The mill dam as viewed from the upper trail |
Winter days can be mild and rainy and those are perfect conditions for small outings with waterfalls. In our ongoing efforts to entertain our young grandson, we visited a fairly local waterfall this week. Old Mill Park in historic Roswell is a favorite local park for its easy trails and scenic views.
Our mid-morning arrival found plenty of parking and few
visitors, allowing us to ramble mask-free along the trails on both sides of
Vickery Creek. We crossed over the covered bridge and hiked up the steps to the
Vickery Creek Trail, part of the Chattahoochee
River National Recreation Area. You can also reach this trail from their
parking lot off Riverside Road.
Vickery Creek Trail with Rhododendron |
Rhododendron minus buds |
On the Old Mill Park side of the creek, there are more facilities: restrooms, concrete paths, restful spots, and trash cans. It was the perfect place to enjoy a snack next to the roaring waterfall and answer questions like “Does the water ever stop?” Think about that … all night long, water is pouring over that dam! We also talked about the many birds we could hear around us. Sandy ‘beaches’ next to the creek keep a lot children entertained, I’m sure, and ours was one.
That side of the creek is also the place where you’ll see
weedy and invasive plants; the bright fruits of the non-native Nandina domestica were showing in
several places. Local parks need volunteers to help manage invasive plants as
well as landscape crews educated in the plants of the area. If you’d like to
help manage invasive plants at your local park, call the managing entity (city,
county) and volunteer. Balmy winter days are also perfect for pulling weeds!
Ginger and Christmas next to the path |
I went to Roswell once for a wedding. This was years ago and the traffic to get there was bad then, can't imagine what it must be like now! Love your photos. When the mountain laurel blooms, be sure to go back and take a photo for us! Take care!
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