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!

This is a super cute park. There is no playground so definitely be aware of that but it is a nice…read moreplace to chill at the lake.

We came here because we couldn't bring Floyd to Suwannee Creek Park (no dogs allowed). Although…read moreFloyd wasn't allowed here either Mayla had fun at both parks. Someone was having a birthday party. It was a nice sunny day. Lots of good climbing to be done on the jungle gym. Nicole and I alternated watching our girl while we walked Floyd. Next stop lunch.

Nice spot with large toy structures for kids to play as well as swings. 16 covered tables-great for…read moreparties. Benches throughout the play area. Bathroom is decent as long as the visitors are considerate and maintain some cleanliness.

I'm always on the hunt for a new bike trail, so I decided to head to Big Creek Park in Roswell. If…read moreyou have any favorite trails, let me know in the comments! I entered at Old Alabama Road parked at Big Creek Park and followed the signs. The trail is well-maintained, clean, and wide enough for cyclists, walkers, and runners to comfortably share the path - in most areas. One of my favorite things about this trail is that much of it is shaded, making for a really enjoyable ride. The park has massave MTB & hiking trails as well. Plus restrooms and pleanty of free parking. The trail system is larger than I expected. There are several connecting paths that was listed as color coded according to the level. I found myself taking a different route than I planned and accidentally made a few complete loops before realizing I had connected to another trail! I completed around 23 miles - easy ride. I'd consider this a great beginner-friendly trail. Most of the ride is relatively flat with only one or two moderate inclines that got me a lil winded. Otherwise, it's an easy, low-impact ride that's perfect for enjoying the scenery. Since the trail winds through neighborhoods, I saw a nice mix of families, casual riders, walkers, runners. Everyone seemed to have plenty of room to enjoy the trail. This is definitely a trail I'll be riding again. A great place for riders of all skill levels. If you're looking for a scenic, peaceful ride that's easy to access and enjoyable for the whole family, Big Creek Greenway is absolutely worth checking out.

I had the pleasure of visiting this trail that is part of the Big Creek Greenway, Cumming…read more Well-paved & maintained, this trail is suitable for people of all ages. Although it was pretty crowded on a Monday evening, the walk was very peaceful among trees with lots of shade. Great for walking your dogs, biking, jogging or simply a quiet evening walk. The creek that crosses the trail offers a refreshing break in between walks. With all the below-mentioned amenities, this is one of the best trailheads that I've been to so far in Georgia. Amenities offered: Wheelchair accessible parking & restrooms, vending machine, picnic benches, drinking water fountain, pet waste stations, park benches, free parking lot

I pay $120 annually (out of county fee) to play pickleball and use the weight room. Fantastic deal!read more

Fowler Park is a public space including a recreation center, sports fields, courts, two playgrounds…read moreand a skate park. Highlightsof the park are having neat public restroom, dogs are allowed and nice picnic tables. Park Amenities include 12 Tennis Courts, 5 Turf Multi-Use Rectangle Fields, 5 Picnic Pavilions, 4 Youth Baseball/Softball Fields, 3 Outdoor Basketball Courts, 2 Playgrounds, Batting Cages, Big Creek Greenway access, Braille Trail, Dog Park, Paved Walking Trail approximately 1.5 miles, Skate Park, Track and Field Area. Recreation Center Amenities include 2 Indoor Basketball Courts, Cardio-Weight Room, Indoor Walking Track, Dance Classroom, Fitness Classroom, Community Room, Multipurpose Classroom, Showers and Restrooms. One of the trails leads to Halcyon, which takes over an hour if walking at a fast pace. This park has tons of amenities, but the real hidden gem is the free run club every Tuesday at 7PM by the track. There is a nice skate and bike park there as well. Got to see several deer along the trail as well. I like how much nature this park has, many deers roam in the park. Dog must be leashed as there is wildlife present. Multiple picnic areas that varies in size. Four picnic pavilions that can be reserved, ample free parking but there is no shade on slides and swings. Play ground for kids and lots of space for different age groups to meet and do some fun activities. Well worth a visit any time of the year. If you are out this way definitely check it out.

