Sweetwater Creek Orange Trail

The Orange Trail at Sweetwater Creek State Park delivers one of metro Atlanta’s finest hiking experiences, traversing a remarkable diversity of terrain from rocky creek gorges to meadow expanses and mature hardwood forests. The route passes the photogenic ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War, where crumbling brick walls rise dramatically above the rushing creek. Beyond the ruins, the trail climbs through piedmont forest to sunny meadows that burst with wildflowers in spring and early summer. A long wooden bridge offers sweeping views of the creek and surrounding woodlands. The varied habitats support abundant wildlife, including deer, wild turkey, and numerous bird species.