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Sweetwater Red, also known as Sweetwater Historic Trail follows Sweetwater Creek down to Manchester Mill, one of Atlanta's first cotton mills, where it intersects with the Sweetwater Blue Non-game wildlife Trail. From this point it follows the river down to Sweetwater Falls, a series of cascades along the Brevard Fault Line. Sweetwater Red ends at a wooden overlook at the bottom of a set of wooden steps.
The first half-mile of this trail is also known as "Factory Ruins Trail." This portion of the historic footpath is heavily traveled and well-maintained. Beginning at the far end of the parking lot near the rest rooms, a bulletin board and brown sign marks the start of the footpath. The trail slopes easily down for most of the trek to the old Manchester Mills. After walking down a series of steps the trail continues to Sweetwater Creek, which is a tributary to the Chattahoochee River. The trail "T's" near the river. Turn right to see the ruins or turn left for the recently added Sweetwater Yellow Trail to see the remains of a grist mill and a bridge used to access the burgeoning town that once existed by the river.
As you continue to the ruins you are walking along a path that once served as the only road for a town of about 400 (or more) men, women, and children. The town was so big that it not only had a general store, tavern, and inn, but also had a U.S. Post Office, built in 1857. For complete details on the area, please see Sweetwater State Park.
A gentle slope down to the ruins offers an abundance of plant life and a diverse hardwood forest, mostly of second-growth oak and beech. At Manchester Mill the Red Trail joins the Sweetwater Blue Non-game Wildlife Trail briefly to explore the mill. Benches around the ruins provide a resting place for hikers.
After the mill Sweetwater Blue bears to the right as Sweetwater White turns left and descends a set of wooden steps to the river bank. Once on the bank of the river, the path makes a decided change. What was an occasionally rocky, compacted dirt treadway becomes an intense experience, trying to maintain stability on a rocky path that can be as high as 50 feet above the river. The falls are more enjoyable, but no more that 10-15 feet high. After a rain they are frequently a cascade. The Sweetwater Red (Historic) Trail dead-ends into the Sweetwater Blue Trail at a wooden deck overlook on Sweetwater Creek.
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Sweetwater Red
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Historic reports for Sweetwater Red
