Old Mill Park

The best part of this park is the bridge that leads to the main trail. It overlooks a river/​waterfall and it’s so serene. Understandably, there are people taking pictures with their families, etc., on the bridge so it can be difficult to pass by without being a photo bomber. The beginning of the trail was difficult for me, but once I got past that, it was a very stable walk. Unlike some other trails I have walked on, this one has many different paths. Some of the trees are marked, but I think it could get very easy to get lost and feel as if one is on the Walking Dead. I didn’t walk too long and turned back to the pretty waterfall where there were more people. I really enjoyed this park and look forward to returning in the future.

What a magnificent place. I was completely in awe of the beauty of this wonderful park. We found it when looking at a list of some of the most beautiful places in Georgia that are often overlooked. I’m so glad we decided to make the trek because it was well worth it.
You enter through an arch that welcomes you to the park and then immediately walk out onto an overlook. From there you’re able to look down upon the fast moving river beneath you and the beautiful bridge that covers it. Wow.
Watch your step as you walk down to the bridge as it’s a very steep incline but, don’t worry, if you’re in a wheelchair there’s a path to the right that’ll make getting down there much safer and easier.
Before getting to the bridge there’s a large mill that is currently closed but it’s beautiful to look at and the history of the mill and the park itself is displayed on markers/​plaques that you can read and enjoy.
I’ve already said it but I have to say it again, the bridge is so beautiful! It’s definitely something to see. Be forewarned though, lots of couples take engagement photos here as we learned the day we visited. We had to wait before getting on because they had a photographer and a whole crew shooting some very romantic shots. Awww…
**By the way, the park has several signs that explicitly state that professional photographers must get a permit from the city before shooting in the park so be prepared so you don’t get fined.**
When the shoot was over (they were quick about it) we got to leisurely stroll the short bridge, take our own little iPhone shots (no permit required:) and look down on the rushing water. We even spotted a bird (wish I knew the name of it) who was nice enough to pose for some photos for us. Nature at its finest!
The park also has trails that are accessible once you pass the bridge and go up the staircase. We didn’t get to try out the trails because we had a full day ahead of us but we plan to come back another time to enjoy them.
If you haven’t visited this park, you’re missing out! It’ll get even prettier in a few weeks as all the leaves turn brown, red and yellow!

Beautiful, something for everyone. The falls are fun, just sitting watching others is great. Bring a chair and enjoy nature. We went on the weekend. It was very busy.

I loooove this place! There are hiking trails as well as a waterfall! AND free parking!!! You should actually navigate to the Roswell Mill Club at 85 Mill St in order to get to the free parking lot. From there, you’ll reach the covered bridge and the trails.
Every so often, there are signs that tell you where you are on the trails. They’re a bit confusing, but the black outlined bubble on the sign is where you’re at.
If you want to go straight to the waterfall, take the trails that lead you downhill. The waterfall is beautiful and you can try to go for a swim (try because the entire floor area is slippery rock and the water is kind of gross tbh lol).
I’ll definitely be coming back!

If you do not want to travel to North Georgia to see a waterfall, look no further. Come here, in Roswell! Yes, that’s right, a waterfall in Roswell! I have a love for waterfalls. It’s been a while before I’ve gone hiking to one. Why? My kids got older and husband works weekends so the thought just never crossed my mind again. Most waterfall trips that I planned in the past, I would need a whole day to explore.
However, with Old Mill Park, which I’ve also found being called Vickery Falls is in Roswell so it won’t take me an hour to get there. It’s right in the heart of Roswell too, which made it very interesting. The parking lot is not huge. Go early.
The walk is not long at all. I decided to take a right towards the bridge and crossed it to only find a really confusing map which did not show where the waterfalls was. I even went up top more and found another map and it was the same confusing map. Yes, I was looking for «You are Here» but it was not there. There was another woman who looking at the map too. Of course, we both never have been there so we’re clueless. She told me that she was able to see the waterfall on the other side across the bridge and she wanted to see the waterfall on this side and decided to come. Because she told me about the waterfall on the other side, I decided to go back down but didn’t go to the bridge and saw another trail, which eventually took me to the other side of the waterfall. Ironically, the way the woman went also ended up where the waterfall is.
Since that trail on the other side (right side of the waterfall) is up higher than the actual waterfall, we were able to look down and see many people playing in the waterfall. I was surprised how crowded it was.
I decided to go on the other side of the waterfall, just cause. I was able to get a good view of the waterfall but it was too many people there. I wasn’t planning on going under the waterfall or swimming since I came there to just check out the waterfall and go hiking.
Overall, a great place to see waterfall despite the crowdedness. The hike is not strenous and very short. The history of the mill and the covered bridge are also worth coming.

From Norcross, it took me about 35 minutes to drive here. When we first came, it was really confusing, there were no maps to figure out where the waterfall was. But luckily it didn’t take us long, when you enter into the entrance to start your trail, hikers would usually take a right at the split of paths, go under a covered bridge and basically hike for awhile to get to the waterfall. We didn’t come for the hiking, we just wanted to go straight to the waterfall, so we followed the sound of streaming water, (which meant that we took a left at the split instead) it took us approximately 5 minutes to find the beautiful waterfall. If you come, make sure to go under the waterfall, there’s a cave for you to sit in! it’s awesome! the rocks can be slippery so be careful and take lots of pictures because the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I will definitely be returning!

This is a very nice park and partially under development, so it will get nicer as time goes by. There are some nice, easy hiking trails in the area to get a person out-​of-​doors for the afternoon. What they’re missing is signage — my friend and I first came there to hike to the waterfall we’d heard so much about, but good luck figuring out where it is unless you think to look at the sign at the very beginning of the park. After that one — nada. There are also signs along the hiking trails but they leave you pretty clueless too, so much to be done still on signage for the park. Still and all, it’s a pretty place to visit and spend a leisurely couple of hours.

