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Red Top Mountain State Park

Photo: Thomson200 / CC0 1.0 (Public Domain)

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Red Top Mountain State Park

Cartersville, GA · Northwest Georgia

About

A 1,776-acre peninsula leaning out into Lake Allatoona, Red Top takes its name from the iron-rich red clay that streaks its shoreline and once drew miners to dig the soil. More than 15 miles of trail thread the hardwood ridges, and the 4-mile Iron Hill loop runs flat and shaded for hikers and bikers along the water. When summer arrives, a sand swimming beach, boat ramps, and rental cottages fill up fast with Atlanta families forty minutes up I-75.

Highlights

1,776-acre peninsula on 12,000-acre Lake AllatoonaIron-rich red clay shoreline that names the park15+ miles of trail, incl. the 4-mile Iron Hill loop for hikers and bikersSand swimming beach, boat ramps, and lakeside docksRental cottages, yurts, and 90+ campsitesForty minutes from Atlanta up I-75

Getting there

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Curated guides that feature Red Top Mountain State Park.

Georgia State Parks18 places

Georgia State Parks

Georgia's state parks pack a remarkable range into one state. Up north there are deep gorges and the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast; in the southwest, a pink-and-orange canyon erosion carved out of old farmland; through the middle, mineral springs and CCC-built lodges; and down south, the wild blackwater edge of the Okefenokee. These are the ones worth building a weekend around, from the Blue Ridge to the coast.