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     Sweetwater Creek State Park

Reservations (800) 864-7275
Park (770) 732-5871

Sweetwater Creek is a peaceful tract of wilderness only minutes from bustling downtown Atlanta. The most popular trail (red) follows the free-flowing stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. Beyond the mill, the trail climbs rocky bluffs to provide views of the beautiful mile-long stretch of white-water rapids below. The 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir is popular with anglers and provides a pretty setting for feeding ducks and canoeing. Fishing supplies are available in the park's bait shop, while wildlife and history displays, trail maps, snacks and gift items may be found in the Visitor Center -- the most environmentally responsible building in Georgia (LEED-NC PLATINUM).

Park Hours: 7AM-10PM
Office Hours: 8AM-5PM
Trails close at dark; other areas close at dark if not in use.

FACILITIES:
  • 2,549 Acres
  • 215-Acre Lake
  • Visitor Center and Gift Shop
  • Conference Room (seats 40, $100)
  • 11 Picnic Shelters ($60)
  • Group Shelter and BBQ Pit (seats 150, $115-$175)
  • 2 Fishing Docks
  • Playgrounds

    ACTIVITIES:
  • Hiking - 9 miles of trails
  • Lake and stream fishing-electric motors only ($2 boat ramp fee)
  • Canoe (seasonal) and Fishing Boat Rental
  • Picnicking
  • Ranger Programs

    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:
  • Carrollton, Georgia
  • Georgia's Treasures Along I-20
  • Sandy Springs, Georgia
  • John Tanner State Park (camping)
  • Pickett's Mill Battlefield State Historic Site
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Historic Douglasville, Georgia
  • Six Flags Over Georgia Theme Park

    Become a "Friend" of Sweetwater Creek State Park

    		•
      Make a reservation . . .
    		  

    Events
    Get Outdoors Georgia New Manchester History Hike
    Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 10 AM - 12 PM
    Saturday, Sep 13, 2008 10 AM - 12 PM
    Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 10 AM - 12 PM
    Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 10 AM - 12 PM
    This mile-long hike (easy to moderate) will lead us to the ruins of the Civil War-era New Manchester textile mill and focus on the history of the Sweetwater Creek valley...  $1-$2 plus $3 parking. 770-732-5871.
    Get Outdoors Georgia "Ruins to Rapids" Full Moon Hike
    Monday, Sep 15, 2008 8 PM - 10 PM
    This 1.5-mile guided hike is moderately difficult and visits the Civil War-era textile mill ruins of New Manchester and follows the lovely rapids (up to class IV) of Sweetwater Creek. The hike will continue if it is overcast but will be cancelled if raining. Bring a flashlight and sturdy shoes...  $1-$2 plus $3 parking. 770-732-5876.
    Get Outdoors Georgia New Manchester Days Festival
    Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 9 AM - 5 PM
    Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 9 AM - 5 PM
    Commemorate life in New Manchester, a Civil War-era mill community, with history tours of the ruins alongside the beautiful rapids of Sweetwater Creek. There will be Civil War reenactors, artifact displays and living history presentations, as well as an arts and crafts show with food for sale. $3 parking. (770) 732-5871.
    Get Outdoors Georgia Geology Hike
    Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 1 PM - 3 PM
    Geologist John Johnston will lead a moderate 2-mile hike identifying rocks and explaining how and when they formed. He will also explain the tectonic events that forced the rock units to be faulted and folded. There will be a short visit inside the ruins of the Civil War-era New Manchester Mill.  $1-$2 plus $3 parking. 770-732-5871.
    Green Building Tour
    Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 2 PM - 3:30 PM
    Handicapped AccessibleThe park's visitor center is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings anywhere. It is one of only 21 in the world to receive the highest LEED certification (Platinum) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Learn about sustainability, green buildings and what makes this one so special.  $1-$2 plus $3 parking. 770-732-5876.
    Get Outdoors Georgia Fall Festival
    Saturday & Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM  Oct 18, 2008 until Oct 19, 2008 
    Handicapped AccessibleJoin us for a day of arts, crafts, food and fun by the shores of the lake, as well as guided history hikes to the old mill alongside the rapids. $3 parking. 770-732-5871.
    Get Outdoors Georgia Rivers Alive Cleanup
    Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 9 AM - 1 PM
    Join us for Rivers Alive, Georgia's Annual Volunteer Waterway Cleanup, as we clean the banks and trails of beautiful Sweetwater Creek. 770-732-5871.

      Address/Directions
    Sweetwater Creek State Park
    1750 Mt. Vernon Road
    Lithia Springs , GA 30122

    Mailing Address
    P. O. Box 816
    Lithia Springs, GA 30122

     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.

    		 
     
    Make reservations using the options above or call 1-800-864-7275 (Monday-Friday, 8AM-8PM; Saturday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM EST).
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