Mill Creek Boardwalk to Woodward Mill Dam via Ivy Creek Greenway (Gwinnett County, Georgia)

The unpredictable weather patterns continue to interfere with my weekend plans again this week. Originally, I was going to be leading the Meetup on a float down through Helen, GA on the Chattahoochee River, but with rain in the forecast and some cooler temperatures, I decided to postpone that trip and hike a little closer to home. After reviewing some options, I chose to explore a new trail near the Mall of Georgia. I really don't know much about the Mill Creek Nature Area, but reviews suggest it is a nice experience even though the boardwalk is some state of disrepair.

The parking area is pretty small, but I found a spot and quickly got my bearings. It seems odd to be hiking in such a popular retail area, but lets see what this trail is all about. After descending a set of wooden steps down the steep hill from the sidewalk, I found myself on a pretty standard nature trail. This part of the trail is a loop and I decided to walk clockwise. The gravel and earth trail soon hits a boardwalk, which as I will find common on today's little adventure is covered with mud. I would guess that this entire area has been recently flooded, which has left the boardwalk a muddy mess. I do my best to maneuver, but it's incredibly slick and I nearly fall on my face numerous times.

Following the boardwalk through a thick, marshy environment, it leads out to an elevated observation deck. I climb the steps, again being very careful of the slippery mud. The deck is roughly forty feet above the marsh and offers some nice views of this wide open area. I had no idea this place was here and it seems odd to think that I'm standing in this natural environment probably less than a quarter-mile from one of the busiest shopping areas in the entire country.

Making my way back to the loop trail, I continue along the muddy boardwalk. Some of it is clear, but a good proportion is covered with the think goopy mud and I have to be very careful as I walk along this path. Soon, the loop comes around on an area with open water. I'm sure the brown muck is home to a zoo of snakes and turtles, but none are making their presence known today. I divert from the loop one last time to what is probably the muddiest section. This spur takes me out to the confluence of Ivy Creek and Little Ivy Creek, but the undergrown is too tall to allow much of a photo.

As I leave the boardwalk and get back to the gravel trail, I start heading west along the Ivy Creek Greenway. This section seems to have sustained some damage probably from the recent flood, but it's still safer than walking on that slippery mud. Before too long though, the trail passes over a sturdy bridge where a couple of teenage boys and their father are casting into the muddy creek. Turning the corner, the trail now becomes a paved path and passes under the highway. 

I hear a water feature and realize I'm probably at the Woodward Mill Dam, which is kind of hidden behind the greenery, but I find a path down to the water. This is a combination of manmade dam and rock outcropping over which the waters of Ivy Creek flow. There is also an old waterwheel here, which was likely used by the mill when it was still here in operation. It sits now rusting away, but offering a interesting picture.

After climbing back up to the paved walkway, I start heading back towards the parking area where I left my car. I pass a few more people along the way, but generally, this place doesn't seem very popular. I imagine the muddy trails have deterred people from exploring. At the car, I check my mileage and see that I got in just 2.7 miles. It certainly isn't much and I really need to start getting in some distance, but it was still a nice adventure to a new area.