It would be wonderful if every community had access to a trail system but we all know that isn’t possible. But Forsyth County hit the mark with their planning of the Big Creek Greenway. Basically it’s a 12 foot wide path, concrete in some areas and boardwalk in others, that works it’s way along Big Creek in Forsyth County.
The first three phases of the Big Creek Greenway are planned to open in August 2009 and will run approximately 7 miles. Phase IV and V will not be started until 2010 and will take approximately 18 mos. to build out, but will give many communities easy access to the trail. These final two phases run approximately 8 miles, making the entire trail system 15 miles, providing a perfect setting for walking, jogging, inline roller blading, and biking.
With maps that don’t provide the level of detail I would like, my attempt is to describe the entire path and identify the communities along the way that might have easy access to the Greenway. Each community is a Home Search Link for anyone who may be interested in buying a home in a community that would give them easy access to the Greenway.
Phase I of the Big Creek Greenway in Forsyth County starts at McFarland Road just north of Shiloh Road. It’s path takes you along Big Creek just on the east side of Shephard’s Pond and only 1/4 of a mile south of the entrance to the new community of Wallace Run, then just past the communities of Shiloh Battle and Shiloh Creek. The end of Phase I and second access point is at Fowler Park on Hwy 9, right next to the community of Longwood.
Phase II is a bit shorter, again running along Big Creek from Fowler Park, just south of the Oakmont Community and Dressage. Phase II ends with an access point on Majors Road just south of the Polo Fields Golf and Country Club.
Phase III, another short section, takes you around the Polo Fields Community and their golf course and ends at an access point just south of the entrance to the Coventry Community and just north of Big Creek Township and Forest Brooke on Bethelview Rd. This is the future location of Bethelview Park which is currently still being planned but will probably have easy access from those communities. Coventry has asked for a spur from the trail, giving those home owners direct access from their community.
Phase IV will continue along Big Creek west of Wade Valley and in between the communities of Barrett Downs and Castlebrooke. It travels just south of the Thorngate Community but a spur will be built going into the common area of Thorngate which gives this community their own access point – I think that is great – and ends just east of the entrance to Thorngate and west of the entrance to Sienna on Kelly Mill Rd.
Tags: Big Creek Greenway, Forsyth County
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:01 am
Mr Strader,
I must correct you concerning the proposed path of Phase V. Currently the county is planning to bisect both of the communities of Highlands at Sawnee Mountain and Mountain Valley Estates with the trail cutting through the neighborhoods. A far cry from spurs that grant direct access to other communities, this plan actually travels between homes, uses existing sidewalks and brings trail goers within 5 feet of neighborhood amenities. The proposed trail head would be located inside the Highlands, inviting a substantial increase of car traffic into a neighborhood with only one point of egress. Up until this point it seems the county has made an effort to build around communities, connecting them with convenient access points. This last phase deviates from this plan, creating potential public safety hazards for both residents and joggers/riders alike, and disrupting the support from residents that would otherwise welcome further recreational development of their county lands.
I would very much appreciate it if you were to update your website with this information in an effort to accurately represent the intent of our county commission.
Many thanks,
Eric Laing
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Eric,
Thanks for the comment and for reading. I’ve gone back to the current propsed trail path on the counties website: http://www.forsythco.com/pdf/f.....eenway.pdf and the route clearly goes around The Highlands at Sawnee Mountain and does go through part of Mountain Valley Estates. I’ll follow up with the county and if it is different than what they have showing currently I’ll update my post. I appreciate the feedback.
Bob Strader
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Bob,
Thanks for posting my comment. Here is a lin to the Forsyth County Government site with the most recent posting about the project.
On June 2nd a meeting was held at Sawnee Elementary to display the current proposed plan. Map image #2 (it is very large) shows the path going through both the neighborhoods I mentioned. I have second hand information that the developer of the Highlands donated property to the county that would enable it to construct another trail head.
Eric
June 23rd, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Eric, you’re right. On that page is a “Phase 4 & 5 Fact Sheet” that verifies what you are saying. I’ll have to contact the county and see if that is set in stone yet. I do think it’s a plus for a community to have a trail spur or access point though. I’ll update my post. Thanks again for pointing that out.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Do you know of any plans to connect the Forsyth County path with the existing Alpharetta greenway? How long will the entire path be? Do you know when the Forsyth path will open? This is a FANTASTIC ammenity!
August 7th, 2009 at 8:09 am
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August 16th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Mr. Strader, I am an onsite sales agent for Atreus Homes. Currently, I am selling the new homes community Wallace Run located on Union Hill Rd in Forsyth County. I’m new to this area but it appears as if the trail is only a few feet from our community. Would it be possible to add my community to your “list of communities” that will have easy access to the trail? Although it does not go through the neighborhood it is a great value to anyone living this close to the trail as Wallace Run is. I welcome you to visit the neighborhood and give me your opinion on the location. Thank you in advance.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Deangela, I’ll definitely visit the neighborhood and I’ll add it to the list of communities with close access to the greenway. Thanks for the info and thanks for reading!
January 15th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I am very surprised how little advertisement this trail has gotten…when I go on it’s site all I get is a plat not an understandable map with how to access the trail if it doesn’t go thru your neighborhood. My biggest problem right now is simply how to find it. I drive by it on Hwy 9 but where do you park?? Anyone knows????
January 15th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Annica, I’m not sure if there is parking yet at Fowler park, on Hwy 9, but I do know there is parking at the beginning of the trail on McFarland.
April 18th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Hi. I ride all trails around Atlanta in a 50 to 100 mile area. I have a background in construction and would like to work on connecting the Greenway from Mcfarland to Webb Rd.Or design and plan other areas. Any advice for me? Thanks!
July 11th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Hi. I was wondering if there is any validity to a conversation I overheard in a cycling shop that the Greenway will eventually come to Pooles Mill Park (Pooles Mill Rd.). Do you know if this is in any real plans or just a rumor?
I live near Polles Mill and am hoping they were right!
Thanks,
Emily
July 12th, 2010 at 6:45 am
Hey Emily, I am not aware of the Greenway going out to Pooles Mill Park, although that would be a great idea! My understanding is that it will end at Sawnee Mountain Preserve.
April 26th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
http://www.forsythco.com/image.....0Edits.pdf
This link shows the current Comprehensive Land Use Plan on the Forsyth County website. In fact there is a meeting this week to collect public comment. The green dotted line appears to be the Greenway and it does not go “through” The HIghlands at Sawnee Mountain. It does however show the Greenway going around the community on the back side and COULD certainly accomodate a community access point, like a few communities already have (which I would be in favor of). I am the new homes agent in the community of Highlands at Sawnee Mountain and I have not seen or heard any information that shows the trail going through the community of Highlands.
January 30th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Hey,My husband and I are planning on moving up to the Cumming area and want to live in a neighborhood that has a spur, so that we have direct access to the greenway. I noticed that this is a couple of years old. Do you have any updated info on what neighborhoods have spurs?Thanks!!