This is excellent training trail for hikers. For some reason, I always feel fatigue on this trail, maybe because of gravel road surface or more uneven elevation changes. read more

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AHHHHHHHHHH ..... ‍‍!!!! Met up for a group hike and this trail did NOT disappoint. Even on a cloudy morning, the trail was well populated. And even after a heavy rain, the hike was manageable and not too muddy. 10/10 for sure in regards to incline, views and doability. read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

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Love the hike here to the Indian Seats! There is a full 3.5 mile loop, but to get to the Indian seats it's just a quick 1.5 miles. Such a beautiful but short little hike up, and the trail itself is very wide and accommodating to a lot of foot traffic. It does get a bit busy on weekends, but still worth it! The only downside is that because it is preserved, dogs are not permitted and could lead to a fine. Definitely friendly for littles and families, but you should obviously be cautious as you get to the top by the rocks and seats. There is also a nice fenced deck/pavilion that you can hangout on and enjoy a break during your hike. read more

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I hiked the Indian Seats trail today with a bunch of folks from my Meetup group. Although it was a rocky and steep trail, I enjoyed it, especially the view at the Summit. ** PRO tip from All trails: Get an affordable hiking boots ** Location and parking: Finding the preserve and getting parking were very easy, thanks to the signage at the front. According to park rules, dogs and bikes aren't allowed (Sorry Pet owners :( ), probably owing to the steep and sharp rocks throughout the trail. Hike length & pace: The Indian seats trail was 3.8 miles long and took roughly 2.5 hours to complete at a moderate pace. I recommend taking ample breaks to those relatively new to hiking due to the inclination that can get hard at times. My verdict: Although the trail was unpaved and a part of the wilderness, it looked well maintained with hardly any fallen logs poking out or unclean-looking spots. This trail is good for both solo hikers and those going with a group. read more

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Put your hiking boots on and step into nature! Sawnee Mountain Preserve in Cumming, GA is a free destination of health and wellness! There is nothing in life that will relax you more than a peaceful, scenic hike with beautiful views! On a clear day you can even spot Stone Mtn from Sawnee Mtn hiking trails! There are three different entry points for this park. Depending on entry point the total hike can be 3 miles or a 1.9 mile short hike. No matter how you start the trail you'll will be transcended to heights and the beauty of Mother Nature in her full glory on a fall day when you reach the top called the Indian Seats! Views for miles and miles! Best way to spend a day = Take a picnic or do yoga at the top of the Mountain!! Trails are all clearly marked. Forsyth County has the best parks in Georgia!! read more

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I really enjoyed this hike, when you get to the top the view is amazing. I've been twice and they expanded the parking lot, the parking is free. This is a good hike for all ages, I only needed a couple of breaks to get up and down the trail. read more

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Great way to spend an afternoon with the kids. We hiked to the Indian Seats and enjoyed the view. My 3 and 6 year old did well on the hike as it's not too challenging. With them stopping for water and to play with leaves and jump off rocks, our round trip top to bottom was about 1 1/2 hours. Then we drove across the street to the other trail head area where they have a playground. The bathroom near the playground was gross but the bathrooms on the Sadie where the Indian Seats are cleaner. read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - Little kids playground too - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

After living in Cumming for two years, we finally visited Sawnee Mountain Preserve in August. We brought our friends who were visiting from out of town. Parking is free and easy and is right by the visitor's center. Be sure to stop by the visitor's center to learn more about Sawnee Mountain Preserve and the activities and classes they offer. They also have clean restrooms! The trail is mostly shaded and is a fairly easy hike. There are lots of uphill areas to give your cardio a little push. I found myself out of breath a few times, but before you know it, you're at the top of the mountain to what they call the Indian Seats. It offers a stunning view of Forsyth County and the North Georgia Mountains. No bad seats there! Our entire group loved the hike and the views. My son especially loved sitting at the edge of the rocks and trying to give me a heart attack. We are looking forward hiking this trail and over and over! read more

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This is a neat county park in Cumming. Great visitor center, hiking, climbing wall, tree house area, picnic area, garden. We use it for hiking. There are two hiking areas: Mountainside and Indian Seats. The most popular is Indian Seats with great views on lookout platform at the top with views of the North Georgia mountains and neighboring areas. Mountainside is less busy and has become our favorite (see pics). No dogs allowed. Lots of rocks and roots so take care hiking. Two parking areas: Spot Rd near the visitor center and Bettis Tribble Gap Road. We park at Bettis Tribble Gap Road as it gives us hiking access to both sides of Sawnee. Free parking at both areas as this is a county park. We ended up doing about an eight mile hike here with some good elevation. We started on the Mountainside doing a figure eight there, the cross over trail on the figure eight will get your heart pumping. Then we did the Indian Seats side for the view. We wanted to do the Church Trail but it was closed due to blown downed trees, but hopefully this will be cleared soon. We have been here numerous times and it is always a pleasure. Sawnee is a real gem! read more

