Gwinnett Park Life | Gwinnett County Parks

Sounds of the Skate Park July 23, Duncan Creek Park

Posted by admin on July 14, 2010  |  No Comments

Sounds of the Skate Park - 7/23/10 at 7-9 pm
We’re rockin’ the ramps at the skate park! Check out the bands, bikes, boards and blades, play volleyball or basketball while you enjoy the concert! If your band would like to play, or if you would like to be a vendor at these concerts, please call. Free admission! Phone: 770-614-2060 – Address: Duncan Creek Park, 3700 Braselton Highway, Dacula, GA

Cast Off! Fishing Day at Little Mulberry Park, Saturday, June 12

Posted by admin on June 6, 2010  |  No Comments

Bring you rod! It’s Cast Off! at Little Mulberry Park, Saturday, June 12th from 8am to 11am. Fishing license not necessary, just your rods. If you don’t have any their will be loaner rods and bait available – get there early, otherwise you may be waiting a while for a loaner.

There will be fishing competitions, casting competitions, demonstrations, scout badge activities, games and prizes.

The event is sponsored in partnership with: B.A.S.S., Bass Pro Shop, FLW Outdoors, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources, John’s Creek Kiwanis, Johnsonville, Rainbow Ranch, River Through Atlanta Guide Service, and  the Trout Unlimited Kanooka Cahpter.

All ages are free. Only $5/perons to compete. Gwinnett Park Code: BPCC 14201. Pre-Register. Call 770-614-2060 or visit the county park website www.gwinnettparks.com.

Address: Little Mulberry Park Hog Mountain Road Entrance, 3900 Hog Mountain Road, Dacula, GA

Little Mulberry Park  is the second largest park and the highest peak in Gwinnett County and has an observation deck to view from. There are two fishing ponds with several piers to fish from and they are handicap accessible.

Little Mulberry Park

Posted by admin on September 8, 2009  |  4 Comments

Opened officially in September 2004, Little Mulberry Park is one part of a major park-building program begun by the county a few years ago.

Phase one of the Little Mulberry Park encompasses 485 acres of the 890-acre park, and features five miles of trails including two one-mile paved multi-purpose trails, and a handicap-accessible trail around a pond.

The park has a combined multiuse/pedestrian trail experience which offers a 2-mile hike through a near old growth forest to unspoiled Table Rock Falls and then explores the adjacent river valley. Some long distance scenic views make the multiuse section of the trail pleasing. There are soft surface trails of equestrian and hiking. Equestrian trailer parking is located at 1300 Mineral Springs Rd., Dacula, GA 30019

Other amenities include a large rustic-looking picnic pavilion, two smaller picnic pavilions, restrooms. a playground, and an observation terrace at the peak of the West Meadow, which is one of the highest elevations in Gwinnett County.

The day my two boys and I visited was busy with park visitors. The larger pavilion was booked solid with families, families were biking and walking the pond trail, horse riders were out in the meadow and we took the 2-mile trail through the forest. The trail itself had many areas of stone steps (sometimes as many as 35-40), some of the paths were closed off and we were detoured around, but still had a great time. Later football and frisbie in the open area was part of the fun, including of course the playground for the five year old.

Park hours are sunrise until sunset unless posted otherwise.

Acres: 890
3855 Fence Road, Auburn,GA

• 5 miles of paved multi-purpose and soft surface trails for equestrian and hiking

Three entrances to park:

Fence Road Entrance (3855 Fence Road, Auburn, GA 30011)

• Pavilions
• Playground
• Lake
• Overlook area at one of the highest elevations in Gwinnett
• Restrooms
• Grill

Hog Mountain Road Entrance (3900 Hog Mountain Rd, Dacula, GA 30019)

• Fishing lake
• Karina Miller Nature Preserve
• Restrooms

Mineral Springs Road Entrance (1300 Mineral Springs Rd., Dacula, GA 30019)

• Equestrian trailer parking

The following related links go the Gwinnett County Parks website:

Parks & Recreation Master Plan Documents

Little Mulberry Park Trail Map

Little Mulberry Park Rules and Map

Little Mulberry Park Rules and Map

Little Mulberry Back Trails

Little Mulberry Fishing Guide

photos by Rico Figliolini

Map Location

GWINNETT GETS LAND FOR PARK EXPANSION (INCLUDING PALM CREEK)

Posted by admin on May 9, 2009  |  No Comments

Gwinnett commissioners acquired two parcels of land on Tuesday to expand existing park and greenspace sites.

