Later I learned the dried out creek used to run rapidly and the overhang was actually where Native Americans took shelter for thousands of years. Knowing this now I feel like I should have spent more time appreciating the view and had taken it all in a little more. It is crazy how far civilization has come when you think about it.

If you are in the area and looking for a good day hike, I would definitely suggest heading out to Sweetwater Creek. It is raining leaves of all colors, as they fall around you they are brightly paving the trails with their beauty. It is a perfect place to spend a warm fall day before the grays of winter come rolling in. Here are some photos I snapped of the hike. Enjoy!