Closest thing to a beach. The kids love it. Want to go back…read moresoon Jsjjsjsjsisksnsksiisjsisjsj

August 16, 2020…read more There is a 5$ fee to get in. This is our third park on Lake Lanier. Perhaps due to recent showers but I thought the water clarity was superior here compared to War Hill or Shoal Creek. You could see schools of fish sized 2-3 inches in length right there with you on the shore. The fish are used to being fed which is why they don't venture far from shore. The beach front is large and there is plenty of parking too. I liked that the park had trash cans right where you park. Good thinking. The water was in the low 80s and very refreshing. I went for a half mile swim by the buoys and played for a couple of hours with our little one in the water. The beach does have a few rocks at the shoreline and if you don't have water shoes you might stub your toe. Just tread carefully. So far this was a winner but there are other parks we have yet to explore.

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

What would you pay to get up close and personal with a concrete and earthen structure, well five…read morebucks per vehicle may seem reasonable, this ticket also gets you toilet privileges, bbq grills, and a picnic pavilion and some other intangibles. Dams are structures built to primarily obstruct the flow of water usually built across a stream or river constructed by man or beavers, yes there are many type of dams and in some cases provide a life-sustaining resource to people although some seem to obstruct the life of some - it's been rumored that salmon hate dams as do those that work to promote to protect the swimming right of fish. I guess one would have to weigh the pros and cons to pick a side being millions of each species are affected since humans eat fish the fish usually lose. Dams are an extremely important part of this nation's infrastructure--equal in importance to bridges, roads, airports, and other major elements of the infrastructure. They can serve several functions at once, including water supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and community use; flood control; recreation; and clean, renewable energy through hydropower. It's nice to know this dam has a revenue stream beside my five buck so the return on the investment is shortened. I came here at the right time on the right day - the generating stations were operating so the lower river was filled and the water was racing to its next destination so probably not the best time to float on a tube or kayak. I was somewhat surprised or maybe amused to see signage on the bank of this river that's designates the shoreline as a life-preserver zone, thankfully the government is providing this knowledge or we might have some people from the gene-pool wondering in to this massive deadly volume of rapidly flowing water, it seems the wildlife in the area understands the danger without barriers or communications. I wish I could of gotten closer to the structure so I could see the water boil from beneath the discharge of the generators but I was happy to see they do have a walk bridge a little downstream of the dam that allows you to cross over and experience the power of the release up close without a life preserver and only requires a little common sense sometimes a "danger sign" isn't needed for the obvious threat. I'm a fan of dams and understand I'm screwed if the dam burst during my visit even though I am parked in a designated paved parking lot far below the water level on the other side of this massive structure even though there is no signage inform me of this fact...

This is excellent training trail for hikers. For some reason, I always feel fatigue on this trail,…read moremaybe because of gravel road surface or more uneven elevation changes.

Love the hike here to the Indian Seats! There is a full 3.5 mile loop, but to get to the Indian…read moreseats it's just a quick 1.5 miles. Such a beautiful but short little hike up, and the trail itself is very wide and accommodating to a lot of foot traffic. It does get a bit busy on weekends, but still worth it! The only downside is that because it is preserved, dogs are not permitted and could lead to a fine. Definitely friendly for littles and families, but you should obviously be cautious as you get to the top by the rocks and seats. There is also a nice fenced deck/pavilion that you can hangout on and enjoy a break during your hike.

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

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

The park itself is great. There is a bike trail, and there are multiple good kid parts. It is very…read moredog friendly. You should like, totally go there. It is totes adorbs. Highly recommend. Bobby Yoe, OUT.

I love this newer park. It has a great hiking/biking trail that is somewhat challenging. Lots of…read moretrees and plenty of shade. I have seen a wide variety of birds and other wildlife here. It can go from empty to very busy in under an hour. Please get some recycling going at this park. There's a lot of plastic and garbage out on the backside of the trail. This park is a place that should be highly recommended in my opinion. It also has some unique play structures for little kids.