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Whether you are a casual hiker, serious hiker, young couple, older couple, family with kids or just want some solitary time this is a great trail. It is not easy nor is it difficult. Just the right amount of elevation change and once at the top you won't find a better view. Especially when considering how close this trail is to Atlanta and its suburbs it truly is a great place to spend half a day outdoors. The trail is unpaved, but still includes amenities such as restrooms and a visitor center. It is well marked with clear and helpful directional signs all along the way. It is always in use throughout the week and most active (crowded) on the weekends. In the summers when the days are longer, I'll drive up from north Fulton County during the week after work and get a good couple of hours with a view before dark. :) read more

August 29, 2020 The trip to Sawnee was spurred by Kevin G's review who is also a running buddy and so we went. We first parked at the visitor center and got a picture next to the tall Bronze statue of Sawnee himself: a local Cherokee who was a skilled carpenter and farmer and had helped white settlers adjust to the native land now known as Cumming. Beyond the visitor center is a network of trails which will take you to the 1690 ft mountain top called Indian Seats, about 3.2 miles away so about 6.4 miles round trip. You can however drive the car to the back side of the park and hike up in less than a mile for a 2 mile round trip, which is what we did. But before venturing to Indian Seats we discovered the Fairy Trail, also behind the visitor center and very short, which is just wonderful for kids. Along this trail you see little fairy houses built by grade schoolers. The view at Indian Seats was breathtaking. You could see many of our 4K ft peaks in the horizons including our highest Brasstown Bald. Supposedly Cherokee held many spiritual ceremonies here. Hallowed ground so step wisely. After our hike we went across the street to park at the play ground before heading off to dinner. This was definitely a great park for the whole family to enjoy, and our little one definitely approves. read more

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------THE TRAIL ------ The hike to Indian Seats is easy and takes about 20 minutes. It's easy enough for young kids. The trail was not crowded at all and had families/solo runners. The views are breathtaking and worth it. I did the entire loop to the "treehouse" (a pavilion basically) and found a cute project by the local Girl Scout Troop of fairy houses scattered in the woods. This is located near the visitors center. The total hike including all the extra trails ended up being 4 miles. If you are an avid hiker and looking for something challenging, this is not the trail for you. ------LOCATION/PARKING------ If you put "Sawnee Mountain" into your GPS, you will end up on a scary narrow road with room for only one car on top of the mountain, so don't do that. Put "Indian Seats" or "Sawnee Mountain Trails". I parked at Bettis Tribble Gap Road which has enough parking for about 20 cars. read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - The view from Indian seats - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

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I haven't tried out the ropes course and all, but we have explored the trails several times. It's a wonderful hike that's relatively easy. The beginning of the trail has some cool garden areas and buildings to explore. There are multiple areas to access the trail and different paths. All of them are a good hike, but one of the trails is definitely easier. Make sure to review the trail rules and be courteous to your fellow hikers. read more

Once again, I have Yelp to thank for helping me discover Sawnee Mountain Preserve. It's closer to the metro Atlanta area than some other parks, and it's free! Reviews were helpful in deciding to hike the Indian Seats Trail (3.5 miles) and to park at the visitor center on Spot Road; there are a couple of other entrances on other roads. The Indian Seats Trail was well-maintained and pretty easy to follow. The views from the summit were terrific. The only bad thing was that an annoying woman was playing smooth jazz on her phone. We don't need a soundtrack, lady. Why are people so obnoxious? Anyway, there was a viewing platform a little ways away from the seats, and I got to see some turkey vultures flying relatively close. Speaking of turkeys, there was one traipsing around in the woods. The visitor center has some rocking chairs next to a peaceful turtle-inhabited pond: a pleasant post-hike place to chill. read more