I am staring to find out that Fulton and cobb county have tons of many hidden treasure in the forms of parks! Old mill park is no different. The waterfall is breath taking and it has a massive hiking trail that is built around the Victoria creek. This park is located next to the roswell mill

Covered bridges always remind me of the movie Beetlejuice. You know, when they swerve to dodge the dog on the bridge, and go through the side, and fall in the river and die. That wouldn’t happen here at Old Mill Park, of course, because you can’t drive on it, and I think it’s made of steel anyway, right? Oh and if I just «spoiled» Beetlejuice for you, you should be ashamed of yourself for never having seen it in the first place. Get with the program!
This is just super cool. Awesome ruins of history in a beautiful nature setting, 20minutes North of Atlanta.
The mill is so cool. You can’t get in or anything but it’s a a big olé’ brick building with boarded up windows. Just makes ya’ start imagining back to that time.
‘Tis true that professional photographers may not take photos of or in front of Old Mill Park without a permit. I’d imagine a ton of brides and grooms want photos here.
The short walk from the parking lot to the covered bridge is down a pretty steep hill, so I wouldn’t try to get a wheelchair down it, and maybe not even a stroller, unless you have good rubber sneakers, haha. I think there’s probably a longer, more gradual way to go down, too, like a rocky, dirt ramp-​like trail. There’s also a semi-​dangerous way down the rocks from the covered bridge to Vickery Creek. I saw three people hanging out with feet in the water, taking photos of each other.
The covered bridge also does have another end, but I didn’t exit the other side. It turns into a trail and leads up the side of a mountainy land mass :)
I didn’t have a ton of time, because I stopped kind of randomly, but I definitely want to go back!

I had the great opportunity to take a girlfriend up here for a surprise visit… when we pulled in the parking lot she was not a happy camper and wanted to just go home… :(I smiled and said your about to have the time of your life… Well once she heard the water there was no turning back at this point she was on a mission… We had not bathing suites or towels and she was not coming this far and not get into the falls for some modeling photos and videos… Awesome Day ???

This is a beautiful park/​trail. It has a lot of history about Roswell and the mill. I’m not really a history person but workers making 8 dollars a month really caught my attention as I started reviewing the postings. Its silly how you read about workers who worked their butts off
long for pretty much nothing and some of us TODAY complain about the workload yet making way more. Just saying.

I have a serious love for photography, nature, history and covered bridges, so this place is practically orgasmic in my book.
The town of Roswell is a place I haven’t spent a lot of time exploring, but I’m always delighted when I do come here because something new awaits me every time. So when I discovered pics of Old Mill Park online, I immediately made plans to spend an afternoon in Roswell. Aside from this and other historic sites, there’s an incredible array of restaurants. Several have been on my bookmarks list for over two years. Can you say: «two birds with one stone?»
HISTORY
Roswell Manufacturing Co. consisted of several buildings spread out along the banks of Vickery Creek (named after a Cherokee Indian women whom owned a farm along its banks). Most of the buildings that once stood here are gone, only detectable by the foundations that remain. I have ALWAYS found it fascinating to read about the history of old remains scattered about our country. Have you ever been driving in an urban area and seen an old chimney oddly in the middle of a field with no house attached, or an old wall that clearly looks like it was a foundation for something long gone? Ever wonder what it could have been?
The great part about this park is they’ve documented the history of the Mill on plaques throughout the interpretive trail. History tells us this was once the largest cotton mill in Northern Georgia, producing a variety of textiles all the way up until its final closing in 1975.
Construction for the first Mill began in 1836. Business grew so rapidly a second Mill was added in 1853. The Mill had its share of problems, one being the death of several workers from a mumps & measles outbreak. It also suffered from natural disasters like fires and floods, but the most notable setback was its seizure by Union troops during the Civil War. Roswell Mill was most famous for supplying the fabric used to make Confederate military uniforms. It was for this reason it became an important capture for the Union Army. All workers (mostly women and children), were charged with treason and shipped North to Kentucky & Indiana. Most had no means of supporting themselves and their fate is unknown, although it is believed several died of starvation and/​or exposure to the elements. There is a memorial near the Mill honoring these workers.
Upon orders the 2^nd US Calvary, under the authority of General William T Sherman, destroyed the mills. After the war, Stockholders voted to rebuild one of the mills and the factory was back in operation by 1867. The Roswell Manufacturing Company (RMC) was founded by Roswell King. He created an entire village for his business and workers, sometimes supplementing their income in times of low production. He built a town square, housing, schools, a general store and even had his own money for purchasing goods within his community. He referred to the settlement as «The Colony», but eventually this mill village became known as Roswell.
THE EXPERIENCE
Find Mill Street off South Atlanta St. (Hwy 9) and follow it until it dead ends into the parks parking area. The gravel trail is approximately ½ mile to the old stone dam, which is now a beautiful waterfall! Along the way you’ll discover all kinds of ruins like a hydropowered generator, remains of buildings long gone and a few buildings still standing. You can also see the iron flume of the raceway once used to supply fast moving water to the Mill. At the start of the trail is a gorgeous covered bridge. Built in 2004 from Douglas fir imported from Oregon, I believe it represents the bridge that was burned down during the Civil War to slow down the advancement of Union soldiers.
THE VERDICT
The hike itself is not much of a calorie burner and yet it still gives you an excellent sense of satisfaction by rewarding you with so many historic treasures along the way, capped by a beautiful waterfall at the end. Highly recommended.