Trails at Sandy Creek Park
| Trail Length: 7.5 miles Trail Width: 5-6 ft. on Eastern Shore | 2-3 ft. on Western Shore Surface: Compacted Earth Difficulty: Moderate Blazes: White Trailheads: Parking Lot 14 and 15 Restrooms Along Trail: Restroom 3 (Mile 0 at Lot 14) and Restroom 5 (Mile 5.5) Amenities Along Trail: Beach, Boat Ramp, Fishing, Picnic Areas 1, 2 & Boat Ramp, Picnic Shelters 1, 4, & 5 Connecting Trails: Buckeye Trail, Cook's Trail | Trail Map |
.jpg "Photo of the Parking Lot 15 Trailhead for Lakeside Trail at Sandy Creek Park.")
Lakeside Trail follows the shore of Lake Chapman. While the trail can be accessed from a number of locations in the developed areas of the park, the trailhead (mile 0) is accessed from Parking Lot 14 adjacent to Restroom 3 and Parking Lot 15 adjacent to Picnic Shelter 3.
From the trailhead, a 5 ft. natural surface trail follows the eastern shore of Lake Chapman north intermittently merging with and splitting from the Buckeye Trail. Just past the 3 mile marker Lakeside crosses the Ellen R. Jordan bridge over Sandy Creek and the wetlands at the north end of the lake..
Lakeside narrows significantly on the western side of the lake continuing along the shoreline to Parking Lot 12 and the Boat Ramp about a quarter-mile past the 5 mile marker. Cross the parking lot following signs for Picnic Shelter 1. Lakeside Trail splits off from the asphalt pathway just beyond the Boat Ramp Picnic Area near Restroom 5.
Continuing along the shoreline, Lakeside passes Picnic Shelter 4 and portions of the Disc Golf course in the woods above the trail. As the trail reaches the Beach (~6.5 miles) it merges with the asphalt service drive passing Picnic Area 2. At the end of the Beach, take the stairs just beyond the boat rental building down into Picnic Area 1 and continue along the shore.
On the southern end of the lake, Lakeside merges with Campsite Drive to cross the dam. A crosswalk at the far end of the dam indicates where Lakeside returns to the shoreline (left) connecting to Cook's Trail via a connector trail on the right side of the crosswalk.
From here, the trail runs another half-mile passing through the remains of the old campground before intersecting the connector trails that will return you to the trailhead.
.jpg "Photo of the trailhead for the Buckeye Trail at Sandy Creek Park.")
Buckeye Trail begins across from Parking Lot 14 just to the right of the horse mounting station and follows the park boundary northward to a dead-end furnished with a picnic table. This hilly trail provides forested views with occasional glimpses of Lake Chapman. Riders should always use the provided bridges when crossing streams. Riding through the creeks severely damages the banks leading to accelerated erosion.| As always, users in natural spaces are encouraged to use caution, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid hazards. Please report damaged bridges, downed or hazard trees, and maintenance issues with geo-tagged photos or by dropping us a pin to trails@accgov.com or by calling us at 706-613-3620. Keep up to date with closings and damages on our Park Closings page. |