Sweetwater Creek State Park: Hours, Fees and Directions

Water And Ice Safety: read this before you go

Short answer

Sweetwater Creek State Park is a 2,549-acre state park in Douglas County, near Lithia Springs. Park hours are 7 a.m.–Dark. Parking is $10 per vehicle per day or $70 for an annual ParkPass. Checked October 20, 2026 on its official page.

Hours

7 a.m.–Dark

Cost

$10 per vehicle

Where

Lithia Springs, Atlanta Metro

Dogs

Leashed, 6 ft max

Save To Pinterest

Minutes from downtown Atlanta, where a wooded trail follows the creek to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War, with a 215-acre lake and 15 miles of trails.

Plan it in three lines

Getting In
Parking is $10 per vehicle for the day, or $70 for the annual ParkPass that works at every Georgia state park.
Park 7 a.m.–Dark
What to Do
The official page lists Birding, Field Trips and Geocaching.
Leashed dogs welcome outdoors
Make It a Day
Pickett's Mill Battlefield State Historic Site is about 17 miles away. Coming up near here: "Faces of the Revolution Tour" in Atlanta.
6 events within 30 mi

Sweetwater Creek State Park Hours

Hours at a glance

Hours in a day

Park7 a.m.–dark
Office9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Hours may vary, please call the park for times.

A quick view of the usual hours. Seasonal changes and holiday closures are in the list below, so read that before you drive.

Park7 a.m.–Dark
Office9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Bait ShopHours may vary, please call the park for times.

What It Costs

Parking, by the visit

Day parking vs. the annual ParkPass, by number of visits

$70 annual ParkPass

Day parking is $10 per vehicle. Seven visits cost the same as the $70 annual ParkPass; from the eighth visit the pass is cheaper. Bars show what that many day visits cost in total.

Parking: $10 per vehicle per day, or a $70 annual ParkPass that works at every Georgia state park. Overnight guests pay the daily fee once per stay; parking is not included with a reservation (Georgia State Parks ParkPass page).

Where It Is and How to Get in Touch

Address1750 Mount Vernon Road, Lithia Springs, GA 30122
CountyDouglas (Atlanta Metro region)
GPS33.75378, -84.63900 (directions in Google Maps)
Park770-732-5871
Reservations800-864-7275
Official pagegastateparks.org/SweetwaterCreek

Dogs and Strollers

DogsGeorgia State Parks welcomes pets on a leash no longer than six feet, with the owner at all times. Pets are not allowed in park and historic site buildings, lodges, yurts, group camps, swimming areas or beaches (park rules).
YurtsThe park lists its 10 yurts as no dogs allowed.
StrollersThe park does not publish stroller rules. Paths range from paved walks to rough trails, so call ahead (770-732-5871) if you need a stroller-friendly route.

What’s at Sweetwater Creek State Park

Facilities the park lists: 215 Acre Lake; 10 Yurts (no dogs allowed); 5 Tent Campsites; 1 Event Room (seats 40) — call park to reserve; 7 Picnic Shelters; 1 Group Shelter (seats 150); 2 Fishing Docks; 1 Boat Ramp; Bait Shop — hours may vary, please call the park for times; 2 Playgrounds; Outdoor Fitness Equipment; Visitor Center; Museum; Gift Shop; Wi-Fi — available in the Visitor Center & Bait Shop; <!.

Things to do: Birding; Family Reunions — park approval required; Field Trips; Fishing — private boats allowed, electric motors only – Fish Attractors Map; Geocaching; Hiking — 15 miles of trails; Interpretive Programs; Picnicking; Weddings — park approval required; Park Paddlers Club; Jon Boat, Kayak, Canoe, Paddleboard, & Aquacycle Rental — seasonal; Textile Mill Ruins – history.

Accessibility: this site lends an All-Terrain Georgia Action Trackchair (free, reserve ahead), Enchroma color-blind glasses to borrow. How to book: free all-terrain wheelchairs at Georgia state parks.

Know Before You Go

Mill Ruins Notice: To protect the historic mill ruins and maintain safety, access to the interior is closed to all visitors except those on guided hikes (public and private), school field trips and for special events. Hikes to the exterior of the mill ruins are still available on your own and encouraged.

