12/11/07

Holy steepness on the yellow trail!!!

by mikepond

My wife and I try to go hiking at least a couple of times a month and used one of our vacation days to explore the Sweetwater State Park yesterday. We checked a book out of the library entitled "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Atlanta" and have used it as a guide. The book recommends doing a double loop at Sweetwater and we decided that we would start off with the yellow loop and continue down the red to the white loop to complete the circuit. We got over the plan for the double loop after dragging ourselves up and down the steep hills of the yellow loop. I would definitely recommend trying it out, but make sure you realize that you're going to be winded and probably worn out enough that the three mile loop will satisfy your hiking needs for the day. The trail starts off easy enough with a jaunt through the woods, but shortly after crossing the river you begin a quick, steep ascent up the ridge beside the river and when you think you've gotten to the top you come around a curve and realize there is another steep ascent. This happens at least three or four times and it does get a little disconcerting....and you may be thinking that you could start the loop from the opposite direction and avoid the climb, but its just as steep that way if not even worse.

Of course, please do not take my word on it....go try it yourself!! You may find that it really is the challenging type of hike that you're looking for and love every second of it. My wife and I will be going out to the park again sometime hopefully sooner than later to check out the red, blue, and white trails, but I think I'll save the yellow for a while until I'm psyched up for the climb again.

• Pros: Path was clearly marked and in fact leaves had been blown from the path; quiet
• Cons: Steep grades that may be too tough for some people

06/08/06

Historic haven for outdoorsmen just beyond Six Flags' hazy suburban domain.

by Contributor

The Scene
Drive 15 miles west from downtown, shrug off Douglasville's glancing blow and a serene lake welcomes you to 2,000 acres of thick woods and tumbling Sweetwater Creek. Ideal for a half-day escape close to town, this hilly swatch of wilderness favors hikers and anglers--save the frisbee and football for Piedmont Park. With genuine Civil War ruins and teeming wildlife, Sweetwater is a quiet alternative to Stone Mountain or the Chattahoochee River.

The Draw
Four loop trails offer nine miles of hiking. The Red Trail, the easiest one, is a one-mile jaunt that visits a 19th-century textile mill and an overlook of the creek's rapids. After that, the two-mile Blue Trail completes an easy stroll back to your car, while the three-mile White Trail continues on for a more challenging, scenic loop. Want a workout? Try the steep, three-mile Yellow Trail on the other side of the creek.