Amazing place to take kids to play in sprinklers and experience nature. Lots of frogs and horses…read more always passing by.

This is one of our favorite places to hike with the dogs. There are paved trails, and natural…read moretrails that are pretty well marked now. There are lots of amenities for a smaller county park...tent camping, RV camping, fishing lake, splash park...the folks who work there are friendly. What's not to love??!?

We came here mid-morning on a Sunday for a hike. We stopped at the ranger station / gift shop to…read morepay the $5 parking fee. We then proceeded to the end of the road and parked at the lot next to the river. We did the hike along the river. The trail map says it is over 5 miles, but we just wanted to do around 3 total. We passed a couple of markers for 0.5 and 1 miles and hoped to find the 1.5 mile marker as our turn-around spot, but we never saw it. I suspect we were approaching 2 miles when we turned around. The trail was pretty, especially with the fall leaves. We only encountered maybe 4 other hiking groups during our walk. If you are in the area, this is a pleasant area for hiking.

Had a great November day hiking the Riverside Trail end-to-end-to-end (11 miles). Met only 2…read morehikers the whole time. Saw squirrels, armadillos, and white-tail deer. With all of the freshly-fallen leaves, at times the trail was discernable only by rectangular markers on trees. In a few places there were ribbons tied around trees in a way that would lead you off the trail if you followed them. I had fun imagining that the Blair Witch put them there.

Pro: If you're looking for a scenic hike near Atlanta, I highly recommend Sweetwater Creek State…read morePark. The park offers a perfect blend of nature, history, and adventure. The trails wind alongside beautiful rushing rapids, through shaded forests, and lead to the fascinating ruins of the historic New Manchester Mill, which dates back to the Civil War era. citeturn0search0turn0search2 The Red Trail is especially popular and provides stunning creek views with a relatively easy-to-moderate hike, while longer trails offer more of a challenge for experienced hikers. The sound of the water, rocky landscapes, and peaceful surroundings make it easy to forget you're only minutes from Atlanta. excellent destination for a day of hiking, picnicking, and making memories with friends. Con: Parking fees are $10 (gone are the $5 day) Also, the way you pay is...via link and it can be tricky & time consuming. You can go park anywhere in the park once you pay...you don't have to pay 2nd time.

Today's hike at Sweetwater exceeded my expectations in every way! The weather was giving spring…read morevibes and the people were out for it ! Initially we parked in the wrong lot but that worked in our favor (where the bait and tackle shop is). There were lots of families out having picnics and fishing. We did a 1-mile loop in the area and were able to see the yurts. NOTED . Beautiful sites to take in before we ventured to the main lots with the visitor's center. Not only are the trails well marked, but there is ample parking across multiple lots. The attendant at the gate entrance was so kind, welcoming and JOYful! We ventured out on the red trail and it was gorgeous. To my surprise, the trail was full today. It seems that Sweetwater is a populated date spot!!! We saw folks of all ages out with picnic baskets, journals, coloring books, bathing suits ... it was AMAZING! We hiked to the end of the red trail and back, venturing off trail to be clear to the River only once. By far, this was one of my favorite hikes and definitely a place I'll revisit to explore some of the other trails.

Do you want to see a red barn and a waterfall with hardly any hike? Very picture friendly and easy…read more Come to Starr's Mill Park, located in Fayetteville, right off the street. You cannot miss it. However, you may miss the road or entrance to view. It's going downwards to get to one side, but the other side is another road that you will easily miss! I had to ask someone. Free. Small parking space. I actually see two barns. I didn't go inside. I saw several photographers there doing their job and didn't want to interrupt them. I came and took photos and am satisfied overall!! 95/2020

Nice stop as we were tooling through the area. Very cool old mill and waterfall. Worth the quick…read morestop.

Woo Hoo! Great neighborhood park. Swings, slides, climbing…read morethings, working water fountain and nice benches. Usually shady.

It's a tiny park right near where you start to leave Morningside and are on your way to Emory…read more Today the MLPA sponsored Carter Rude (some guy who plays folk musicesque tunes) for a free concert. A nice walk, free, perfect temp, no bugs and well behaved kiddies (that weren't even mine!); not sure I can ask for more...

