A 225 acre natural area with 5+ miles of foot trails and one of the first "green" buildings built in the state. The 11,400 square foot ENSAT building contains hands-on, interactive exhibits and teaching space that includes live animals as well as both fresh and salt water tanks - including a live logger head sea turtle (currently not on public display, but will be again in the Spring of 2007). Sandy Creek Nature Center currently serves as the northern terminus of the North Oconee River Greenway (the 3+ mile pave mutli-use trail connecting the Nature Center to the University of Georgia) and also serves as the southern terminus of the Sandy Creek Greenway/Cook's Trail. Sandy Creek Greenway/Cook's Trail is a 450 acre natural area that extends along Sandy Creek over 4 miles north and includes Cook's Trail (4 miles) and the oxbow lake loop (1 mile). This natural area contains marsh, beaver swamp, and over 3000 linear feet of boardwalk. This area is rich is floodplain, marsh, and bottomland species of plants and animals. The Sandy Creek Greenway connects Sandy Creek Nature Center to Sandy Creek Park. Maps, program information, hours of operation and more can be found by visiting www.sandycreeknaturecenter.com or www.sandycreekpark.com (all web roads lead to the same beginning web page for these facilities) All of the above sites provide incredible areas of discovery and beauty. Common and unusual wildlife along with a rich diversity of habitat makes these areas memorable to anyone who takes the time to experience them. Update: In addition to the exhibits located in the Cook and Bro. Plaza (across from the Chicopee Building on East Broad Street), over 50 historic interpretive panels have been installed in the Heritage Trail section of the North Oconee River Greenway. The Chicopee building was built in 1862 to serve as a Confederate Armory to replace the one that was lost when New Orleans fell to the North. The armory produced Enfield type rifles - the most modern weapon of its day. The Heritage Trail also connects to Athens Multi-model Transportation Center - a facility filled with interpretive exhibits on the history of transportation in Athens.

Address

205 Old Commerce Rd

Athens, GA 30605

Directions

From downtown Athens, take US Hwy 441 N. On the left, 2 miles outside of town.

Phone

(706) 613-3615

Website

sandycreeknaturecenter.com

Hours of Operation

Trails open daily until sunset

Center open 8:30am-5:30pm Tu-Sa