Lake Loop Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Wildlife

I have run this trail and the "outer loop" (13 miles) multiple times and have always enjoyed the experience. It's a great mix of challenging ups and downs, gas line trails, lake views.

This kinda flat trail travels around the lake and is open to both foot traffic and bicycles. Bikers should yield to those on foot. The trail hugs the shoreline in many locations, offering good wildlife viewing. You may see white-tailed deer, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and turtles. It also travels into wooded uplands for different views of plants and trees. Although it looks like an easy jaunt around the lake, the distance can be deceiving. Be prepared for three to four hours of travel if doing the entire 7-mile loop.

*This description assumes you're taking the trail clockwise around the lake.*

At the trailhead, there is a playground and paved "beginner" trail called the Bird Berry Trail which is a half mile round-trip, easy, short, paved trail featuring a birding area, nature signs and gazebo. About half way into the Bird Berry Trail, you exit the paved surface. After the trail crosses over a couple of "roads" the next major area you reach is the campgrounds so keep a watchful eye on the yellow blazes as they get confusing in this area. The yellow blazes go in both directions but the park mapped trail takes runners LEFT and up the paved road to "Yargo Camp Road" where you make a RIGHT and follow the paved road down to the boat dock and camping area where you can pick up the yellow blazes again to make a LEFT and off the paved roadway.

The trip we took on this run my wife pushed a B.O.B stroller with one kid and I packed the other on my back and we ran into little resistance, but there were some ups, downs, rocks, and roots that I did have to get the stroller over but it wasn't anything major or dangerous for the kids (1 year and 3 years old).

There are multiple bathroom stops along the route and it's well-traveled by other runners and bikers.

A little bit of everything that Georgia has to offer.