Sweetwater Creek White Loop
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Details
Distance
4.87 miles
Elevation Gain
371 ft
Route Type
Loop
Description
Added by Alan Maxcy
Sweetwater Creek White Loop is a 4.9-mile hike, which is only 25 min from Downtown Atlanta. Explore the New Manchester Mill ruins and take in scenic views of white-water filled Sweetwater Creek.
Sweetwater Creek State Park offers a breath of fresh air and beautiful sights only 15 miles from Atlanta. The park has 9 miles of trails to choose from. The shortest of the three trails is the Red Trail (1 mile, one-way). After a half mile you will arrive at the impressive 5 story New Manchester Mill ruins. New Manchester was a mid-nineteen century mill town that was burned down in the Civil War. These ruins appeared in the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 when Jennifer Lawrence leaves District 13 to go hunting. After the mill you will continue south along the creek until you dead end into the white trail.
From here you can decide to turn back the way you came or complete the White Trail Loop. The White Trail is a 5 mile loop (you have already completed 1 mile on the Red Trail at this point) that highlights the park's wildlife and plant communities. Along this trail you will have opportunities to bird watch, enjoy the views of Jack's Lake, and learn about the different types of vegetation that are all clearly marked with signs along the way.
If you want to go on a hike that is in between these two distances there is a Green Trail that effectively cuts the White Trail loop in half making a 3 mile loop option. Between these three trails there are many other combinations of routes to take during your hike in Sweetwater Creek State Park.
Be sure to bring $5 cash for a parking pass or you can buy an annual for pass for all of the Georgia's State Parks for $50.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Sweetwater Creek White Loop Reviews
Short: Easy Hike - Beautiful in the Fall - Lots of rain makes for a different, yet fun hike - Would recommend for those in the area Full: The hike around the trail is beautiful. I had the pleasure of going in the fall so I was able to see the leaves changing, but this sadly made it so that I was not able to get myself *very* wet. I went shortly after a substantial rain which raised the water level far beyond what is normal, the result being that the creek was encroaching upon some spots on the trail. This gave the hike an aesthetic that you wouldn't normally have at the lower water level. The ruins of the Mill are cool to check out, from a short distance away, since they are fenced to keep people out (Unless on a park guided tour). The hike itself is easy, great for all ages, highly accessible under normal circumstances. (High waters could make certain points of the trail difficult for anyone with limited mobility. eg. elderly, handicapped, or small children in strollers) I look forward to returning for another day-adventure here this summer!
4.0
As you travel down the trail, there are some fairly large rocks that we skipped out onto in the creek. This was a wonderful place to just sit back and take in our surroundings. Plus, because this can be a heavily traveled path, this was a great way to separate from the crowd of people and have a moment to ourselves. I would recommend really good shoes for this because naturally the rocks can be slippery.
4.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Sweetwater Creek Red Trail
Kayak George H. Sparks Reservoir
Hike the Cascade Springs Trail
Hike along the East Palisades Trail
Hike to Noses Creek
Eastside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline
Community
Mobile Apps
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy