Sweetwater Creek Yellow, Red and White Trails - Wed, Jul 10 2013

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Sweetwater Creek Yellow, Red and White Trails


The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: Sweetwater Creek State Park, 1750 Mt. Vernon Rd, Lithia Springs, Ga
Date(s) & Time:Wed, Jul 10 2013  10:00 am >> Wed, Jul 10 2013 1:00 pm
Registration Opens: Mon, Jul 8 2013 9:58 am
Registration Cut Off: Wed, Jul 10 2013 9:00 am
Event Duration:3 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D3: Moderate
Distance:7 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Gary Hubert
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:14
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 6 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: Yes

Itinerary:

This will be a moderate paced hike at Sweetwater Creek State Park. We will complete a 7 mile hike on the yellow, red and white trails. This is a fun and scenic hike very close to town. 

Yellow Trail: 3-mile loop. Blazed yellow. Rated moderate to difficult for normal people.  

The Yellow Trail is accessed by entering the Red Trail at the bottom corner of the parking area and then turning left after approximately 150 feet. It then drops into the creek valley and heads upstream to the bridge across Sweetwater Creek. After crossing the bridge the trail turns downstream where, just past the wooden footbridge, you will find a fork in the path. Once we get to the fork in the trail, we're going to take it (Yogi Berra reference.  Also, not on the website).   We'll probably go clockwise around the loop.

Red Trail:  1 mile one way. Blazed red. Rated easy to difficult.  

The Red Trail, after half a mile, takes you to the impressive New Manchester mill ruins alongside the white-water rapids of Sweetwater Creek and is the recommended hike for first-time visitors. New Manchester was a mid-nineteenth century mill town which met its demise during the Civil War.  The second half mile of the Red Trail, downstream of the mill, continues to follow the rapids to the Sweetwater Falls area and is considerably more strenuous because of the very rocky terrain.

White Trail: 3 miles one way. Blazed white. Rated moderate to difficult. 

The White Trail passes through some of the most remote areas of the park west of Sweetwater Creek. It connects to the end of the Red and Blue trails following the rapids as they continue down the creek. The trail then turns west and follows Jack’s Branch upstream to Jack’s Lake. This stream community has a great variety of spring wildflowers. Hikers will also pass through areas covered with ferns, Bigleaf Magnolias, Wild Azaleas and Mountain Laurel. After climbing out of the lake valley the trail passes through the Jack’s Hill area, a former farming community now known for its open meadows and a favorite of bird watchers.  


Required Items to Bring:
Good walking shoes or hiking boots, water, snack		Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

How to Get There:
Event Directions:Sweetwater Creek State Park hiking trail parking lot near the visitor center: Take I-20 west from Atlanta, exit #44 at Thornton Road, turn left and go 1/4 mile. Turn right on Blairs Bridge Road, go 2 miles and turn left on Mount Vernon Road. Travel a couple more miles and into the park. Just after crossing over the lake, look for a sign that says hiking/nature trails, and take a left there (there is a small entry gate). Continue straight to the end of the road to the parking area.

Notes:
There is a $5.00 parking fee at the park.
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.