Fifteen miles from downtown Atlanta is a beautiful park encompassing over 2,500 acres. Named Sweetwater Creek State Park, it’s located in Douglas County (in the city of Lithia Springs) and was the home of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company.

The land on which the park sits changed hands numerous times and the tall buildings that now lie in ruins were named Sweetwater Mill in 1849. The mill used the rushing rapids of Sweetwater Creek to power a cotton (textile) mill. The entire operation supported what was called a “factory town” where everyone living in it worked for the factory. There was also a general store where dry goods could be bought. The mill produced cotton that was later turned into yarn and this  kept the town financially afloat.

By 1864,however, the destructive Civil War was coming to a bloody end, and the Confederate soldiers retreated to their southern homes. When Union troops arrived at Sweetwater Mill, they burned it to the ground.

(Photo taken by author from the Red line trail)

To preserve what is left of the ruins, access is forbidden unless you are on a ranger-guided hike in the park. The ruins are also featured in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, which was one of many Georgia locations used for filming.

The park also has a 215-acre lake for fishing as well as multiple hiking trails. My friend Janette and I (calling ourselves the “hiking hermanas”) decided to start with the Red trail, which leads from the Visitor Center to the ruins. From there, you can press on but be warned that when the sign says the hike is “moderate to difficult”, they aren’t kidding. 

We clambered over rocks near the water, which does have class IV rapids, and past trees and stumps. The Red trail eventually meets up with the White trail, which is nearly vertical in some areas and after a long 3 hours and 4 miles, we ended up back at the Visitor Center. 

Activities in the park include birding, fishing, and geocaching. The park also holds the distinction of having a butterfly trail. The concept of a butterfly trail came from former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who wanted to preserve habitats for butterflies (particularly the Monarch), which are pollinators. The trail is a specialized, educational trail (separate from the hiking trails) that features pollinator-friendly gardens designed to support nearly 60 native species of butterflies.

The Visitor Center also hosts a Civil War-era museum showcasing what the mill looked like in its heyday as well as many taxidermied animals commonly found in the park.

Friendly reminder to #getoutside and enjoy the beauty of this state.