looking for 30 minutes of dirt time or 3 hours. First, let's get you there:
This is the entrance you want if you desire to hit the horse trails with nice single-track:
1300 Mineral Springs Rd
Dacula, GA 30019
There is another entrance, which I refer to as the "old side" since this area of the park was completed first:
3855 Fence Road Northeast
Auburn, GA 30019
This area is great if you need a playground for the kids and lots of high-visibility, paved
jogging paths.
Personally I prefer to run the single-track paths. Grades range from 5% to 17% on the
climbs, so I can always count on some real nice vertical accumulation during my longer runs. Courtesy Note: There will usually be people on horseback if you're out there long enough. If you're not used to sharing the trail with horses, please see my note below about proper trail courtesy when encountering horses.  Both sides of the park have water fountains and clean bathroom facilities. I try to run without carrying water, even on runs longer than 2 hours. At Mulberry, I'm seldom morethan 30-45 minutes from a water source. But if you are used to hydrating very regularly (and in that case I highly recommend you give Dr. Tim Noakes' book Waterlogged a read) definitely carry your hydration with you.  Proper Horse/Runner Etiquette: When approaching horseback riders from the rear, call ahead "Runner behind you!" SLOW DOWN and make sure the rider acknowledges you. Ask the riders if it's okay to pass, and indicate which side you will pass on. WALK past the riders, as they will generally hold up for you. Thank them, complement their horses and resume running only when you are past them. Communication is the key, as you have no idea how experienced the rider is. Even and experienced rider with a new mount will be a little unsure how the horse will handle the situation. You do NOT want to have to apologize for spooking a horse out from underneath a rider. These kinds of trails must be shared by horse and runner. Much like on mountain bike paths, always give right of way to the rider! Same procedure when approaching the horse from their front. Communication is easier, of course, and you simply want to be sure that the rider knows EXACTLY what you are doing so they can manage their horse appropriately. Experienced riders will appreciate you and inexperienced riders will be glad not to be making a trip to the hospital. There is an occasional trail race out at Mulberry. Go to Dirty Spokes to learn about a really great event held each November. If you're a visitor to Gwinnett and are looking for a group with whom to run out at Mulberry, try THIS meetup group. Thanks for reading, and Happy Trails! |