Alright y'all. Buckle right in because I'm about to address every good and bad thing these…read moreprevious reviews have said. I, like you, read the reviews and was a tad concerned about level sites, rude staff, long term residents etc. However I took a gamble on the good reviews and I'm so glad I did! We can start with the basics. Upon arrival we were met with a gate that needed a code. I didn't have it and when I called the office I got a busy signal. After a few minutes a lady walks up and tells us she works there. She will gladly give us the code if we can confirm we were booked. I show her my email and she puts in the code for us. I don't know her name but would like to give her props for being secure AND providing us the gate code. We pull up to check in. Holy smokes we were greeted by an absolute ray of sunshine who covered everything so very thoroughly. Amanda J. was exactly the right way to kick off our stay there. Again she was so very thorough from how to get to our site, to activities, to local attractions. I mean seriously she is the top notch person to have greeting incoming guests! We ended up talking to her every day of our visit and she only got more amazing! Big shout out to Amanda J for rocking the customer service game! She even saw us off, which really made me feel welcome even in saying goodbye. We get to our site (15 to be precise) and require minimal leveling. Granted we only have a 30 ft TT. We did have to circle around the inside loop to get to our loop and the turn in was a tad tricky but we are absolute rookies and made the turn just fine. *NOTE HERE there are quite a few sites that look like they're tricky for big rigs* Space? I mean we didn't have a mountain between us and our neighbors but we had room to spread out and we didn't hear any noise from them. Which brings me to my next topic- long term residence. My one neighbor was long term. I saw him once. His site was barren. I met several employees that lived on site AND visited their sites. The only evidence I saw of a "permanent" resident was one who had his own lawnmower. But really, how can you hate on the resident who takes pride in his lawn?!?! About the train noise- I was there for 8 nights and I may have heard the train 3 times. None of those were in the middle of the night. The amenities are awesome, especially for younger kids. Katlyn is a freaking rock star in making sure the kids are having fun and getting equal turns. She was so refreshing to see her looking out for the kids and being fair. Melanie is also pretty great if you're looking for tye-dye inspiration. Honorable mention to Patrick who kills it directing the pool games and is also someone who will give you a great conversation if you talk to him. SUPER honorable mention to Jennifer the Tampa Bay fan. She is very knowledgeable and kind. I've read reviews about a manager who was very stand-offish and I'm going to go on record to say that whoever that guy was is gone. I only met Robin (the current GM) in passing but nothing about her said poor customer service. She was a business woman, but as a business woman myself I recognized the strength behind the people I saw face to face. This campground also served as an amazing base camp for us to take day trips to Atlanta. Is the price tag high? Probably if you are used to state parks. If you take advantage of all the activities then no, it actually isn't that high considering what you get. Should big rigs be concerned? Maybe, but I'm willing to bet if you take the time to call the office you will find someone who will help you find the perfect site. I'm honestly overwhelmed with my experience there and am trying so hard not to leave anything out. Golf cart rentals are pricy but they are Cadillacs of the golf cart world. My kids pretty much lived in the Gaga Pit over everything. But now I've got to bring it home, and I hope you are all still with me. I saved the best for last. While this experience was amazing I have to say that there was one employee who solidified this experience. He was not only an absolute gem to me but was even more so to my children. He was always there leading the way for fun, making conversation and just having an above and beyond attitude that I've never seen in my 20 years of customer service. Just seeing his smile put a smile on our faces. I'm talking about the absolute gem you have in Lil Karl. I hope you realize that you won the lottery in customer service with him. He was the icing on the cake of our amazing visit. We can't wait to get back. See you soon, Jellystone!

My first impression of Yogi Bear Campground was unfortunately not a positive one. I chose to visit…read morebecause it was close to a facility where my dad was staying, and I wanted to give my kids a fun day out while we were in town. When we arrived, the campground appeared very quiet and not busy at all. Since it was our first visit, I was trying to learn more about the park and what activities were available. However, the front desk employee seemed dismissive when I asked questions. Rather than providing information about the campground and its amenities, I was directed to scan a QR code and search online myself. I also asked about swimming and was told that the pool was not open to the public. This confused me because when I checked the website, I found information stating that day passes are available Sunday through Thursday, and that Friday and Saturday access may be available upon request. I visited on a Friday, and the campground appeared nearly empty, so I was disappointed that no additional explanation or accommodation was offered. Customer service plays a big role in first impressions, especially for potential visitors who are unfamiliar with the campground. I was hoping for a more welcoming experience and more information about what Yogi Bear Campground has to offer. Unfortunately, my first visit left me feeling discouraged rather than excited about returning.

