Bowmans Island to Laurel Ridge at Buford Dam (Forsyth and Gwinnett Counties)

 

Miles, miles, and more miles - that's what I need right now. With a couple of big backpacking trips coming up in the coming months, I'm doing everything I can to get in shape for them. That means lots and lots of running and hiking. I got a good hike in yesterday and I ran a virtual 5k this morning, but that's not enough. To add to the tally, I decided to hike with the meetup again today on a trip the organizer referred to as the Really Secret Trail at Lanier Lake. With all of the rain we had last night though, our plans were forced to change a bit and we ended up hiking a combination of the Bowmans Island and Laurel Ridge Trails, crossing over the Buford Dam, which holds back the large man-made lake from the lower Chattahoochee River to link them. I've hiked both of these trails before, but never connecting them this way. It should be fun.

Our large group met at the Lower Overlook within the Bowmans Island Unit of CRNRA. While there was some confusion on the actual parking lot to meet at we got it sorted out for the most part and after our customary quick round of introductions, we were off on our muddy adventure.

The sustained rains overnight have turned the trails here into a muddy, slippery mess. We persevere though and manage to make our way all the way to the southern end of the unit. Here, we divert slightly to walk around a fish hatchery, which is quite interesting. The large long tanks contain thousands of trout separated in sections by their relative age. As I understand it, the fish here are used to stock area lake and streams for fisherman. Walking around the back, we find a large mucky pond, complete with a large group of black vultures hanging around.

From here, we head back the way we came doing our best to not slip on the mud, but that proves to be near impossible and a couple of people slip and fall. Luckily, nothing is hurt beyond their respective pride. Returning to the parking area, some hikers decide to leave, but as many of us are wanting to get more mileage in, we had across the dam and up the steep staircase to arrive at the Laurel Ridge Trail. This trail offers some nice views of Lake Lanier. 

Here we knock out another three or four miles before deciding to turn back. When we re-arrive at the parking area, several members suggesting hitting a nearby brewery for some food and fun. I'm encouraged to go and while it really is tempting, I've got other plans this evening and I need to depart. I was able to get in almost exactly 10 miles on this hike, bringing me to a fairly respectable number for the weekend, but I'm not quite done yet.