I was out riding around looking for something compelling to take a picture of on that Sunday afternoon and ended up near a park that I’d been by before but had ruled out as there was no trail. Making a u-turn to go back the other way, I came across a sign for a Greenway. My heart started beating fast, because this one, if it was real, was close to where I live. I couldn’t figure out how to get to it and on the second access attempt, landed somewhere on this mysterious trail. Turns out I’d just located the Camp Creek Greenway.
Camp Creek Greenway runs along Camp Creek through the city of Lilburn Georgia. A gentleman on the trail informed me that parking for the trail was at Lilburn City Park where I’ve been on numerous occasions, not knowing that a sizeable trail ran right through it. Where I landed was basically on the short forked end of the trail, where Greenway and Spur Trails meet. I decided that the next weekend I would come back and check it out. Last Sunday I parked across from City Park and walked what I’ll call the main/long trail. Regulars along the route indicated that from the start and back was about 2.6 miles and it was absolutely 2.6 miles of loveliness. I still wasn’t satisfied because I had not seen all of the trail at once, plus I had yet to run it.
Now for the WHOLE trail (running).
I made it back on Saturday the 10th. The morning was cold, frosty even, but clear with little wind. I started in the City Park parking lot headed towards the fork and bore right on Spur Trail which has a nice boardwalk and a pretty decent incline to Killian Hill Road. Running back to the fork and then onto Greenway Trail I crossed a short boardwalk that had a bit of ice (the folks on the trail are really friendly and a lady warned me of the ice before my approach). I ran through this trail which ends at Poplar street and turned back. Running through the park, across Main St onto the main/long portion of the trail, I crossed several short wooden bridges and a longer boardwalk, with bits of ice. The trail ended at Rockbridge Road. Turning back and completing the run in the parking marked roughly 4.4 miles.
Lilburn’s Camp Creek Greenway is really a gift for the area. Some folks may not like the out and back routes to get mileage in, but for me, it’s worth it for the scenery, which is absolutely beautiful and because it is relatively flat and fast. The few caveats are: ice on bridges and boardwalks; mud on the main trail (about a 4 ft section of it) after major rain and; finally for allergy sufferers, this trail should probably be avoided during peak allergy season in late March and April. There are signs that indicate that pollination is encouraged and no grass cutting or insecticides are allowed in certain areas. Still I highly recommend it for those that beautiful scenery, friendly people and a fast route.
See you on the trail.
Photos by Michelle A. Thorns. View the full set here.
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