Was staying in the area for a few days. But didn't have use of our car. Husband had to take it for…read morework. It was a beautiful day and appeared to be safe area so i set off to take a walk. My phone direction indicated a different way but i saw stairs near the coutyard Marriott. It was paved trail by a stream. Lovely walk.

In my opinion as someone who travels all around the southern United States to visit hiking trails &…read morewaterfalls, Ivy Creek Greenway is a lovely local opportunity to get out into nature without driving a great distance. FIRST, the trail is peaceful. On most of my visits there have been a minimal amount of walkers, riders, and/or hikers on the trail. It's a great place to walk by yourself, with a friend or even as a family. SECOND, the trail offers multiple experiences. The section that starts beneath the southbound exit on I-85 traveling west towards the Gwinnett Heritage Center is fully paved. But from the same point traveling east is a wooded hiking trail with dirt/gravel paths. Along this eastern section are also many spur trails leading into the large marsh area sandwiched between Mall of Georgia Blvd & I-85. THIRD, while it is very close to civilization it feels like its own world. I love that you can get away right in the heart of a populated area and feel very much like you've been on an adventure. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] There are several access points, but we chose to park at the Mill Creek Nature Center on the backside of the Mall between Bird Watcher Supply Company & Wendy's. There is only space for about 10 cars in the little gravel parking area, but don't worry. If it is full there is plenty of paved parking available just across the Boulevard. Once parked you walk out to the sidewalk parallel to the street for a short distance until you come upon a set of wooden stairs leading down to the trail. When you reach the main trail you can go left where the trail will lead you 1 mile to Gravel Springs Road or go right towards Hwy 20. We decided to go right, but along the way discovered a wooden foot bridge leading through the swamp. This is not actually on the official trail map and will add approx. 1.25 miles to your hike. *WARNING - it can be a bit confusing to follow because it breaks off into so many side trails, but if you are capable of remembering the way you came, it won't be a problem. The marsh trail contains MANY old wooden footbridges to keep your feet dry as well as a watch tower that overlooks a wide open area of the marsh. I would imagine this would be a fun area for young ones to pretend they were trespassing on SHREKS land. Along the way there are also several markers indicating different species of trees, plants & wildlife from opossums to birds. Great educational tool for both young and older children. Near the lookout tower is a loop trail we did not follow. Instead, we returned the same way we came to the main trail. *** NOTE: We ventured across a HUGE snapping turtle on the main trail. It looked like a boulder at first. While snapping turtles can't run fast, their bite is lightening quick and their neck are longer than you think. DO NOT try to handle them. Continuing West we soon passed below the exit loop of I-85. Just before this point you will encounter a spur trail leading to the parking lot behind Mattress Firm, which also serves as another trail access point. Next you will cross under Hwy 20 before coming to an old concrete bridge leading across Ivy Creek. To your right is yet another parking area and access point, but I would advise you to only use this one if you have a high clearance vehicle. Ruts in the gravel have made it rather rough for low clearance cars. It's also tricky to get here since you'd have to cross into the parking area about where the southbound ramp is merging with Hwy 20. Once across the concrete bridge the waterfall is only a little over 200 feet away. If the water flow is good, you should easily hear it! It's not a natural waterfall, but the remains of historic Woodward Grist Mill. The metal wheel is still on site. The banks of the creek are sandy, making it a great spot to hang out a while with the kids or a date! Continuing west you will pass The Preserve @ Mill Creek Apartments. Near their picnic deck is another sandy area for relaxing right where the creek cascades for about 100 feet. Beyond that is a wooden boardwalk leading to a split. Either go towards the Gwinnett Environmental Center (right) or continue on Ivy Creek Trail (left). We walked the trail left all the way to the suspension bridge and then returned the way we came. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Overall we clocked about 5.25 miles from the Mill Creek Nature Center parking area to the suspension bridge and back with a tour of the swamp trail to the lookout tower. It is a very easy trail, but does get a little hilly as you get closer to the suspension bridge. Overall it took us a leisurely 1.5 hours on a GORGEOUS 80 degree Sunday afternoon with perfect breezes. I know what some of the other reviews say, but I can't see how anyone wouldn't enjoy spending a little time on this trail. Afterwards we ate @ nearby Burger 21, home to one of my favorite burgers (The OMG) and one of the ONLY black bean burgers my particular wife enjoys. HAVE FUN! 2022 / 62

Excellent park. My son plays rec soccer here and the fact they have lights allows for practices to…read morebe held at night. The park is clean and there are several soccer fields to play and practice on. The covered playground is also a plus. I give Gary Pirkle Park a much deserved 5 stars!

