A Sunday at Old Roswell Mill Falls

In order to get to know our new neighborhood, Kevin and I decided to start exploring some of the local trails in order to get a feel for our new surroundings. Day hikes along local trails also give us a chance to spend a day outside without doing too much planning ahead of time. Making it very easy to just get up and go out on a hike.

It also helps that there are so many great Atlanta Trails that have been very well documented by local enthusiasts and Falcon Guides. One particular guide, Best Hikes Near Atlanta by Ren and Helen Davis, has become our checklist of sorts of hikes in the area. Any weekend day that remains open after errands and such are done, we pick a hike and spend the day outside. For being a city that is mostly famous for its food and music found within the city, Atlanta has some great outdoor adventures waiting just outside the perimeter.

The History of Old Roswell Mill Falls

A hike further up the Vickery Creek trail will reveal the ruins of the Roswell Manufacturing Co. Mills originally constructed in 1839 and 1853. The waterfall known as Old Roswell Mill Falls was created when the creek was dammed to provide water power. The mill itself was destroyed in 1864 by Union forces during the Civil War. Although the newer portion of the mill was rebuilt after the war ended, it was once again destroyed by fire in 1926.

Now the ruins of the Roswell Manufacturing Co. Mills and the waterfall it created have been left can be viewed from the Vickery Creek Trail system. The area has been preserved to the point that it is actually a quite picturesque scene frequented by amateur and professional photographers. While Old Roswell Mill Falls is a popular spot for locals trying to escape the Georgia heat.

Our Hike to Old Roswell Mill Falls

There are a couple of ways to approach Old Roswell Mill Falls with some being relatively short and others involving more of a hike. We decided to start at the Chattahoochee River Recreation Area and hike up and over to the falls taking the most direct route and skipping the larger loops of the trail.

After a quick bit of elevation gain at the start, the trail mostly evened out to a moderate trail with dips and peaks. The vegetation was pretty thick in the summer and extremely green so parts of the trail reminded us of hikes we did back in Florida through the sawgrass and sabal palms. Overall the hike to the falls was relatively short so we were able to spend ample time sitting on the rocks with our feet in the water. Although the falls were crowded, it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday outdoors in Georgia and get to know the nearby recreation areas.

Leave a Reply

Be the First to Comment!

Tell Us What You Think Cancel reply

---