January 23, 2021…read more McIntosh Reserve is about an hour outside of Atlanta in Carroll County, Georgia. It is a a 527 are park home to some rich history and popular amongst equestrians, nature hiking, and boarders the Chattahoochee River and definitely a spot to cool off in the summer. The park has a good website: http://www.carrollcountyga.com/293/McIntosh-Reserve-Park I would take a peek at the events calendar. Would be nice to see some music festivals here. The River ran swiftly while we were visiting, and there is plenty of space to picnic or grill on the premises with park benches and covered seating under a nice pavilion. The park happened to host the Jerome Scales 10k race held by the Atlanta Track Club on this day, which is why we were here. (Otherwise I might never have know about it.) We had a parking pass and entered the park, and were directed to park on a wide field. Went down to register and obtain our bibs at around 7:30am on a chilly morning. Thankfully we had a cloudless sky and the promise of a a sunny morning. The races began at 8am with 20 socially distanced athletes wearing masks setting off every 5 minutes. My time slot was 8:20 and Nicole was at 9:05 which was perfect because we could both race! The course was completed in 2.5 loops with 50% grass, 33% hard pack gravel, and 17% roads with a good hill. I was happy to come in 3rd overall. Nicole ran a slightly less competitive time but had fun too. History: The Reserve is named for William McIntosh, Jr., a prominent Creek Indian leader and planter. The plantation was known as Lochau Talofau, which in English means "Acorn Bluff". It is adjacent to Acorn Creek. McIntosh lived in a modest home, a two-story log house with a central, open "dog run" passage on both floors. The house doubled as an inn for travelers. A reconstructed house is open to park visitors today. In 1825, McIntosh signed the second Treaty of Indian Springs. The treaty essentially sold all Creek lands in Georgia and Alabama to the United States government; McIntosh was allowed to keep his plantation in exchange for signing the treaty. The treaty had been opposed by the Creek National Council and it violated the Law, the Code of 1818. The Council ordered the execution of McIntosh and other signatories for having committed a capital offense against the government by ceding communal lands, and he was executed at his home in 1825. McIntosh's single-plot, military grave may be found just across the road from the reconstructed house. Carroll County acquired Lochau Talofau in 1978; the plantation now lies within McIntosh Reserve boundaries.[1] McIntosh Reserve Park was closed for several months in 2009 and 2010, following the September 2009 flooding on the Chattahoochee River. The park was scheduled to reopen for Memorial Day weekend, 2010. Looking forward to our next visit.

Some of the history items are cool to see. Lots of ant hills when we visited and I stepped in one…read morewithout realizing it, so I was bit a lot on my ankle. Bathrooms could be cleaner.

This may be one of the oddest bridge location I've ever run across. You will find it along a garden…read morewalking path crossing a small gully with a stream no wider than 1 foot. The path is behind a church with multiple buildings that make it feel a lot like a 19th Century religious compound (not implying that it is). Prior to coming here I actually thought this was one of the last remaining historic bridges in the state of Georgia, but it turns out it was built in the 90's. The path allows you to wander through a variety of memorial trees and vegetation that I can only assume were planted in memory of church member loved ones. Most everything has a small plaque with the name of the person whom it was planted for (or by). The bridge itself is a real beauty and is said to have made use of 100 year old timbers from another old 1800's bridge that was once nearby. It certainly is one of the most handsome covered bridges in the state, even if it isn't a historic one. Location: Shiloh United Methodist Church Built: 1994 Length: 42 feet Crosses over: essentially what would be considered a drainage ditch. FINAL THOUGHTS You don't actually have to park in the church parking lot and walk the trail to see this bridge. Turn South on Davenport Mill Road and the bridge is less than 100 feet from the road and easily visible. My Georgia covered bridge list is nearly complete. I've provided a list below of all the covered bridges I've visited so far in the state from the furthest north to the deepest south. I've also included the year they were built: Stovall Mill ~ 1895 [furthest north] Blind Susie ~ 1915 [shortest] Poole's Mill ~ 1906 Cromer's Mill ~ 1906 Mashburn Estate ~ 1958 [private - no access to the public] Hurricane Shoals ~ 1882/2002 Euharlee ~ 1886 Roswell Vickery Creek ~ 2004 Watson Mill ~ 1885 [longest] Howard's Mill ~ 1905 Concord/Nickajack ~ 1872 Stone Mountain/Effie's ~ 1891 Elder's Mill ~ 1897 Shiloh Trail ~ 1994 [furthest west] Haralson Mill ~ 1997 Old Town Morrow ~ 2008 [newest] Big Red Oak Creek ~ 1840 [oldest] Calloway Gardens ~ 1870 Auchumpkee ~ 1892/1997 [favorite] Parrish Mill @ George L. Smith State Park ~ 1880 [furthest east] Coheelee Creek ~ 1891[furthest south] There are at least 25 more, but most are small, have been built in the last 50 years and are on private property.