Love this park for nature walks. It's peaceful. Lots of parking options and pretty creek views.read more

10/10!!!! GORGEOUS morning hike. Nicely maintained trail. AMAZING views. Well worth the drive.read more

Clean with plenty of parking. Trails and views. Great for a family outing. Grills. Pet friendly.read more

A hidden gem in Cumming right by the lake! A friend of mine told me about this park a few years…read moreago, and it's become a favorite of mine to visit, especially in the Fall! Heads up, you will feel like you're driving into a neighborhood but rest assured, you're in the right spot! It leads you right to the entrance, and there is tons of parking available. There's a trailhead sign as well which is helpful. Gorgeous views of the lake on every side of the park, with plenty of trails in and around the park. Every time I visit, it's always very quiet and serene, and there's a little beach/island that is all dried out now that you can go walk out on which is cool. Anytime I need to destress, a walk around here instantly does the trick!

Here are some new pictures of the park. There the coolest tree bench (as I call it) for pictures…read more It's so relaxing and good to be in nature. I love that the paths are not concrete. They are natural forest floor. Can't wait to come back.

Lovely paved trails…read more The BLK Hiking Club started their 2024 hiking season at this park. It was my first hike in GA in over a decade. The Hog Mountain entrance has plenty of parking (our group was over 120 people). The bathrooms are adjacent to the parking lot and were clean and stocked. The water was cold but the hand dryers have warm air so your hands will warm right up on cold days. The map by the parking lot and bathrooms shows the routes of various lengths. The trails are paved and easy to navigate with only slight elevations on the 2 mile trail. Our group of over 120 people had plenty of space and room on the trail (walking 2 by 2). Along the trail there are benches and picnic areas. Overall, this is a beautiful, serene hike that is great for groups. I highly recommend it.

Larger park that in a natural environment, offers playgrounds, paved trails, lakes and picnics…read moreareas. Ample parking. Very pretty and serene setting.

A hidden staycation opportunity that flies under the radar. Known for their boating and lake…read moreactivities but the other side offers a relaxed environment. Lodge/hotel lodging with spacious rooms with the treat of a Keurig in each room. A truly heated pool with poolside service or indoor or patio eating. Onsite restaurant with outdoor lake views offering buffet breakfast and menu dinners. A coffee nook offering fresh coffee/lattes along with patries. The topper is an onsite spa. Plenty of options on the property with golf, pickle ball, game room and water park.

I'm very surprised Lake Lanier has so few reviews. After all, it was one of the water sport venues…read moreof the 1996 Olympics, one of the most popular summertime destinations in the state. Most any warm season holiday is celebrated at Lake Lanier making it a popular place for vacation rental homes. Here you can go boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, golfing, as well as experience a fabulous fireworks show in the summer or Christmas lights and snow sleds in the winter. There is a spa, a beach, a waterpark, a luxury resort and good times @ Margaritaville. You can rent jet skis, go horseback riding, charter a fishing boat, rent a house boat, go camping or take a hot air balloon ride nearby. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and named for Confederate Army poet Sidney Lanier. Its primary purpose was for flood control and water supplies and has a water volume of about 1,049,400 acre-ft. The narrative will tell you its construction destroyed more than 50,000 acres of farmland and displaced more than 250 families, 15 businesses, and relocated 20 cemeteries along with their corpses in the process. But I want to pause here and dive a little deeper under the surface of its waters and introduce you to: [ OSCARVILLE, GEORGIA ] "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." ― Oscar Wilde Lake Lanier is partially located in Forsyth county. It is a county that prided itself on not having black residence so much that Oprah came to film an episode of her Emmy Award-winning talk show here in 1987 (trigger warning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErjPmFulQ0 The show makes mention that "no black person had lived in the county for 75 years", which was a direct reference to a predominantly African-American community known as Oscarville. It was home to 1,100 black people prior to a racial conflict in 1912 which was so brutally violent that it caused blacks to flee the county... even those who were landowners. "According to Elliot Jaspin, a historian and journalist quoted by the Digital Library of Georgia and the New Georgia Encyclopedia, only about 24 of the nearly 40 Black landowners in Forsyth County at the time were able to sell their land. The other properties have no record of sale, and some believe the abandoned land was simply taken by White residents." - The Times Oscarville began as a small farming town around 1870, but after so many fled the county in 1912, it was practically a ghost town. Those still claiming ownership of their land either had it seized or were "asked" to to forfeit their land to build the Buford Dam by Newport Dam Development according to an article published on April 6, 2021 by The Signal. Prior to the violence, Oscarville was actually known for its agricultural prowess in fighting off the boll weevil infestation that hindered many farm crops and enriching the soil with chicken feces. A technique that has been duplicated to this day to revive poor farming/gardening soil. "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." ― Aldous Huxley [ MUST WATCH ] Link to Oscarville | The Town Submerged by Lake Lanier (Intrigued Mind): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifMKfBO_R6s [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Lake Lanier is a beautiful lake and a rich resource for Atlanta. It provides approx. 70% of the drinking water for Metro Atlanta as well as power, recreation and businesses. But there is more than what meets the eye as you look across its glistening surface. An entire town is buried by its waters and has been nearly forgotten, and the hard truth is this is not an isolated story. There are several other towns across the country who suffered the same fate. They include: Kowaliga (Benson), Alabama Seneca Village In New York City Susannah, Alabama and Vanport, Oregon The story of Lake Lanier and Oscarville will be featured in an upcoming TV series called Oscarville - Below the Surface. Here is the link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVux8Y96cok Thanks for reading. 2022 / 59 #BlackHistorySeries

