Overview
Big Creek Greenway spans 26 miles, connecting Cumming, Alpharetta, and Roswell. The paved trail is currently open in three disconnected sections with a gap of a couple of miles in northeast Alpharetta and another short gap north of Cumming.
About the Route
Starting at the trail's northern endpoint in Cumming, the northernmost section begins on the northwest outskirts of Cumming at Canton Highway (GA 20) and the Spot Road Connector. From there, the pathway extends north for 2.5 miles, largely paralleling Spot Road, to the Sawnee Mountain Preserve (4075 Spot Road, Cumming), which offers hiking trails, a playground, picnic pavilions, a climbing area, and a visitor center.
Further south, the Forsyth County section extends between McFarland Parkway and north towards Cumming. This section of the route is heavily forested. A highlight is the passage through Fowler Park (4110 Carolene Way, Cumming), which has numerous recreational amenities, including tennis courts, soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds, and a skate park.
The southern portion (Roswell/Alpharetta section) runs parallel to and on the east side of, North Point Parkway. With the opening of the new section north of Webb Bridge, it now extends from the dead end on Marconi Drive (off Windward Parkway) south 8.6 miles to a parking lot at Big Creek Park off Old Alabama Road near Holcomb Bridge Road in Fulton County. There are restrooms at the YMCA and Kimball Bridge parking areas (Rockmill Park) and the southern end of Big Creek Park. Kimball Bridge also has a nice gazebo with picnic tables. Trail users can find a few nature trails as side excursions and plenty of wildlife viewing. Look for wild turkeys, green herons, and deer; also, be wary of copperhead snakes.
Because the trail encompasses marshy areas, flooding can occur, making the trail inaccessible in places. Check the trail's website for condition updates.
The Big Creek Greenway runs between 4075 Spot Rd. (Cumming) and 1600 Old Alabama Rd. (Roswell), with parking available at both ends.
Parking is also available at:
There are numerous parking options along the trail, see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
Pleasant trail through wooded marshlands, but the southern end (from about 3 mi. north of Fowler Park south) is largely boardwalk, which a bit dicey for thin-tired road bikes. Also, as of 10/2024 a bridge was closed at about 3.5 miles north of Fowler Park.
Worth the ride, super shady.
We’re from Charlotte, we have a trail similar to Big Creek (Sugar Creek), not nearly as long…we really enjoyed our ride and look forward to coming back.
Great trail to walk
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