Ben Burton Park in Athens, GA (Blog Hike #421)

Trails: (unnamed)

Hike Location: Ben Burton Park

Geographic Location: north side of Athens, GA (33.95795, -83.43652)

Length: 0.9 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2013

Overview: A short woodland stroll on the hillside above the Middle Oconee River.

Park Information: https://www.accgov.com/2953/Ben-Burton-Park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941375
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the north side of Athens, take SR 10-Loop to Tallassee Road (exit 15).  Exit and go north/west on Tallassee Rd.  Take Tallassee Rd. 500 feet to Mitchell Bridge Road and turn left on Mitchell Bridge Rd.  The park entrance is 0.6 miles ahead on Mitchell Bridge Rd. on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, then park in the only parking lot.

The hike: Consisting of only 32 acres on the east bank of the Middle Oconee River, tiny Ben Burton Park sits on the former site of a hydroelectric generating station.  The station was built in 1896, and it produced electricity until 1964.  In 1967, Georgia Power donated this land to Clarke County for development as a park.  The park was dedicated in October 1971 in honor of Ben W. Burton, Vice President of Georgia Power.

Nothing remains of the generating station, and today the park is best known for its river access and its large number of picnic sites.  For hikers, the park offers a short trail system on the wooded hillside above the park’s developed area.  While certainly not a major hiking destination, these trails make a nice lunch time or evening stroll and offer more solitude than you would expect so close to Athens.

Secluded picnic area near trailhead

              Start at the rear of the parking area by walking around a wrought iron gate and down a paved path that soon bridges a small stream.  Notice the pleasant cascades in this stream, and notice the secluded picnic area just beyond that is surrounded by short vertical rock cliffs.  This picnic area will constitute the end of our loop on this park’s trail system, though there are no signs to indicate it as such.

Cascades in creek

Continuing straight, the pavement turns to packed gravel as you pass picnic area after picnic area on the right and left.  The Middle Oconee River can be seen beyond a grassy area to the left.  Some interpretive signs tell about a streambank stabilization project designed to improve streambank health and decrease streambank erosion.  The river was high and muddy when I visited here, though during a drought it can nearly dry up completely.

Middle Oconee River

After passing through the developed area, you walk around a metal gate to enter the park’s natural area.  A short side trail left gives you the opportunity to access the river itself.  The main trail narrows and, at 0.3 miles, comes out at a power line clearing that also contains a sewer line, which it begins to follow.  A short cut trail exits right and climbs the steep hillside.  The short cut can come in handy when the trail in the power line clearing becomes overgrown, typically in the summer months.  If possible, stay with the path in the power line clearing. 

The trail eventually crosses the clearing, reenters the forest, and begins climbing, still following the sewer line.  About halfway up the hill, look for the unmarked return trail as it exits to the right.  If you continue following the sewer line, it comes out at a paved cul de sac on Chalfont Lane, but it does not form a loop from the cul de sac.  Thus, if you arrive at the cul de sac, you have missed the turn.

Hiking the return route

The return route is my favorite section of trail in this park.  The single-track dirt trail undulates gradually through nice broadleaf forest, which is dominated by oak, maple, and beech.  Ignore side trails as they exit right to return to the developed park prematurely and left to connect to a subdivision.  Traffic from the 10-Loop can be heard but not seen ahead of you.

At 0.7 miles, the trail begins a moderate descent to the unnamed creek you crossed on the paved path at the start of the hike.  Upon reaching the creek, the trail curves right to emerge at the picnic area described at the start of this hike, thus closing the loop.  A left turn on the paved path will return you to the parking area and complete the hike.