Run Suwanee

Peachtree Ridge Park (Suwanee, GA)

Four to five miles of mostly paved running trails wind through Peachtree Ridge Park in Suwanee.  The park is located near the intersection of Suwanee Creek Road and Wildwood Road near Peachtree Ridge High School.  Peachtree Ridge Park contains more-than-ample parking, restrooms, baseball fields, and playgrounds. 

The paved running trail is an out-and-back shoestring with three loops at the north end.  The winding paved path is a knee-pounding and Achilles-stretching adventure of short but steep and frequent hills.  The south end of the park has a dirt spur trail that leads past Lake Louella towards the school.  This offroad opportunity is only about 1/4 mile long.  The park is a testament to engineering with massive retaining walls shaping the ballfields and trail.  Some of these walls are over one hundred feet high. 

Peachtree Ridge Park is a good option for some hill training or variety from your normal course.  And while its running trail may be inferior to other Suwanee-area parks and trails, the fact that we have such options is a testament to the Gwinnett County Park System.  More information about Peachtree Ridge Park can be found here.

Sims Lake Park (Suwanee, GA)

  In October 2008, Sims Lake Park opened to rave reviews.  The 62 acre park is located on Suwanee Dam Road about one mile west of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.  The seven acre Sims Lake with its fountain is the centerpiece of the park.  A 1.2 mile paved trail winds through the woods and ultimately circles the lake.  The City of Suwanee must have had runners in mind in the creation of this  trail because each tenth of a mile is marked whether one is traveling clockwise and counter-clockwise.  The trail is moderately hilly.  On the east side of the trail is a spur that connects with the sidewalk on Suwanee Dam Road. 

 Sims Lake Park has adequate parking, water fountains, restrooms, pavilions, and a playground particularly suitable for kids about six and under.  An interesting feature of the park is the rock-enclosed stream that winds through the park to Sims Lake.  Sims Lake Park is another shining example of Suwanee's commitment to parks and greenspace.  And Suwanee's runners are primary beneficiaries of this commitment. 

While a 1.2 mile loop is not particularly long in running terms, it appears that Sims Lake Park will ultimately connect to Town Center, the Suwanee Creek Greenway, and George Pierce Park.  As a result, our running route options will continue to be varied and impressive.   

More information about Sims Lake Park can be found at the City of Suwanee's website here.