hikes,  outdoors,  travel

Sweetwater Creek State Park and Casual Hike Attire

March 8, 2023 /

This past Saturday was a fun but exhausting day. I started my morning with a 9 mile run with my friends at 6 AM and this particular run was a difficult one as there were many hills. I came home to make my boys some banana pancakes and we decided that since there were no sports activities that we should do something as a family. We decided to hike. Did I really want to hike after that run? Not really, but it was a beautiful day and we decided on a hike that was somewhat of a short drive from home at about one hour.

Sweetwater Creek State Park is located in Lithia Springs. We followed the red trail that follows the river and takes you to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill that was burned during the civil war.

You cannot access the interior of the mill unless you are on a special guided tour but the ruins are still very impressive to admire from outside of the fenced area.

Past the ruins, the trail follows the river closely and it is somewhat of a difficult trail for younger children with a lot of rocks and roots to climb. There were several spots to sit on large rocks and enjoy the scenery. It’s definitely prettier when the water is clear and not muddied from recent storms.

My Atlanta tee was very a propos for this hike as this state park is really close to Atlanta. Joggers are my favorites  for hiking as the blend of polyester that my 3 pairs are made of dries really quickly. I wore my older pair of running shoes and since I knew my shins were still sore from my run, I wore my calf compression sleeves. I really feel like these have helped support my shins when running.

The boys and I had visited this park in 2020 and I shared our visit in this post. You can see how much clearer the water is in that post and it looks like I am in better physical shape now. I guess all of that running is paying off!

The red trail is only about a mile long but it sure takes a while to walk it especially as a 5 year old’s legs are a lot shorter that a teenager’s stride. We also did stop to snack and eat. At the top of these stairs, the trail meets another trail that is a lot smoother and quicker to return to the visitor’s center.

Each year, I make a list of the different state parks I would like us to visit, but we usually only make it to a few. I do think we have visited most of the ones within a couple hours’ radius. The others might require an overnight stay. There is a canyon about 3 hours south of us that I want to visit.

The boys typically complain when we plan hikes, but they inevitably enjoy them. Making sure to have plenty of water and snacks makes a difference.

It was really fun to see which movies have been filmed here! I have seen a number of these and will pay attention to the scenery next time I watch them. I have heard that Atlanta has become the place for shooting movies and even our little town has had scenes in different movies.

I hope you enjoyed visit this park with me! It is spring and time to explore the outdoors!

A bientôt!

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12 Comments

  • Joanne

    March 8, 2023 at 6:58 am

    Oh I just LOVE hiking trails that follow a nearby river or body of water. Those are the best. This hike looks so interesting with the ruins too.

    • mimifce

      March 9, 2023 at 2:02 pm

      The compression sleeves have really helped but I still have to watch it. I did too much the past 7 days with running, hiking and walking and I am paying for it. Feet up with ice on my shins.

  • Bojana Krienke

    March 9, 2023 at 7:52 am

    I am so impressed with your family and all the hiking you do. I really do admire how you spend time as a family and get outdoors. I am also a little jelous that you live so close to so many amazing outdoor adventures and spaces to explore. It’s truly beautiful. Also, 9 miles is no joke. That’s a committment. You are amazing!

    bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca

    • mimifce

      March 9, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      I am paying for that run and hiking (and the last 2 days runs and walks). Shins are bothering me today and I have my legs up icing my shins.

  • Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom

    March 9, 2023 at 3:39 pm

    I always think it is good to do something where you’re up and about then sitting around after a long run! Even if it is just getting up to do laundry. Congrats on 9 miles! Oh, that park looks so pretty and I love the water!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com