Before today, I would give Sawnee Mountain 3 stars, but today, I discovered a trail that's not the average 30-minute Indian Seats trail, which bumps it up a star. To give a little background, I am a hardcore hiking fan and am always looking for new hiking places in the area and quite strenuous ones -- such as Yonah or Black Rock. I always hated coming to Sawnee because I thought Indian Seats was frankly... boring. Despite it probably being the closest mountain, I always opted to drive an extra 30 minutes to get to North Georgia, but my mom wanted to hike today and we couldn't go anywhere far, so we opted for Sawnee. We were looking on AllTrails, and we noticed that there is actually another trail that's about six miles and it connects with the Indian Seats Trail. All in all, the hike would be around 9 miles. We decided to take the route and began the hike. Indian Seats is the same old -- you walk up about 30 minutes and you get to the peak. Fun. But after that, you have to not turn back but keep going straight and following the map to get to the next part of the trail. We crossed the road and found another trail (Ridgeline & Mountainside Trail) where the children's playground is (This isn't at the Spot Rd entrance). We began the hike! A few things we noticed: - Not many people. Compared to the Indian Seats trail; we saw far less people and we liked it. It seems that either not many people know about this trail or they just prefer the easy one. It was quite calm to say the least. - Trail is rocky & unpaved. A majority of the trail is extremely rocky, bumpy & unpaved. It's probably not as well paved because it doesn't bring too much foot traffic. - The hike is LONG. Because we were already 3 miles in from Indian Seats, the remaining six miles were LONG and hefty. The course itself isn't too strenuous, but there are some deep inclines here and there so it's always good to plan. It also doesn't help that there's not a lot of people around. Overall, I'm so glad I was able to find this trail. My mom was definitely pooped after the hike, and I felt so rejuvenated and recharged after the hike. I want to return to do the hike more often, and the best part is -/ there's places to park at that children's playground area.. so maybe next time I'll skip Indian Seats and go all in on this trail! read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Well marked trails and a great place to adventure in northern Georgia! The nature center was closed when we went but looking forward to checking it out next time. read more

Awesome place to visit if you'd like a moderate hike outside of Atlanta. We drove 1hr outside of Atlanta to Cumming, GA to visit Sawnee for the first time. The hike it's self has 2 entrances/parking areas. One that's at the top which would take 45mins to 1hr to hike to the top and another that's mid way so it takes about 30-45mins to get up to the observation portion. We took the longer walk and it wasn't bad at all. Just hot! Also remember your bug spray because I did get stung by a bee :( Lastly, there are no dogs allowed in the park. We didn't know until we got there so Lola was fine this time but just remember the park rangers will stop you and there are signs as you enter! Otherwise it's a great place to enjoy! read more

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Wow, what a hike to get here but certainly a very nice place for incredible views! My friend suggested meeting here for an early Saturday hike, and I took her advice since she's an avid hiker. It's up in Cumming off Exit 16, and there are a few entrances to the park. The main parking area is where we went, and I was certainly shocked to see there wasn't any parking fees! After parking, you notice the well-maintained welcome center that hosts a play room (books, games, toys), bathrooms, murals, side activity rooms and a porch area with chairs overlooking a small pond with a water fall stocked with fish. Open to the public and pristine! We walked up to the start of the trail and veered left to hike up the mountain towards the overlook. To your right, you'll notice a tree house area for kids and the Fairy Trail. Word to the wise here: these trails are NOT good for running (tons and tons of roots and rocks) and bring a head lamp if you're hiking pre-dawn. The trail can get steep in some areas where it's a straight up hike, but then there are switchbacks to give you some rest. On the trail, you'll notice an old gold mine entrance that's gated off and some amazing scenery (including a bent tree). At the top, there is a lookout area where you can see three states. There is also a ledge that has some "seats" carved in the stone. The views are just flat out amazing from here and worth the hike. It only took us about 40+ minutes to get to the top. Overall, worth the trip and a great spot to bring the kids. No dogs are allowed here on the trails. Check it out! read more

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Great outdoor activity to do with friends or family. We made a day out of it and hiked until we reached Indian Seats. The view is breath taking and the weather was perfect. I took a few pictures, did some meditation, rested then worked out way back down the mountain. The bathroom was clean and tidy, unfortunately the visitor center was closed so we weren't able to go inside. read more

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This was an awesome hike and so close to Atlanta compared to where we have been going. We did a hike called I dian seats which takes you up to a high look out over the valley. It is super awesome! It is an moderate hike up the mountain, we were able to take our daughters push bike up although it was challenging at times and I wouldn't recommend doing that and I probably would t do it again. After the hike we went to the play ground across the street for more fun. I really liked this park and would love coming back! read more

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Our family visited for the first time and went hiking on July 5th since we had the day off. The Indian Seats site at the top of the mountain is a great view and well worth the hike up. Hike up is not too difficult, but recommend bringing plenty of water and some snacks to enjoy at the top. Entire trail is under tree cover so it doesn't get too hot. Recommend using the QR code at the base of the trail to have an interactive map to help you locate where you are on the trail. read more

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Beautiful views, safe for family hikes. Incline is not steep, it staggers which makes it easy to hike to the top safely.

