Family-Friendly Hiking: Vickery Creek Trail at Roswell Mill

Living in Georgia, we're surrounded by tall trees, rolling hills and mountains, and flowing rivers. But best of all, we have trails that lead us to enjoy the beauty of that nature, tucked away in places you may not expect. Just this past week, I met a couple of friends at Roswell's Old Mill, and instead of stopping at the covered bridge, we crossed it, climbed a tall set of wooden stairs, and discovered miles of trails. All part of The Vickery Creek Trail at Roswell Mill.

Our plan to follow the outer loop of the trail led us among trails overlooking Big Creek, though if I had it to do over again, I would veer to the left at our first intersection as we ended up having to hike across some pretty slippery rocks that looked over the fast-moving creek. It was a little treacherous after that morning's rain, and definitely not a place I'd feel comfortable taking my younger son. So, once starting on the trail, hang a left at Vickery Creek Trail off of Vickery Creek Park Trail. I know, this is super confusing, so take a look at this map to see what I'm talking about. And remember, we parked at the parking lot near the Old Mill and covered bridge, so keep that in mind when checking out the map. The photo below shows the rock slope we had to navigate that I'm recommending you do not do with kids.

Okay, onto to the rest of the hike. Once we safely got past the rocks, the trail evened out, though there are slight elevation changes throughout that will make you question your fitness level and everyone may stop their chatting for a minute or two while you each catch your breath. It's nothing too bad, but certainly not flat. Expect to see well-worn paths with frequent maps on markers helping you navigate your route. Please note that there are plenty of rocks and roots along the trail, too, so I'd advise putting any smaller kids in a carrier of some sort and leaving the stroller back at the car. 

Among the trail you'll encounter the flowing creek, waterfalls and lovely bridges. Take the afternoon enjoying the scenery with over 4.5 miles of trails, with plenty of opportunities to shorten or lengthen the distance depending on the moods of your hiking partners! Bring along a small backpack of water and snacks to refresh yourself along the trail, but please note that there are not any restrooms, so a pit stop before you start your adventure is advisable!

We, by no means, were hurrying through the hike, so the 4ish miles took us about an hour and a half. Perhaps we could have been a bit faster without having to scale the rocks which took a bit of extra time, but we did stop to enjoy the beautiful scenery and consult the maps several times along the way!

I'm already making plans to take my family and some friends to this spot soon so they can enjoy this nearby hike, and I hope you put it on your list for an outing away from the distractions of life. It's a time and place to take a deep breath and discover the beauty we have in our own back yard.