Life was going along smoothly with several college visits planned during the spring of 2020. In mid-March, the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to all travel plans as shelter in place orders dominated the global landscape. Seven weeks later, the state of Georgia is opening up and we’re slowly venturing outdoors to enjoy hiking near the Atlanta area.
Located about 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta, Red Top Mountain State Park had fallen off of our radar. Before having children, we took our dogs on frequent hikes there with a dog hikers group. For whatever reason, we hadn’t been to the park in many years and felt this was the best time to explore the area.
Costs and Parking
Parking at any Georgia state park is $5 per vehicle. Due to Covid-19, we could purchase the daily pass online so we didn’t worry about handling cash at the pay stations. We simply printed out our confirmation email and placed it in the front dashboard.
After getting off of I-75, we drove about five miles before crossing Lake Allatoona, the 12.000-acre man-made lake constructed in the 1940s. Passing by picnic shelters and the beach, we turned onto Park Marina Road and then Lodge Road which led us to the parking lot at the newly constructed park office. This facility only opened at the end of 2019 after a fire occurred in 2016, damaging the conference center, offices and a defunct park lodge.
The Trails
With 15 miles of hiking, we had a choice of several trails. We chose the 3.5-mile Sweetgum Trail heading south of the parking lot. The name Red Top Mountain is almost a misnomer as the trails at this state park aren’t mountain climbing trails. At most, any given trail only ascends 150 feet in elevation.
The well-blazed trail led us among trees to a view of the water. Shortly after, we departed the lake and continued through a forested path. After about 0.5 miles, the trail stopped at the parking lot for the visitor center. This is not to be confused with the park offices/interpretive center where we started the hike. Despite the visitor center being closed due to Covid-19, a sign indicated the bathrooms were open.
We doubled back along the path until it intersected with the Homestead Trail. For a change of scenery, we took it for a while and then it rejoined and shared with the Sweet Gum Trail right before the park offices. After the joint trails cross over Lodge Road, the Sweetgum turns east and loops back to the park offices. Again, we wanted to see more of the lake, so we followed the yellow-blazed Homestead Trail to a small cove.
A red pontoon boat was in the distance at the cove. Later a ski boat arrived. We followed the Homestead Trail a little bit longer as the trail climbed a ridge above the lake. Soon, we turned around and took the rest of the Sweetgum Trail back to the parking lot at the park offices.
For anyone not wanting a long hike, the park offers several shorter trails while bikers can enjoy the 4-mile Iron Hill Trail.
Other Activities
Although they closed the lodge in 2010, the park offers campgrounds and cottage rentals. The park is also a popular spot for fishermen and boaters.
While there, you can check out the nearby Allatoona Pass Battlefield. For more information, click here.