We came here for a family hike prior to COVID, and it was not crowded at all. We parked in the main lot and headed up. The trail was nice and the elevation gain slight. There was a fairy village at the beginning that was done by a girl scout troop and my kids loved finding and looking at the houses. We hiked for over an hour and made it close to the top, but alas turned around since we did not want to be out there in the dark and my kids were getting tired. We did take the long way, so taking the shorter way we would have made it to the top without a problem. We'll be back and will park in the closer lot to take the shorter path to the top to see the view everyone is talking about! read more

This place has been the hidden gem of Forsyth for a very long time. Had scouts here every week for years. The park is always clean and inviting. The facilities are clean and functional. The trails are well maintained with blazes to let you know where you are located. The no dogs policy is nice because you don't have to worry about inconsiderate folks leaving behind what comes from the dogs behind. read more

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No No dogs allowed is not cool. Not a fan. Not very many people there, wonder why.. How about just no dogs at the park? read more

There are 2 areas to park. GPS will likely take you to the 'secondary' entrance- if you're just looking to hike the shorter loop to the lookout you should park here. Veer to the right of the gazebo/picnic area and that will take you to the Mountain View. Veer to the left and it will take you to the mine entrances, the treehouse/fairy house loop installed by a Girl Scout troop (super cute) and the 'main entrance' parking at spot road. The maps are incredibly confusing and there are a lot of forks in the path that have no markings at all. The path is beautiful and it's a moderate hike in terms of workout level, but the maps are unclear and we wished the paths were more clearly marked. Make sure to study the map well upon starting off on the path. read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - View from top of viewing area - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

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This is a really nice hike....and not far outside the city. It's in Cumming, and is a great hike for being so close to the city center. The trail is 4 miles round trip and not terribly strenuous. I saw lots of families with younger kids, and quite a few 60+ as well. Having said that, it's not so easy that it's boring for the avid hiker.....there are some inclines and rocks to work around, adding a little challenge. Overall the hike is beautiful all the way up, and the summit overlooks a breathtaking 180 degree view. That's a great area to eat a picnic lunch. Overall, it's a fun way to spend a weekend morning. Give it a try!! read more

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We visited for the West Extended Loop Trail which is approximately 5.3 miles. It was a beautiful first day of Spring and we sincerely enjoyed our hike. The elevation changes were challenging at times, which we enjoy, so it was a both a lovely day outside and a great workout. Win win. The trail was easy to follow - there are signs wherever the trail would split and markings on the trees. There are also some benches along the way which was a nice way to take a seat and enjoy the sounds of nature (and catch my breath). No spectacular views here, but through some of the trees you can see the city at some spots. We went in the early afternoon so there was plenty of parking and the trail was pretty empty with our arrival around 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. The one thing I would say is the trail is VERY rocky. We were wearing hiking boots and still slipped a few times when we stepped in piles of small rocks that all moved. We never actually fell down, but it is something to be aware of. I would definitely avoid this trail with regular sneakers as I imagine it would be hard on the ankles without the extra support. Otherwise, it was great and we will definitely be back. read more

If you're looking for a family friendly or just easy going hike not too far from Atlanta, go to Sawnee Mountain Preserve. For whatever reason, it's not part of the GA State Parks, so there is no parking fee (score)! As soon as you pull in, you'll see a huge parking lot with tons of picnic benches around, the trail map on one side next to where the trailhead is, and then an outdoor mini amphitheatre-like seating area on the opposite side. Oh, you also probably can't miss the "no dogs allowed on the trail" signs, as there are many. The trail itself is pretty easy. It's not paved, and there are a lot of rocks and random stumps in the middle of the trail, so watch your footing! The scenery is amazing throughout the entire hike though. I do wish there were more trail markers, as you just have the blue markers on the trees to rely on. The trail is easy to follow, but sometimes it's just nice to know how far into the hike you are. Mid-hike, you reach the observation deck. You can climb on rocks to enjoy the views, or you can go to the nicely built wooden deck viewing area. The trail loops around back to the trailhead. Overall, I'd highly recommend. You can be in and out pretty fast. We took the Indian Seats Trail, which was about 3 miles. We packed water just in case, but it's really not a strenuous hike, so you'd be fine without the gear. read more

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Nice hiking trails. Lots of options and we'll guided trails. The only drawback is they do not allow dogs on the property.

