The Line Creek Nature Area is a 70-acre public land preserve off Hwy. 54
on the Fayette-Coweta County line along the western edge of Peachtree
City. It is one of two preserves within the city limits that are
maintained by the Southern Conservation Trust.
The other is the Flat Creek Nature Area. I've shown some photos of that
long nature area in previous entries
because the multi-use path system borders much of its eastern side.
The paths don't border Line Creek Nature Area but two spurs do provide
cart/bike/pedestrian access to it. There is a large parking area off
Hwy. 54 for passenger vehicles at the north end of the nature area and a
very small one at the southern end off Terrane Ridge in the
Planterra subdivision.

The creek is full of granite outcroppings, shoals,
and little cascades as it flows downstream.
I visited Line Creek by myself in mid-May on a pretty weekday morning to see what
was there and to hike most of the trail system.
I really enjoyed the beauty and serenity of the place. I want to show it
to Jim and take our two younger Labs there to hike but
other things have taken priority since then and I just haven't been back yet.
I imagine that it's very pretty in the fall with all the deciduous leaves.
Line Creek is open to hiking only. The SCT maintains mountain bike
trails at the Ridge Nature Area, another preserve on Hwy. 54 between
Peachtree City and Fayetteville.
A young couple enjoys a quiet
lunch beside the creek.
Besides not having to worry about bikes on the trails at Line Creek,
another reason it's a good place to take dogs is all the water --
the creek itself, with pretty shoals and cascades, a large pond near the
main parking area, and big Lake
McIntosh. We'll have to think about letting the dogs in the water,
though, because there may be a lot of lawn chemicals that have washed
into the creek, pond, and lake from developed areas upstream.
Still, the sometimes-rocky, rooty trails and pretty woods are a
peaceful, pretty place for people and dogs to at least hike.
Here's a map of the trail system, basically several loops and a long
out-and-back. The whole system is about four miles long. You can do
shorter variations:

I marked my route the day I hiked here in yellow.
You can read more about the nature area at the link below the quote
at the top of the entry. There are additional links to this trail map, a
trail brochure, directions to the nature area, and the land trust's
other web pages.
Following are photos I took during my hike on a weekday when few
other people were using the trails or picnic area by the pond. The
nature area is reportedly more crowded on pretty weekends and during
the summer when kids are out of school.
Note that the photo of water lilies that I'm using as the header for
each entry this year is from Line Creek Nature Area. I've included some
more water lily pictures below.
ENTRANCE & PICNIC/FISHING AREA
Before reaching the main parking area at the north end (near Hwy. 54)
of the nature area you'll drive past this new wetland area, where a
small island in the water serves as a safe nesting area for birds,
turtles, and other critters:

A trail across from the parking area leads visitors to the picnic area
by a stocked fishing pond. There are benches, picnic tables, a gazebo
(first-come, first-served), and pier:



Nearby is a small amphitheater AKA Council Circle, which is also
first-come, first-served if visitors want to hold an event here,
such as a birthday party.
The trail goes either right or left past the Council Circle. Right takes
visitors around the lake or down to the creek via the Ridge Trail. The
day I visited I decided to go left and take the white-blazed Creek Trail
down to the shoals.
CREEK TRAIL TO SHOALS & ALONG LAKE MCINTOSH

Beginning of the Creek Trail
This trail is deceptively smooth for a little while but quickly
becomes more gnarly with roots and rocks as it descends to the creek:

Smooth granite bedrock like this part of the descent could be
slick when wet but I didn't slide on anything the nice dry day I hiked it:

The first glimpse of the creek and shoals is very pretty, and
looks like a fun place to let kids and dogs play in the water:

View upstream
View downstream
There is another trail intersection here.
The Shoals Trail goes right and follows the creek to the north.
The Creek Trail turns left and follows the creek south as it flows into and
forms large Lake McIntosh, a city reservoir. I went that direction first.
The worst rocks to negotiate are in the section between the shoals
(above) and where the trail becomes more smooth above the lake. The
gnarly section is pretty short; it's worth the effort to keep
going toward the lake:


The creek soon enters the north end of Lake McIntosh.
There is a scenic rock outcropping with a good view of the water
and late-spring flowers in bloom:

Yucca blooms




The trail continues above the lake shore until it nears some
houses in the Planterra Ridge subdivision.
It crosses a wooden foot bridge and
ends at a very small parking area that connects to Terrane Ridge Road
and the multi-use path network:



I turned around there and retraced my steps about a mile to the
intersection with the Shoal Trail.
SHOAL, RIDGE, AND POND TRAILS
I hiked north along the creek on the scenic yellow-blazed Shoals
Trail, passing more interesting rock outcroppings, granite shoals in the middle
of the creek that kids and dogs would like, and the sites of two old mills that
were built in 1820 and 1824:



Two of the shoals photos at the beginning of this entry were
shot along this trail before it ascends the ridge back up to the fishing pond.
Just before the ascent the trail climbs over a large granite
slab where a man named Glen Allen carved a mule's head in 1984:

Locals call it Mule Rock.
From there I climbed up the Ridge Trail and wound my way back to
the fishing pond:
Pond Trail
You can reach the picnic and parking areas by going around
either side of the pond.
This isn't a "destination hike" but if you live nearby
or have guests from out of town it's a pleasant place to go any time of
the year on a nice day. If I get back there after the leaves turn bright
colors this fall, I'll add some more photos.
Next
entry: Casey Needs a Puppy (oh, my, what have
we done??)
Happy trails,
Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil,
Cody, Casey, and Holly-pup
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© 2017 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil