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    Red Top Mountain State Park

    4.5 (93 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    8/8/20 crazy packed...didn't get out of the car ;-|
    Georgia B.

    Red Top Mountain SP has something for everyone. Fishing camping, cottages, hiking, history, kayaking and boating among other things. It's easily accessible from Atlanta and the surrounding areas. I've been visiting RTMSP for the past few years. Even though there are lots of visitors, it's large enough that it doesn't feel crowded. Their hiking trails are well groomed, scenic with light elevations. The Iron hill Loop is about 4 miles. It meanders around a bit of Lake Allatoona so you'll catch gorgeous lake views and a bit of boating activities too. The Homestead Trail is little longer, just under 6 miles with rolling elevation. It lends more inland hardwood forests than Iron hill Loop but it also has lovely views of Lake Allatoona along its loop part of the trail. Their where am I markers aren't the best but it's easy enough to figure it out. Their blazes are better. I've seen several woodpeckers, deer and many squirrels, identified a few mushrooms I hadn't encountered before here. They DO charge $5/car for PARKING unless you have an annual pass. Be sure to prominently display it inside your dash even if you do not go through a ranger station or the visitor center. They do ticket. RTMSP is a pleasant park to visit. It's a restorative environment to just catch a breath.

    Rand E.

    A wonderful state park with mini hiking trails boat, launches campsites, and much much more. Settled on a beautiful lake with plenty of things to do and around the state park. Located just off I 75. I'm very close to shopping options and restaurants. A great travel site to do day activities or to stay a few days. Highly recommend it for travelers or for a family experience. $5 daily parking pass gives you full access to all the sites and parks in property. Such a great State park in Georgia.

    Natasha D.

    I've been here twice now. The first time was a more challenging trail (about 6 miles) but the second time I did the iron hill trail and it was perfect. The trail itself was well maintained and it was a pleasure walking our two big dogs. It wasn't very busy the day we went and there are a few areas where it is safe to let dogs swim. Not much elevation gain and with beautiful views of the lake. Not sure if this is always the case but we had to pay in cash for parking/entrance fee at the smaller lot near the iron hill trailhead.

    Gretel Y.

    My group of four adults, one toddler and four fur babies went to Red Top Mountain State Park specifically to hike the Iron Hill Trail. I didn't get to explore much of the state park, just saw what we passed on the way to the trail parking lot. The park sits on 12,000 acres on Lake Allatoona and is open for swimming, fishing, water sports, etc. It's free to enter the park, but we had to pay $5 to park at the Iron Hill Trail. Gravel parking is plentiful. Iron Hill is an easy four-mile, gravel-topped trail. It's bike and dog-friendly. It offers beautiful views of the lake. The only negative about the park is the porta potty. There isn't a public bathroom so your only option is the porta potty, and it was absolutely disgusting. It looked like it had been neglected for weeks, months, who knows. Otherwise, the trail is great and I highly recommend! Just use the restroom somewhere else before starting the hike.

    The lake
    Kristen B.

    Cute park about an hour outside of Atlanta. We parked at the iron hill trail parking lot and walked straight onto the trail which looped around and brought us back to the lot. The trail goes around a lake where there were plenty of people on boats and swimming. It is easy to follow and clearly marked so you won't get lost. I had good cell service as well (even if the point of going outside is to get off your phone lol if you needed to contact anyone while you were on your hike you could). I definitely recommend this park for a day trip or weekend trip outside of Atlanta!

    Donna S.

    So sorry they're booked! Had heard this was a great SP... but it's AMAZING! Quite a bit is unavailable at the moment due to construction, but once they're done, this will be the BEST State Park I've ever seen! Camping, fishing, playgrounds, ACRES of GORGEOUS woods & trails. The new cottages are NOT what you'd expect from a SP. These are proper 2 & 3 BR cabins!

    Our map
    Ada S.

    Went on the Homestead trail at red top which was about 5 miles! Super fun, we parked at the visitor center and found our trail there. They have bathrooms inside along with souvenirs. Many trail options that are dog friendly, I'd look online to check out the trails too.

    Celebrating Iron Hill's Rich Ore Tradition
    Lisa H.

    Red Top Mountain State Park's not too far outside of the perimeter and only a few minutes off of I-75. It's $5 per car to enter, and you can either pay at the parking stations to get your hangtag or through your phone which I haven't tried. Contrary to the name, you're not hanging out on top of a mountain but rather right next to a lovely lake that spans 12,000 acres. From the official website: "Named for the soil's rich red color caused by high iron-ore content, Red Top Mountain was once an important mining area." We hiked parts of the Homestead, Sweet Gum, and Lakeside Trails; Red Top Mountain has 15 miles of trails within its 1,776 acres to keep you occupied. The Lakeside Trail is paved and near the visitor's center. It passes a playground and historical cabin. The Sweet Gum Trail is centrally located, and the Homestead Trail hugs beautiful Lake Allatoona. The lake is so striking! It was such a gorgeous shade of green that looked unreal. I investigated coming back and taking out a kayak or canoe, but the park doesn't seem to rent them out, bummer. Thankful to have such a pleasant state park easily accessible from the metro Atlanta area!

    Bridge with trail blazes
    Cynthia N.

    I'm working to complete 52 hikes within a year and thank goodness I live in GA where there are mutiple parks which makes the goal easier. Anyhew... I visited Red Top Mountain to walk the Iron Hill Trail yesterday. The Iron Hill Trail is a little under 4 miles loop with mostly flat terrain. It goes past the Allatoona Lake so there are many pretty lake views. The parking lot for this trail is unattended so you'll need to be a decent citizen and pay the $5 parking fee (electronic using phone and cash options available.) There were a lot of people on the trail, mostly hikers but also people hanging out at the lake. If you want the trail mostly to yourself maybe avoid the weekend. But even with all the people, the trail didn't feel crowded. In most places, the trail is wide with plenty of space for everyone. I'm definitely going back and checking out the other trails at Red Top!

    Beautiful, peaceful and fantastic!

    Peaceful, great hiking trails. The lake and the woods are so beautiful. The park staff are friendly and helpful.

    Welcome center
    Jamarcus T.

    I've purchased the Georgia State park parking pass for the last few years, and while i've been to a number of state parks, but I willingly avoided Red Top Mountain State Park because i'd Seen photos and wasn't impressed. Geez was I wrong to ignore this gem of a park! Red Top is a water lover's dream, located at Lake Allatoona, and on this day we saw several people fishing, boating, kayaking and just enjoying the water. The water itself, along with the park have some beautiful views that you see naturally along the trails. Speaking of trails, there are 15 miles of them!! Here are a few other things the park offers, taken from their website: Accommodations & Facilities 1,776 Acres 12,000 Acre Lake Allatoona 18 Cottages 92 Tent, Trailer & RV Campites 1 Yurt 1 Pioneer Campground 7 Picnic Shelters 2 Group Shelters (seats 100 & 250) Sand Beach Marina 2 Boat Ramps 2 Boat Docks 3 Playgrounds Things To Do & See Archery Programs Biking -- 4 mile trail Boating -- private boats permitted Educational Programs Fishing Geocaching Hiking -- 15 miles of trails Interpretive Programs Miniature Golf (fee) Muddy Spokes Club Pickleball Picnicking Swimming Tennis Water Skiing Weddings -- park approval required For this day, we only did about 4 miles of trails, and the trails are all well marked with blazes of different colors and signs to let you know which fork is going where. None of the trails we went on were difficult, making this a great nature walk. I'd happily go back to Red Top Mountain state park, especially since it's literally less than an hour's drive from Atlanta. Whether you like seeing or getting in water, this is definitely your park! Please visit!!

    Beautiful lake view from the Visitor Center loop trail.
    Penny T.

    I am so thankful that Georgia state parks have stayed open during this virus mania. Being able to explore the outdoors has been good for my soul. I have been exploring our state parks and, so far, this is my favorite. Unfortunately I did not get to hike as much of it as my friend and I had planned due to some rain and getting to the park a bit later than we had hoped. However, even with the 2-3 trails we hiked, we decided we really love this park. We started out parking at the visitor center and hiking the Visitor Center Loop trail. Immediately we noticed how nice the trail was and how nice the trail markings were as well as the signs. This particular trail covers a section near the lake rather quickly from the visitor center and it is easy access to the water for kids who want to splash in it a bit. At the end of the trail we switched to the campground trail by crossing the street. There are a couple of downed trees on this trail but there is a make shift trail that goes around these and then gets back on the trail. We eventually made it to the Iron Hill trail but only made it a short ways in before it started to rain. Looking at the weather app, there appeared to be a storm heading our way so we decided to head back to the visitor center as it was also thundering. When we returned to the visitor center, the rain and thunder had ceased so we decided to walk the paved lakeside trail and we were so happy we did. There are some great historical tools and buildings along this trail as well as signs that describe the history of the iron ore business of years past. There is a cute area of instruments outside for kids to play music on in a different area and some great areas near the lake (including some swings in one area). There is still so much we did not see. We want to return and hike the Iron Hill trail and the Homestead trail. This park is beautiful. The trails are well marked. The bathrooms... the bathrooms seem very new and were so clean! I have seen pictures from the other trails and we definitely plan to return to hike those other trails. The visitor center is huge... closed right now but hope we will be able to see that in the future, as well. Highly recommend this state park.

    Beach on the lake!

    Went to Red Top the other day for a nice hike, the weather was beautiful and there were great hiking trails with different loops you can create! We did a 5 mile loop and also detoured to the beach where there were bluffs, black sand, clay and lots of good skipping rocks! It was a very nice relaxing day :) Will most likely return!!

    A deer seen while walking on the Sweet Gum trail.

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    21 days ago

    Great Place! We would definitely recommend Red Top! Especially beautiful in the fall!

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    7 months ago

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    1 month ago

    It was nice and quiet. My family had a great time! I would go again for sure. There was ducks,deers. And a lot of spots to fish.

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    2 years ago

    Great campground! I wish we could have stayed longer! Great people and services! We recommend!!! Beautiful by the lake!!!

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    2 years ago

    No Sheets, Crooked Pullout Mattress, Rude Service, No Toilet paper in the bathroom. Affordable and great scenery. Fishing is good.

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    3 years ago

    Really great local restaurant. Food is great and so is the service. Chicken livers are off the chart!

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    Good camping spot, Deer and other animals about. very quiet at night.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Red Top Mountain State Park

    Review Highlights - Red Top Mountain State Park

    It meanders around a bit of Lake Allatoona so you'll catch gorgeous lake views and a bit of boating activities too.

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    Lake Acworth - Nature area

    Lake Acworth

    4.4(13 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    Lake Acworth is a great spot tucked away in the middle of suburbia that offers the locals and…read morevisitors a little taste of the outdoors and includes trails, bridges, docks and of course, a beach! We have visited Lake Acworth via Cauble Park on numerous occasions and always tend to enjoy ourselves. The water is always calm and clean, on the surface at least. The lake is well maintained and surrounded by the park, woods, a neighborhood and a highway. So, always something different to look at whether you are hanging on the beach or kayaking around the water. While most of our visits are for walking and enjoying the beach, I have visited for fireworks and other community events. The lake and park hold up well. There are onsite restrooms and such as well, which make trips here a bit easier. You will find folks enjoying all things from building sandcastles to walking the pups, grilling out, fishing or just chilling. When I visit, we tend to do it all, except the fishing part. Overall, Lake Acworth is a cute spot for a chill afternoon. Low energy needed to enjoy yourself here. Keep in mind that the main access point is through Cauble Park, which for non-Acworth city residents charges by the vehicle, usually no more than $20.

    Definitely one of my favorite places close to home. Since my daughter was little, we have come to…read morethis park to enjoy the playground, a picnic, walk or a festival. Often I just drop by to enjoy a moment of serenity. However, some people are brave enough to go into the water. I personally am not that adventurous. The park and the beach however, are clean since years ago it became forbidden to feed the ducks. No more bird poop around the beach anymore. Very beautiful place.

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    Lake Acworth - Boat dock

    Boat dock

    Lake Acworth
    Lake Acworth - Pier

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    Cauble Park at Acworth Beach

    Cauble Park at Acworth Beach

    3.7(15 reviews)
    4.9 mi

    Cauble Park sits in the heart of Acworth and is a sprawling park that features all the standard…read moreofferings of a park from grill areas, gazebos, walking paths, playgrounds, restrooms and a few other public spaces that are first come first serve...but what makes Cauble Park so special is the beach...yup, the beach in the middle of Acworth! A portion of the park is dedicated to Acworth Beach, which is a fairly good sized sandy beach along side Lake Acworth. The beach is well kept, clean and normally packed during the summer months, as you would expect. They do have buoys in the water noting distance parameters, but the beach does not have active lifeguards, so very much "swim at your own risk". As with other beaches, they offer restrooms and showers adjacent to the beach. While Cauble Park features all the good stuff of a park, it is also a residential neighborhood. To access you either have to live in the city limits of Acworth, and have your respective car tag, or pay a per-car fee to enter. It ranges from $10 - $20, depending on the season. Parking is plentiful, but can be tough on summer weekend days or during special events such as July 4th. Something else I enjoyed about this park is the wooden walkway that took you over Lake Acworth and gave great views of the park, lake and beach. This trail leads into a wooden trail, and while I enjoy paved trails a bit more, I get the preservation of the woods and leaving the trail paved/dirt. This trail is not very long, and dead ends into another residential street. Overall, Cauble Park at Acworth Beach is a well know, but hidden gem in the community! My best friend lives in Acworth, so every time I visit, we make sure to swing by the park at least once.

    gorgeous park, but they keep raising the price of parking so now it costs $20!!! that is absolutely…read moreinsanely priced. avoid it from April - September, parking is free in the other months.

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    Cauble Park at Acworth Beach
    Cauble Park at Acworth Beach
    Cauble Park at Acworth Beach

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    Red Top Mountain State Park - boating - Updated May 2026

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