Events Coming Up Near Sweetwater Creek

Around Sweetwater Creek within 30 miles

State parks and historic sites

1Pickett's Mill Battlefield State Historic Sitestate historic site17 mi
2Allatoona Pass Battlefieldstate-run battlefield25 mi
3Red Top Mountain State Parkstate park27 mi
4Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Sitestate historic site28 mi

Events coming up

5"Faces of the Revolution Tour"Atlanta15 mi
6GARF After DarkFairburn13 mi
7Silent Night (The Atlanta Opera)Atlanta14 mi
8Stone Mountain ChristmasStone Mountain29 mi
9American Indian Heritage Symposium: "Beyond the Founding Story: Indigenous Histories, Archives, and Memory"Morrow20 mi
10Mannheim Steamroller ChristmasAtlanta15 mi

Straight-line distances from the site’s GPS point. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable. The same places are listed below.

On now through Dec 17“Faces of the Revolution Tour”, Atlanta (about 15 miles away)
On now through Nov 25GARF After Dark, Fairburn (about 13 miles away, from $50)
On now through Nov 15Silent Night (The Atlanta Opera), Atlanta (about 14 miles away)
On now through Jan 3, 2027Stone Mountain Christmas, Stone Mountain (about 29 miles away, from $37)
Nov 13American Indian Heritage Symposium: “Beyond the Founding Story: Indigenous Histories, Archives, and Memory”, Morrow (about 20 miles away)
Nov 14Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, Atlanta (about 15 miles away)

Events within 30 miles in the next 90 days from our Georgia event calendar, as of October 20, 2026; distances are straight-line from the site’s GPS point. The park’s own ranger programs and events are on the Georgia State Parks events calendar.

Nearby State Parks and Historic Sites

Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site (state historic site, Paulding County), about 17 miles away
Allatoona Pass Battlefield (state-run battlefield, Bartow County), about 25 miles away
Red Top Mountain State Park (state park, Bartow County), about 27 miles away
Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site (state historic site, Bartow County), about 28 miles away

More on It’s Georgia

All Georgia state parks and historic sites, by region
Georgia state parks compared: hours, parking, dogs and free accessibility equipment in one table
Easy hikes near Atlanta with kids
Atlanta Metro: more places to go in the region

Source: the Sweetwater Creek State Park page on gastateparks.org (Georgia Department of Natural Resources), checked October 20, 2026. Hours and fees change, so check the official page before a long drive. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will re-check it.

Safety Notice

Water And Ice Safety: Read This Before You Go

Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, beaches and ice can kill, quickly and without warning. Conditions change by the hour and we cannot see them from here. This page is general information only. It is not a safety assessment, and it does not say or promise that any place, water, ice or activity is safe.

We do not inspect, test, measure or monitor water, ice, currents, depth, water quality, algae, wildlife, access, closures or lifeguard staffing at any place we list.
Posted signs, closures, advisories, flags and the directions of rangers, lifeguards and the land owner or managing agency always override anything here. A place being listed does not mean it is open, legal to enter, or permitted for swimming, wading, boating or fishing, and does not give you permission to be on private land or private water.
Children and weak swimmers: the CDC says to assign a responsible adult to watch children closely and constantly in or near water, with no phone, reading, alcohol or drugs, and to use life jackets for children in and around natural water. It also says inflatable or foam toys are not safety devices.
Open water hides hazards. The CDC names currents, waves, rocks, vegetation and poor visibility. As general guidance (not from a named source), also expect sudden drop-offs, very cold water even on a warm day, submerged objects, boat traffic and changing weather. Never swim alone, and never mix alcohol with water or boats.

Emergency in the United States: call 911. Learn CPR, as the CDC recommends.

Not ConfirmedWe have not verified current water or ice conditions, water quality, access, swimming or boating permission, lifeguard hours, fees, rules or closures for any place on this page. The land owner or managing agency (a park, city, county, state or federal office, or the property owner) is the one who can confirm them. Ask them before you go.

Sources read on 8 November 2026: the Minnesota DNR ice thickness guidelines (dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/thickness.html, no page date shown) and the CDC drowning prevention page (cdc.gov/drowning/prevention, page dated 29 September 2025). Guidance can change and can differ by state and by place: check the current text and your local agency before relying on it. This notice is general guidance only. It is not legal, medical, rescue or professional safety advice, and nobody on this site is a lifeguard or safety professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for any children and pets with you, and you use this information at your own risk. Water, ice, weather and local rules change quickly and differ by state, county and property. To the fullest extent the law allows, this site, its owner and its contributors are not responsible for any injury, death, loss or damage that results from using this information or from visiting any place, water or ice mentioned here. If you do not accept that, do not rely on this page (see the Limits Of Liability in our Terms Of Use).

Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Sweetwater Creek State Park”, itsgeorgia.com/places/sweetwater-creek-state-park/ (updated 2026-11-09). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.

Getting In

What to Do

Make It a Day