Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites
  ZIP SEARCH:  go  
     Sweetwater Creek State Park

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

FACILITIES AVAILABLE for February 3-5:
Picnic Shelters / Conference Room (call park for conference room reservations 770-732-5871)
(as of January 31, 2012 - updates are posted on Tuesday)
PUBLIC NOTICES:
  Access to the visitor center and park trails will be limited February 4-13. Call the Bait Shop at 770-732-5877 for more information during this time period.
  To improve forest health and biodiversity, the park will conduct timber cuts beginning in late 2011. Some trail sections will be temporarily re-routed.

Sweetwater Creek State Park is a peaceful tract of wilderness only minutes from downtown Atlanta. A wooded trail follows the 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 rapids below. Additional trails wind through fields and forest, showcasing ferns, magnolias, wild azaleas and hardwoods.  Park rangers lead informative hikes to these areas throughout the year.
 
The 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir is popular with anglers and provides a pretty setting for feeding ducks and picnicking.  Fishing supplies are available in the adjacent bait shop.  During warmer months, the park rents fishing boats, canoes and pedal boats.  Canoeists can join the Park Paddler’s Club, which challenges them to explore waterways in six state parks. An award-winning Visitor Center -- one of the most environmentally responsible buildings in the country -- features exhibits on the area’s history, wildlife displays, trail maps, snacks and a gift shop. A window-lined meeting room can be rented for small gatherings.

Park Hours: 7AM-10PM Daily
Visitor Center/Office Hours: 8AM-5PM
GeorgiaStateParks.org/SweetwaterCreek

2009 FLOOD UPDATE: All trails are open except for 2 miles of the yellow trail on the east side of the creek due to the bridge being out. Reconstruction of the bridge is planned for the future.

FACILITIES:
  • 2,549 Acres
  • 215-Acre Lake
  • Visitor Center and Gift Shop
  • Meeting Room (seats 40, $105)
  • 11 Picnic Shelters ($70)
  • Group Shelter (seats 150, $150-$205) and BBQ Pit
  • 2 Fishing Docks
  • Bait Shop (seasonal)

THINGS TO DO & SEE:






NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:

SUPPORTERS:

Become a "Friend" of Sweetwater Creek State Park

Visit our Trading Post Gift Shop!

While visiting the park, be sure stop in at our Trading Post gift shop. You'll find gifts, books, apparel, toys for children, and much more to please nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Open daily between 8AM to 5PM, located inside the Interpretive Center.
  Make a reservation . . .
  

Events
Southside Backcountry Hike
Sunday, Feb 5, 2012 1 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunJoin a park ranger and/or local historian on a rugged, mostly off-trail, strenuous hike to beautiful and rarely visited areas on the southside of the park.  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Atlanta Audubon Society Intro to Birdwatching Hike
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 8 AM to 10 AM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaThis field trip is designed for anyone interested in learning more about birds, the important habitats critical to some species, and organizations like the Audubon Society which are dedicated to bird conservation. Meet at the park's Interpretive Center. $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Handicapped Accessible Green Building Tour
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 11 AM to 12:30 PM
The Park's Visitor Center/Museum is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings anywhere. It has received the highest LEED certification (Platinum) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Learn about sustainability, green buildings and what makes this one so special.  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5876.
New Manchester History Hike
Saturdays 1 PM - 3 PM until Mar 31, 2012 
Civil War History EventGet Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunStarting February 18, this mile-long hike (easy to moderate) will lead to the five story ruins of the Civil War-era New Manchester textile mill and focus on the history of the Sweetwater Creek Valley...  $4 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Candle Light Hike to the Mill
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Saturday, Mar 24, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Saturday, Apr 28, 2012 8 PM to 10 PM
Saturday, May 19, 2012 8 PM to 10 PM
Saturday, Sep 22, 2012 8 PM to 10 PM
Saturday, Oct 20, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Saturday, Dec 15, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Civil War History EventGet Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis mile-long guided night hike is easy to moderately difficult and goes inside the Civil War era textile mill ruins of New Manchester. Candle lanterns will be provided. No children under 6 years or dogs permitted. Space is limited and is on a first-come first-serve basis...  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Chattahoochee Riverside Hike
Sunday, Feb 19, 2012 1 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis moderate three-mile hike will take us mostly alongside the Chattahoochee River inside the park. Explore beautiful and seldom-visited areas. Meet at the Interpretive Center where we will carpool 10 minutes to the trailhead. Register in advance.  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Vanishing Habitat
Sunday, Feb 19, 2012 2 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis ranger-led hike will take visitors to a seldom-seen area where a trace of the globally imperiled Mountain Longleaf Pine habitat has survived. We will discuss trees that share this habitat, plans to restore habitat, and take in some beautiful vistas from the ridgetops of this incredible area... $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Forest Management - From Fire, to Beetles, to You
Saturday, Feb 25, 2012 2 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunWhat does it take to manage a healthy forest? Join Forester Seth Weatherford as he leads this 2-mile hike on the White Trail and discusses timber management, tree diseases, insects, and the use of fire and timber thinning to benefit forest health. Meet at the Interpretive Center. $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Night Sounds Hike
Saturday, Feb 25, 2012 6 PM to 8 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis ranger-led hike will focus on being out at night and listening to owls, insects, frogs, and other "creatures of the night".  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Backcountry Geology Hike
Sunday, Feb 26, 2012 1 PM to 4 PM
Sunday, Mar 18, 2012 1 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunGeologist and Friends member John Johnston will lead a moderate three-mile hike identifying rock types and explaining how they formed. Explore the beautiful Jack's Branch area and the seldom visited rock quarry of New Manchester. Meet in the Interpretive Center.  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
"Ruins to Rapids" Full Moon Hike
Friday, Mar 9, 2012 7 PM to 9 PM
Civil War History EventGet Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis 1.5-mile hike is moderately difficult and goes inside the Civil War-era textile mill ruins of New Manchester and follows the lovely rapids (up to class IV) of Sweetwater Creek. A flashlight and sturdy shoes are required. No children under 6 or dogs. Meet inside the Visitor Center...  $6 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Late Winter Wildflower Hike
Saturday, Mar 17, 2012 2 PM to 4 PM
Saturday, Mar 24, 2012 2 PM to 4 PM
Get Outdoors GeorgiaTons of FunThis moderately strenuous, 2.5-mile hike will take us through a variety of lovely habitats to view the very earliest of our spring wildflowers, the beloved Ephemerals.  $5 plus $5 parking. 770-732-5871.
Moth Party
Friday, Mar 23, 2012 7:30 PM to 10 PM
One of the little known joys of studying natural history is setting up a blacklight and watching for moths after dark. The event will begin with a talk about identification guides, maps, graphs and other tools. Afterward, photograph moths and remain late into the evening as more moths come in... $5 parking. 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
GPS Coordinates:
N 33.753783 | W 084.639000
Do not rely on GPS units for directions to this park. Take I-20 west from Atlanta, exit #44 at Thornton Road, turn left and go 1/4 mile. Turn right on Blairs Bridge Road. After 2 miles, turn left on Mount Vernon Road and proceed to the park.
~ more details ~

 
BLUE-A-1
Sweetwater Creek State Park
1750 Mt. Vernon Road
Lithia Springs, GA 30122 View Details


  33.75674
Sweetwater Creek State Park
 
Make reservations using the options above or call 1-800-864-7275 (Monday-Friday, 8AM-8PM; Saturday-Sunday, 9AM-5PM EST).
List All Parks | Reservation Questions | Reservation Types | Activities Chart | Accessibility
Tons of Fun America's State Parks