My friends and I enjoyed a day kayaking on lake Alexander at Panola State Park. Ranger Veronica…read morewalked us through all the safety gear and how to paddle a kayak. Parking was $10 and paid easily via a QR code. We enjoyed another great adult program at Panola's

Map was a smidge confusing and marking is lacking in some areas. We visited the visitor center…read morewhich had animals on display, educational materials, and fun souvenirs! The restrooms by the playground were clean and spacious! The playground was large and fun and offered minimal shade. We drove out and around to the water front to hike the loop trail which was such a joy. We saw so many lovely animals and ran into some lovely locals who shared stories of animal run ins while at the park. The barn you walk through could use some love it was a little spooky haha overall we would come back in a heart beat! It's a beautiful natural oasis!

Great hike! 3.0 miles in an hour. Kids and pets are welcomed but will need a sturdy strollerread more

Located at the end of a road in Fayetteville, "The Ridge includes 308 acres of natural beauty which…read moreprovide a glimpse into a multitude of ecosystems, opportunities for environmental education and a diverse mix of passive recreational experiences." (Southern Conservation Trust) I visited on opening day, August 13th, 2016. This expansive nature area has many features. There's hiking, geocaching, fishing, canoeing and more! I even remember seeing a landscape painter stationed quietly along one of the hiking paths. Fayette county is really expanding. After Pine Wood movie studios moved in, things have been growing rapidly. The timing was perfect for creating a nature area. "The Ridge is a City of Fayetteville public green space project. After years of desiring to develop the nature area, the City engaged Southern Conservation Trust to develop and manage the public use nature area."(Southern Conservation Trust) "Over 200 acres of the 308 acres of the Ridge that are not wetlands were clear cut in the 1820's, and farmed up to the mid 1960's, with only a few patches remaining of "old growth" trees or vegetation." (Southern Conservation Trust) After hiking along some of the trails, you can tell the land used to be farm. There were left over tree houses, metal barrels (stills), rope swings & places where cows rubbed bark off trees and waded in the shallow creek. I went by myself because on opening day there were many people there & I felt safe. I'd never go by myself on a day unlike opening day because the park is very expansive. You can be by yourself for hours- if you'd like. This park would be perfect for a group hike & picnic. I'm happy to have this green space set aside in Fayette County especially as our county grows expansively.

This place is absolutely beautiful! I'm visiting in the winter time but can imagine how gorgeous…read moreit must be after heavy rain in the spring or even fall. The hike we did was only 2.4 miles total definitely on the beginner side with a few moderate areas but manageable. I wouldn't advise for small children but older children would definitely enjoy. There were many water areas. Parking is prepaid and card or cash only, no tap to pay. Will definitely be returning !

If you enjoy hiking or walking, check out this little piece of heaven in Chattahoochee Hills.I went…read moreon a Saturday around 10 am, and although the parking lot had many cars, the walk was very peaceful and not crowded.  I was able to walk past two waterfalls following the orange path. Parking is $5, and you can use credit or debit. There is covered seating and benches throughout the park. It is also dog friendly.

This is still one of our favorite trails to go out on as a family. It's fully paved and very wide,…read moreleaving space to pass others. This season, it's been our favorite place to take our daughter who is learning to ride her bicycle. We walk while she rides and there's enough space for her to figure it out without being in the way of others who might be out jogging, walking or riding themselves. The canopy of the trees makes most of the trail, fairly pleasant, even when it's hot out.

I've done this trail a few times. It's very peaceful and serene. There's a workout area on one…read moreend and a kids playground on the other. I always walk with someone for safety reasons. If you walk after it rains, be careful. There are some spots on the trail that because very muddy.

We came here February 2nd, 2026 to find out if General Beauregard Lee would see his shadow!…read moreThe park is not normally open on Mondays, but this was a special occasion. In fact, this was their 45th year celebrating Groundhog Day. The gates opened a little prior to 6am and there was plenty of parking. The restrooms were right next to the parking lot and not only were they clean...they were HEATED, which was so wonderful since it was about 25 degrees outside. It was a short walk to the festivities, less than a half mile, but it was through the woods (VERY CLEARLY marked!) and over some wooden boardwalks (not sure how handicap accessible this is but it was an easy walk for this out of shape girl.) Everything was well maintained and looked beautiful even in the dark. We were able to see a bald eagle and another hawk close to the groundhog enclosure. If it would have been a bit warmer (the pond was frozen over!) I would have loved to stay and see more of the animals. Especially the otters. This girl LOVES otters. There was quite a bit of merchandise available: stuffed groundhogs, bracelets, a variety of buttons, several different tee shirts, and magnets. We bought a few items and entered the raffle to win a gift bag that included the original copy of last years proclamation. It was a really cold wait for the 7:31 proclamation time, although the park did pass out hand warmers. I think we could have waited a bit longer but since this was our first time, we had no idea how big of a crowd to expect. I would guess that there were 100-150 people. Being so early, we were right up front but I think we would have been about to see if we had gotten there a bit later. All of the employees (volunteers?) were very nice and helpful. We met many people who do this annually and there were even news crews here. It was very fun and definitely worth attending. We will definitely be returning but only when it is absolutely warmer! Ps. He saw his shadow!

Really nice place to take the whole family. Their facilities and employees are very nice. All of…read morethe animals are well cared for. The trails are great outside of the animal section.

This is a park at the site of an old cotton mill that very close to town yet inexplicably hidden,…read moreif you don't keep your eyes open for the street to turn on you'll blow right past it. There is a house on the left before you get there "like within 400 feet" the has A millstone, gas pump, and other things on the property. Keep going as that is A personal residence do not get out to take pictures. When you arrive you will see a Beautiful damn with lots of running water going over the top. As you walk around the property there will be many photo ops so keep your eyes open, the beautiful man made pound is just one of them "not including the mill itself. There's also many places to sit down and have a picnic and plenty of car parking available.

A great park for children very very very clean.frest park keep the spark exceptionally perfect…read moremaintained. clean cookout area clean swimming pool they have a walk or running track.always someone here feel very safe no matter what time i go

A very lovey and clean park. Super nice for an afternoon stroll. Pretty big and different areas for…read moreall tastes

I live just a few miles from this park. I have used the walking trail which is there, for probably…read more20 years. I used to walk our dogs there pretty often. The park area isn't huge. There's probably as much parking lot area there, as there is park. There are wooden camping shelters there. Some people trailer horses to ride there. There are better parks in the area. On of my favorites is Panola Mountain state park. It's only about a 20minute drive away, and it's a lot bigger, and more interesting. There's a huge park area, and there are miles of natural trails in the woods there. It does cost 5.00 to park, but it's worth it. Alexander lake park is not far away. It's worth checking out, and so is Arabia mountain park, lots of hiking area there, including a huge granite formation like Stone Mountain, only not as high.

I park here to gain access to the rockdale river trail…read more The rockdale river trail is simply perfect for road bikes. It's miles and miles of concrete roads. There are a few places along the trail that lead to dirt roads, if you want to go off the paved road. But otherwise, it's miles and miles of nature and beauty. This trail has all that rustic and deep forests feel to it. After a few miles it might even bring out your inner poet and have you start reciting Robert Frost, "two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both..." In case you might like the forest too much and wish to become a hermit, there are good hills thrown into the trail for good measure. It's a nice balance of even road to let you enjoy the ride, then it changes with hills interval for a good cardiovascular workout. The view is lovely. There's a lake at panola state park, river along the way, farms and even a monastery. I saw people fishing at the lake. I spied wild life such as: Ducks Deer Rabbit There are signs for bike & kayak rental at Panola State Park.