One 6.4-acre parcel on Mitchell Road near Norcross was donated to the County. The undeveloped property contains a portion of Beaver Ruin Creek and is adjacent to 17 acres of County-owned greenspace. The donation will preserve greenspace along this corridor and help protect the floodplain and the creek’s water quality long-term.

The other parcel consists of 33.2 acres on Givens Road off Ewing Chapel Road between Dacula and Grayson. This purchase expands the 294-acre future Palm Creek Park site that is designated in the County’s Parks and Recreation master plan as an open space park for greenspace preservation. The SPLOST program will fund the purchase price of $2.29 million.

“We’re especially fortunate to be able to continue our program of preserving greenspace and protecting water quality by acquiring new parkland, even during the current recession,” said Board Chairman Charles Bannister.

Palm Creek Park

Source: Gwinnett County Parks:

Gwinnett Largest Park Opens with a Celebration and Miles of Trails to Enjoy!

Posted by admin on March 17, 2009  |  1 Comment

Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation (GCPR) will celebrate the grand opening of Gwinnett’s largest park to date, Harbins Park,  on Sat., March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with festivities for all to enjoy!

Before the celebration begins, equestrian groups will hold a special trail ride at 8 a.m., and the celebration will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by free activities including hay rides, pony rides, bike safety demos, face painting and crafts. Representatives from local equestrian and mountain biking groups will also be on-hand throughout the day. Food concessions will also be available for sale.

“This is a great addition to this community and to Gwinnett County’s number one park system,” said District 3 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau, who will also hold his monthly ‘Meetings with Mike” that day at the park. “That we were able to preserve this property that offers miles and miles of all types of trails is amazing and a testament to the citizens of Gwinnett to preserve greenspace.”

Overall, Harbins Park totals 1,960 acres, with this first phase encompassing the 1,289-acre passive portion of the park featuring a 3.8-mile paved multi-purpose trail, miles of soft surface trail with sections for horseback riding (7 miles), mountain biking (7 miles) and hiking (3.8 miles). The park also has a tri-level playground, large rustic pavilion that will be available for rentals, restrooms, and an equestrian-only parking area.

“Once again, we need to thank Gwinnett voters for allowing us to preserve valuable greenspace throughout the county,” said Board Chairman Charles Bannister.

Funding for Phase I was made possibly through the 2001 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and totaled $4.5 million in design and construction costs. Construction was managed by Moreland Altobelli & Associates and the contractor for the project was PatMac Contracting Co.
A second future phase is in the master planning stage and will include more active elements of a community park to open in the future.

“We have had a lot of interest and enthusiasm over Harbins Park,” said Sharon Plunkett, Division Director of Operations for Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation. “Everyone from hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers have been eagerly awaiting the opening.”

Harbins Park is located at 2995 Luke Edwards Road in Dacula. For more information, call 770.822.8840 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

Georgia Cycling Gran Prix Debuts in Gwinnett

Posted by admin on February 11, 2009  |  No Comments

Georgia Cycling Gran Prix, in less than 30 days, will make its racing debut in Gwinnett County, Georgia at the TopView Cycling Classic, and a week later, in Albany, Georgia and the Regions Bank Race Weekend.

The TopView Cycling classic will feature two challenging road courses on February 28 – March 1, 2009.  Day one takes place in Barrow County, featuring a rolling 7.1 mile loop in Winder, Georgia.  This course will be a great start to the Georgia Cycling Gran Prix and your 2009 season.

Day two is a familiar course to those who participated in the 2008 Cycling for Parkinsons Weekend.  This seven-mile loops course will make for a spectacular race as part of the first Georgia Cycling Gran Prix Event.  Winding through the back roads of Dacula, Georgia, this course features challenging, hilly terrain.

The Regions Bank Weekend is a two-day, three-stage race, beginning with a time trial and criterium in downtown Albany on Saturday, March 7, and a road race on March 8.  The time trial begins on the riverside street of downtown Albany.  With over ten turns in 3.1 K, the time trial will have riders ducking and diving and stomping on their pedals as they weave through the streets of downtown.

Competitors will revisit the TT course for the criterium – a figure-eight, 2 K course through Albany is an ideal course to test legs in the season’s first criterium.  Get your legs ready for the road race, as the 54.5 K loop will take racers through the Albany country.

This year’s Region’s Bank Race Weekend features an increased prize purse of $7500 and decreased entry fees from 2008, so go online and register at TrueSport.com!

For more information on races, scheduling, and registration, visit GeorgiaCycling.net.

YouTube Video from the 2008 Gwinnett Bike Fest

Special Need Parks in Gwinnett

Posted by admin on February 9, 2009  |  No Comments