This past Saturday (8.22.10) morning I decided to tackle the Vineyard Mountain Trail. This trail is located just south of Cartersville, GA. and can be accessed from two different trailheads. The first access point is at the Riverside Day Use Area located below Allatoona Dam along the shores of the Etowah River. The second trailhead is located on the right just before crossing Bethany Bridge into Red Top Mountain State Park. Today, I choose the Riverside Day Use (no fees) as my access point.
This trail was built and is maintained by the Eagle Scouts. There are two routes to take, a yellow blaze that is a moderate hike, and a red blaze that is just about straight up and over the mountain and as a result, is the most strenuous portion of the trail. The yellow blaze will take you to a great spot overlooking the Allatoona Dam and then onto a section through the forest and along side a great rock cliff. This trail will take you along side lake Allatoona and there are some great views. This trail is 2.8 miles one way. If you opt for the yellow blaze (the longest route) expect 2.5 hours of hiking time. This trail is a great trail for fitness and the red blaze trail is even better. I would recommend trekking poles and at least 1.5L of water for this hike. I use a Hydration pack.
Overall, this is a really good trail and is hardly used (I saw two teenage kids on the trail as I was hiking on a Saturday morning). The views are good, but don't expect amazing! This is more of a "forest hike" I would say. This trail will connect the Riverside Day Use Area and the parking lot just before Bethany Bridge at Red Top Mountain State Park.
