Hard Labor Creek State Park (Blog Hike #236)

Trails: Brantley and Beaver Pond Trails

Hike Location: Hard Labor Creek State Park
Geographic Location: west of Madison, GA (33.66403, -83.60530)

Length: 1.9 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: April 2008, May 2013, November 2022

Overview: A pair of short, moderately easy loop trails through nice hardwood forest.

Park Information: http://gastateparks.org/HardLaborCreek
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=721644

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In east-central Georgia, take I-20 to Newborn Road (exit 105).  Exit and go north on Newborn Rd. which becomes Fairplay Rd just south of Rutledge.  Take Fairplay Rd. north 6 miles to Knox Chapel Rd. and turn left on Knox Chapel Rd.  Take Knox Chapel Rd. 0.3 miles to the park entrance on the right.  Take a sharp right to enter the park.  Park in the large blacktop parking lot on the main park road just beyond the visitor center/Trading Post.

The hike: Located about one hour east of Atlanta in extreme western Morgan County, Hard Labor Creek State Park comprises 5804 acres of rolling abandoned farmland.  The creek’s name likely reflects this agricultural background, as these farmers would spend hours of hard labor each day in the fields, a hot and grueling job especially in the summer time.  Today, labor of a different sort takes place on these grounds, as the park is home to The Creek golf course, one of the best golf venues for its price range in the state.

            For those not wishing to labor around a golf course, other more leisurely activities can be found here as well.  In addition to the campground, 20 cottages, and several picnic areas, the park is home to over 15 miles of horse trails.  Indeed, as I drove into this parking lot, I passed three trucks with hitched trailers loaded with beautiful horses soon to be headed for these trails.  For those who are not equestrian inclined, a pair of short nature trails allow one to explore these nice woods on foot.  Moreover, these two trails can be combined into a short, pleasant 1.9 mile hike featuring several habitats and some nice old-growth forest.           

Trailhead-Brantley Nature Trail

            The Brantley Nature Trail begins on the left side of the campground road behind the play equipment about 250 feet from the Trading Post.  A red wooden sign stating “Brantley Loop Trail: 1 mile” marks this point.  The yellow-blazed trail heads into the pine forest which quickly turns into a young hardwood forest.  At 0.15 miles, the trail passes a large rock outcrop on the right and then drops steeply to arrive beside a small stream that feeds Lake Brantley.           

Large rock outcrop

            At 0.25 miles you reach the beginning of the loop portion of the Brantley Loop Trail, which goes straight and left.  To get the part of the loop closest to the campground over earliest, I took the trail to the right and returned on the left one.  The trail climbs gently away from the creek as the campground comes into view uphill to the right.  At 0.4 miles where a spur to the campground exits right, the trail curves sharply left, crosses the creek on a wooden bridge, and climbs moderately to arrive at the beginning of the red-blazed Beaver Pond Trail, which exits right.  If desired, you could forego the Beaver Pond Trail and hike only the Brantley Loop Trail for a hike of 1 mile, but since the Beaver Pond Trail contains the best forest of the hike, you should turn right and begin the Beaver Pond Trail.           

Beaver Pond Trail

            The Beaver Pond Trail climbs slightly with Brantley Lake in sight downhill to your right and the hillside climbing to your left.  This section of forest is some of the nicest of the hike, as some large maple and oak trees can be found along this hillside.  The trail undulates as it crosses some tributaries to the lake on wooden footbridges and soon begins treading above the backwaters of the lake.  I did not see any beavers on my visit, but this is the type of terrain where you would be most likely to find them.          

Brantley Lake

            Upon reaching the end of the marsh, the trail curves left to begin paralleling a small feeder stream gradually uphill.  At this point there is a pleasant water slide in the stream to your right.  After following the stream for about 400 feet, the trail curves left again and completes the climb away from the lake. 

Up until now water has been in sight for most of the hike, but now the Beaver Pond Trail assumes a highland course through younger forest probably not more than 50 years old.  Though lacking the larger and older trees, this area provides a nice change of scenery, and you are more likely to find a breeze up here on the ridge than down by the lake.

After a short walk through the younger forest, the trail begins descending the ridge back into the more mature forest, and the pond comes into view downhill to your left.  1.4 miles into the hike, the Beaver Pond Trail ends at the Brantley Loop Trail no more than 100 feet from where you started the Beaver Pond Trail.  Turn right at this intersection to continue on the Brantley Loop Trail.

Returning on Brantley Loop Trail

            Now on the west side of the stream you walked along earlier, the Brantley Loop Trail at first descends as the outbound portion of this trail becomes visible both below you and to the left.  Just when you think the loop is about to close, the trail curves right and heads uphill at a moderate grade for one last bit away from the creek.  After a long, gradual left curve, the trail descends moderately with a small, steep ravine to your right. After crossing one final bridge, the loop is closed.  A right turn and 0.25 miles of retracing your steps remain to finish the hike.