Vickery Creek Hike, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

view of Vickery Creek Falls during dusk.

Part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area is located along 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River across 15 separate units in metro Atlanta. This area has 66 miles of hiking trails and offers diverse views of riverfront hiking across the city and the surrounding suburbs.

Water stumbling around Vickery creek from the view of the bridge.

More than a Waterfall

Vickery Creek is often quite crowded thanks to its waterfall. Many people opt to park in a nearby lot and take the paved path towards the falls. I do love this as an ADA-friendly option. The waterfall is from the historic remains of Roswell Mill and its spillway dam (which creates the waterfall). Though many people come for this and the covered bridge, there are so many more miles to explore.

Winding trail through Vickery Creek.

There is a second parking lot that is smaller but much more secluded off of Riverside Rd and the intersection with S Atlanta St. If you start at this entrance, you will experience Big Creek and explore the young forest in the area. Overall, there are 6.6 miles of hiking trails here to explore, and they connect to the waterfall.

Covered wooden bridge at Vickery Creek.

Trail Overview

  • Trail Name: Vickery Creek 

  • Distance: 4.7 Miles, 6.6 miles of available

  • Difficulty: Semi-Moderate

  • Location: Roswell

  • Family-Friendly: Yes

  • Dog-Friendly: Yes

  • Entrance Fee: $5 or $40 for an annual pass

View of old mill park.

Roswell Mill and Vickery Creek Falls History

The Roswell Mills were leading manufacturers of materials used for the Confederacy during the Civil War. In 1864, Union Troops came to Roswell and burned the mills. The only building left was the machine shop. After the war, the mills were rebuilt, and the one we see today was built in 1882. T

The Machine Shop we see and can access bathrooms at is a two-story, late Georgian-style structure and is the only existing building of the Roswell Manufacturing Company.

View of Stairwell at Vickery Creek.

View of covered bridge and purple flowers at Vickery Creek.

If you want to add on even more hiking to your day, check out nearby Allenbrook.

Happy Hiking!

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