Trails & parks · Athens-Clarke County

Sandy Creek Park

What to know about Sandy Creek Park, where to get on, a map, and the homes for sale within a real 20-minute walk.

Homes nearby See the map

About Sandy Creek Park

Sandy Creek Park is Athens-Clarke's biggest park: 782 acres wrapped around 260-acre Lake Chapman in north Athens. People come for the swimming beach, boat and paddleboard rentals, fishing, disc golf, dog parks, playgrounds and more than 12 miles of dirt trails, including a loop around the lake.

You can't walk from the park to Sandy Creek Nature Center right now: the stretch of Cook's Trail between the Oxbow Loop and the nature center is closed.

Size
782 acres, with 260-acre Lake Chapman
Trails
Lakeside Trail loop (about 7.5 to 8 miles), Cook's Trail and Oxbow Loop (5 miles out and back), Buckeye Horse Trail (4.2 miles one way)
Surface
Natural, packed dirt; no bikes on the trails
Hours
8 am to 6:30 pm, closed Mondays
Cost
$2 a person (under 4 and 65+ free); annual passes available

Along the way

What you’ll pass

  • Swimming beach on Lake Chapman
  • Boat ramp and canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals
  • Fishing
  • Disc golf
  • A free public dog park plus private dog parks to reserve
  • Playgrounds, ball fields and picnic shelters
  • Amphitheater

Getting there

Entrances and parking

Main entrance400 Bob Holman Rd., AthensParking · RestroomsDirections →

Map

Sandy Creek Park and homes nearby.

© OpenStreetMap contributors

    The green area is the park as mapped on OpenStreetMap. Walk times follow real sidewalks, paths and streets at an easy 3 mph.

    For sale now

    Homes within a 20-minute walk of the park

    Measured on real sidewalks, paths and streets at an easy 3 mph, to the nearest place you can actually get onto the park. A creek, fence or highway in the way counts against a home, so straight-line distance isn’t used.

    315 Rocky Drive9 min walk$267,500315 Rocky DriveAthens, GA3 bd · 2 ba · 1,209 sq ftListing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty
    140 October Woods Drive15 min walk$345,000140 October Woods DriveAthens, GA3 bd · 2 ba · 1,088 sq ftListing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty

    Sandy Creek Nature Center → North Oconee River Greenway → All trails & parks → Walkable neighborhoods →

    Sources

    Facts about Sandy Creek Park come from the sources below, checked October 2026. Hours, fees and trail closures change; check with them before you go.

    Listings from Georgia MLS as of October 22, 2026; homes and condos only. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Map, trail and walking routes from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors).