The Daily Hoof!: The Trails of Vickery Creek at the Roswell Mill

A walking tour in Roswell, Georgia.

You may never notice the entrance to the trails at Vickery Creek. Hidden behind the Roswell Mill just off the city square, it is not visible or advertised. The road is a slightly steep decline entering the Roswell Mill area. The parking lot entrance is off to the right. There is not any signage for the trails and the entrance looks like a gravel path. You cannot see the river below until you walk over to the area but you may see the bridge from here.

But here is a peek at what you'll see along the trail...

At the bottom of the hill, you have the option of going in two different directions. On this cold December day, I walked right and took the grand cedar bridge accross Vickery Creek. It was a wonderful view and there were rustling sounds of water rushing over the rocks below. There was not anyone around. Once I crossed the bridge, there were steep cement steps leading straight up.

The night before, the temperatures had gone into the teens which is very unusual for this part of Georgia. It had also been raining recently, so things were a bit icy. I have to say it was a bit scary going up the steps. At the top, there was ice that had formed in the depressed areas of the pathway. Although it appeared to have begun its thaw, I slipped on my second stepping but caught myself before a fall. My heart jumped a little because the cliffs edge here is pretty steep and high above the river area. I continued along the grass on the side of the trail for a while.

The trail breaks off again into the woods and in two directions. Up a hill to the right or to the left along the river. I chose to walk left as I could hear the sounds of a waterfall off in the distance. The trail winds around and is high above the river.

After a fairly short walk, you can see the rocks and there is an opening in the trail. The rock waterfall was gorgeous on this day.

The water was flowing but much of it was still frozen and thawing. There is an area to climb up close along the rocks edge. I walked cautiously around the icicles, pretty close to the cliff. A short climb takes you up to a cleared area above the falls, complete with a rope swing.

The trails at Vickery Creek loop around and go off into the woods. They connect with other trails in the Chattahoochee River Recreational Areas. There is also an old mill and several old structures. Some of the trails are steep and winding but most are not well traveled. Often, you may see fallen trees or branches blocking the path and other wonders of nature.