Talking Rock Nature Trail + Big Acorn Nature Trail
Mar 6th, 2009 by Admin 1
Talking Rock Nature Trail
Short Description: Two mile loop trail with views of Carters Lake.
Nearest Town: Oakman, Ga (Carters Lake)
Trailhead Location: Begins on the side of the road just outside the entrance of Northbank Park (right side of the road).
Trail Length: 2 miles round trip (Loop Trail)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Marker: Blue Blaze
Parking Fee: No Fee
Contact: Carters Lake, P.O.Box 96, Oakman, GA 30732-0096
Phn# 706-334-2248
Directions: From 575 near Talking Rock, take 136 towards Chatsworth. Take a right on Carters Dam Rd. just before you reach the lake when heading west on 136. Follow the road to the Carters Lake Visitors Center.
Yesterday, I decided to hike in the Carters Lake area. I haven’t hiked there since before launching this site so I figured it was time to get back up there and maybe get some pictures and begin posting about the area. I have been up here several times in the past so I didn’t bother getting directions, I just hopped in the car and went from memory.
I will start by saying this is not my favorite area. Maybe its the trail maintenance, or maybe it just feels a little too touristy to me, I’m not entirely sure. While I was there I did two of the trails accessible from the Carters Lake Visitors Center and I will go ahead and cover both of them on this post because they connect, you can park in the same place to hike either one, and they are both short.
The first was the Big Acorn Nature Trail seen in the picture to the left which is the shortest that Carters Lake offers. The trail starts at the Visitors Center and runs through the woods between the road leading to the center and the lake, crosses the 
road then winds back to the center. Before returning to the center the trail meets up with the Talking Rock Nature Trail (left) leading across the road (lower on the winding road) and leads to the timber gateway for the Talking Rock trail.
From this entrance the trail winds past a pond and on to 20 interpretive spots of interest. Be careful how closely you follow the brochure Carters Lake Hiking Trails should you pick one of these up at the center. There really is little on it that is accurate. Most of the 20 numbers have either fallen off or been removed from the 20 posts with signs describing the animals, habitats, trees and other indigenous inhabitants of the area. There are also a few trail intersections which have not been marked properly, or at least were not on 2/4/09. 
I think that it would be fairly safe to say that if you take a left at the unmarked intersections you should loop back around and be okay.
On the positive side, there are actually a few decent views of the lake and other than some downed trees the maintenance of the trail itself isn’t too bad. Its not Bartow County hiking, but not bad.
Here are some more pics from the trail.
Here is one from the road the trail crosses I took while driving out. Pretty nice drive up with views of the lake.
And here is a shot of the Gas Station on 136 which is apparently, I am told, one of the only spots around that you can get a fishing license.
If you want some better hiking at Carters Lake, try the Tumbling Waters Trail in the Ridgeway Day Use Area on the north side of the lake; its much more scenic. As a head’s up, there is a small parking fee (I think $3 or so).
TJ,
Believe it or not, I just so happened to hike that one yesterday for the first time! It looked like a better hike from what little I’ve read about it. I am still trying to get the post out about this trail though. Maybe later today. As it turns out its $4 for day use parking but the sign says $1 for one person on foot? I will try to cover all the details on my post later though.
Thanks for the recommendation TJ! I appreciate it. You are right, the scenery with the Lake views and the waterfalls etc.. are nice.