Sunday Morning at Simpsonwood Park

Simpsonwood Park is a  heavily wooded 223 acre park that was once the site of a convention center, but ultimately became the property of the county and is now preserved as a park for public use.  The park has a 3 mile loop trail that is remarkable in its beauty and its assortment of extraordinary trees.  It is virtually a hardwood forest in many places! It also has many side trails that are not on the main loop.   In all, there are around 5 miles of unpaved trails within the park. 

Simpsonwood Park was named after Ludie Simpson who donated the land to the Methodist Church. Now a Gwinnett County park, it borders the Chattahoochee River, directly across the river from the Jones Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.  Although the park land no longer belongs to the Methodist Church, its chapel remains and can be rented for events.

The trail is easy on the feet with hard packed dirt surfaces and mild elevation changes.  It's ideal for folks who can't handle great distances or endless ascents.  Parking is free, and a restroom facility is available next to the parking lot.  Dogs are welcome, but they must be kept on leash and their trail messes must be removed.  Remember, the AOC follows a "Leave No Trace" policy on all events.

John Bordonali is very familiar with the park and he has graciously agreed (once again) to help us navigate some of the lesser known trails not on the main loop. 

Parking is free in the lot to the left after you drive in.  If that area is full, there is additional parking down the entrance road.  

Coordinates:  33.986230, -84.243310