What a great place for a day outing or a week long stay on the clear waters of Lake Lanier…read more Facilities are what you expect from a Georgia State Park ..... excellent! Proximity to some of the islands makes it a great place to kayak from without to much worry from boats and jet skis. Although our time spent here is during the week I imagine the lake can be somewhat hazardous on weekends with boats everywhere. Regardless it is a great spot to spend time in the warm waters and just relax. One of our favorite Georgia spots.

As a desperation to get out, we decided to learn a new hobby - fishing. We specifically went to Van…read morePugh North Park. Park is nearby a couple of bait shops if needed and had plenty of boat ramps for use. No fees till October due to COVID. We've been fishing at various spots prior to Van Pugh. Finally lucked out when we were able to catch a couple of catfish and bass as big as my forearms. Tables and grill placements were spaced far away from each other as well. There is a beach area that's closed off, but the right side is open. Groups were respectful and kept their distance. Restroom were clean and park overall was well-kept. Great spot for fishing, camping, and playing in the water.

After a hearty breakfast from across the street at Flavor Rich Restaurant, we stopped by this park…read moreto checkout the frisbee throw route, which is amazing. Since my husband cannot walk far, we took a short hike through one of the shorter hiking trails, a view of the river below was inviting, but we were not dressed for hiking further down. Many families were in the park, plenty parking spots, viewing deck, trails, river. We saw runners, hikers, families picnicking A nice place to check out

Meh. It's not better than the Alpharetta Greenway and I was hoping it would be. Absolutely hated…read morethat you had to walk past an insanely busy road to continue the trail. The trail was paved and there was some boardwalk paths and we found 1 very short nature trail (unpaved). If youre in the area, then this is okay to get some steps in but definitely don't make a special trip out here.

This is the most amazing place to assist in meeting your fitness goals…read more I love all the beautiful walking trails and the views of nature all around. Very calm and peaceful environment. On Saturday mornings you can catch the kids baseball games one team after another. So much fun to watch them play.

Really nice!! I came upon this park actually by pure accident. I thought I was going to Gregory…read morePirkle Park and ummm why do these two have to sound so alike? Haha, so anyway that's how I went way outta my way and ended up with a great walking spot for my pup and me. It's nicely paved and has lots of different ways you can go. I love all the trees and can't wait to see it in Soring! I love how quiet it is and it would make a great running course too! No traffic, exhaust, and it wasn't crowded at all. I love the tranquility and beauty of being in nature. Our new puppy needs lots of walking and this truly is a fantastic place for a walk, a run, time with friends or even solo for some good reflection. Definitely not to be missed if you're in the area!

What a lovely venue for children and families! I can't believe it's free. We are from out of town…read moreand have been here a couple times now, it's great to come here on rainy and sunny days. The Steam Lab and H20 rooms for my toddler and baby make this a great place to have a play date in Buford, especially on a Thursday when they are open until 7 pm (other days it's 4 pm). I didn't take pictures because of other children around, but whether your kids have high sensory needs like mine or you just want the option for indoor or outdoor play this was great for the kids to get to run around outside too. Will definitely be back, wish this was in my area!

Such a cool place that you can easily spend all day, multiple days a week at. There's a kid…read morefriendly play STEM area, a little museum, plenty of animals to see in doors and out. Plus there's walking trails.