My second time here! Nice park, great view. Hike isn't terrible! This time I parked at the lot closer to the peak (listed at Bettis Tribble Gap Rd. on Google Maps). Less than 30 min to the peak, beautiful view. The elevation isn't too high so the view makes you feel still pretty close to the ground but there are plenty of rocks to sit on so no one feels left out when looking over the summit. Being an hour from the city and not that bad of a climb for someone looking for a breath of fresh air, this is a perfect mini-trip after if you can get off work a little early. My first hike I parked at the visitor's center (Click on Visitor's Center on Google Maps) and did the full loop (less than an hour to the Indian Seats and then less than an hour to get back). Not too strenuous of a hike, great for kids and beginners. read more

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This is always a fun place for the family. The fairy trail needs cleaned up, but it's fun for kids to look for fairies. The view from the Indian Seats is beautiful and peaceful. read more

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This park is a little north of Cumming and a little south of Dawsonville....exit 16 on 400. It took about an hour from Atlanta. This is really only for hiking only...no bikes and dogs are allowed. There was a police car on the premise. We did 4.8 mile hike (Indian Seats Trail and Bettis Trebble Gap) in 2 hours so it's an easy hike. If you just do Indian Seats Trail (up and back), it's 4 mile round trip. From the summit, if you descend (go over - not the same way up), then the trail becomes much steeper and eventually come to a second parking lot. Go through the 2nd parking lot and continue on (slight elevation) to the main visitor center parking lot with the statue. The forest is mostly oak and pine trees with slightly narrow trails at some places. Here's the DL. + Free parking (~40 - 50 stalls) and access + Restrooms and info center adjacent to parking + Kid friendly with a playground in the back + Moderate elevation gain (500 - 600 ft) with lots of switch backs = rocky trails with noticeable erosion...saw many people slide on dry rocky trails on the way down ++Blocked old mine on Indian Seats Trail ++Fabulous view from the summit (granite boulders aka Indian Seats) - who knew such vista existed in Forsythe County + Light crowd (lot of young children though) - Poorly marked trails There is a 2nd parking lot and bathrooms as well. I think most people we saws were those who live nearby as there were many families with children under 5 on their weekend outing. It was a good change of scenery and worth the hike for such a nice view. read more

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Park in the visitor area and check out the visitor center before going up or when you return. Four mile hike, two miles up. Some areas are a little bit of a climb but not very difficult, some areas are a little flatter. The trail is narrow but enough for people to pass. Mostly shaded over because of the tree canopy. Trail is decently defined and easy to follow. The view at the top is beautiful and there is a guide to which north Georgia mountains you are viewing. No dogs allowed. Good family walk. read more

Fun place to hike and take picture with friends or family. Good place if you need to get your steps in or just want to get some fresh air with a great view read more

Sawnee Mountain Preserve - Parks Near Me - Cumming, Georgia

Beautiful place to hike. The center offers excellent field trips for school age children.

Tip o' the hat to Kristin B for pointing out this jewel. Well-defined trails - the autumn leaves actually appeared to have been blown from the trail when I was here, making the footing surer. Not that it needed it. Much of the trail length is quite wide - wide enough for easy passing or side-by-side walking, if that's your thing. Well-marked trails - the map is accurate; the trail intersections are obvious and well-posted. You can't get lost here. You just can't. Accessible for most - heading up from the trailhead at the visitor center involves a moderate amount of effort, but from the other parking lot it's a bit easier. If you're reasonably abled, you should have no problems. Hiking in the morning around sunrise is nothing short of gorgeous. Along with an utter lack of people, the light coming over the hills and through the trees makes for a very enjoyable, serene experience. There was no one there when I arrived at just past 7 AM and I encountered only one person (a power walker who passed me, not to be seen again) all the way up to the Indian Seat observation deck. A few people were on the trail while I was coming down the other side. I now have five local hiking spots: this one, Kennesaw Mtn, Arabia Mtn, Sweetwater Ck and Chattahoochee NRA. Six if I include Mason Mill park, which I should. read more

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Great hiking! I wasn't sure what to expect so I parked at the visitor center. Started early morning and went up the Indian trail. It was about 4miles round trip. Easy trail to follow. Beautiful views at the top. read more

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Hands down best nature trail in the metro Atlanta areA. There are a few trails to choose from. This land is ancient land, established Cumming family donated it to Forsyth county years back. Great views and a serene forest with great terrain and the perfect size hills for a good workout read more

My family discovered this hidden gem several years ago and have enjoyed many hikes to the overlook. You can approach from either side of the mountain and enjoy several different tails to get to the top. Rocky trails with high use on the weekends. If you want a nice Mountain View , close to Atlanta you will enjoy. read more

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