Laurel Ridge Trail (Gwinnett County, Georgia)

As I have a release late tonight, I thought I would start work a little late this morning and get in a few trail miles near home. The Laurel Ridge Trail along and around the southern shores of Lake Lanier seemed like a good destination. It's only about twenty miles from my home. While I've lived in Georgia for several months now, I've yet to visit Lake Lanier, a large reservoir made by damming up the Chattahoochee River.

The drive the trailhead is uneventful and I easily find a parking spot on this early Tuesday morning. The trail is a combination of paved walkways, well groomed soil, and a few short boardwalks and bridges. The first half of the trail follows the shoreline, darting into the woods here and there. As seems to be the case this time of year in this part of the country, the humidity is tangible, and before long, I'm sweating like crazy.

This lake seems to offer a number of recreation facilities. As I make my way around this loop trail, I wander through several picnic areas and even find a small cove with a sandy beach and barricaded swimming area. All of the facilities seem to be very well maintained, leading me to believe that this would be a very popular area for families during a normal summer, which this most certainly is not. The COVID-19 Pandemic and large number of police reform protests around the country over the past month have discouraged many from outdoor recreation.

I do encounter a few animals while on the hike. I find a a small flock of Canadian geese (several adults and two youngsters) searching for food along the shore of one of the many little coves. I also encounter a doe trail-side. She's timid, but doesn't run off as I cautiously approach. It's always great to see wildlife while in the great outdoors. It speaks to my soul.

After leaving the shoreline, the trail enters a bit deeper into the woods and at one point crosses through one of the channels cut for electrical wires. Here the tall grasses have taken over and I'm cautious of snakes as I wander through. A few more hills and I pop out at the dam, where several people are fishing the escaping waters of the Chattahoochee.

Finally arriving back at my jeep, my timing is just about perfect. Just enough time to get home and take a shower before my first virtual meeting (not that my co-workers could smell my sweaty stench). The trail was just about 5.4 miles in length and surprisingly enjoyable given it's proximity. I'll have to continue to look for nearby trails like this one that I can knock out some miles on in the early mornings before work.