Review of Moccasin Creek State Park

This park was suggested to me by the park ranger at Black Rock Mountain State Park after I had asked about ADA trails. He told me that though the Hemlock Falls trail at Moccasin Creek wasn’t technically ADA, it was fairly flat and wide, and was wheelchair accessible (I went to check out the trail and it was NOT accessible, there were huge rocks and roots, it got very narrow in some areas, and it was very damp and muddy since it was parallel to waterfalls).

So I took some time to check out the park and camp site area and it was great! The entire park was flat for the most part with camp sites organized in a circle in the middle. There were two restroom facilities with showers on both sides of the park, and the service center was at the entrance. The park is on a lake and has an assembly pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, and fishing docks.

General Park Info

“Sitting on the shores of lovely Lake Burton, Moccasin Creek prides itself on being where spring spends the summer. Despite its mountain location, the park is relatively flat, offering easy navigation for large RVs, bicycles and wheelchairs. A fully accessible fishing pier sits above a trout-filled creek open only to seniors 65 and older and children 11 and younger, as well as all ages with a Georgia disability fishing license.
At 2,800-acres, Lake Burton is a prime spot for skiing, boating and fishing. Canoes can be rented during warmer months. Park visitors can tour an adjacent trout rearing station, hike on several nearby trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains or simply relax in this peaceful setting. The park’s central location makes it a perfect jumping off spot for exploring area waterfalls, mountain bike trails, shops and restaurants.” Description from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website.

Hours of Operation: 7am-10pm

Fees:

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 4.41.01 PM — Overview of the park and campsites.

Service Center & Parking

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 4.41.12 PM — Temporary handicap parking, and ramp that leads into the service center.

The service center is located at the entrance of the park with a couple of temporary parking spots. The handicap spot is a parallel spot next to the ramp that leads inside the building. Inside the service center is a gift shop, and the park ranger can provide a map of the nearby trail, as well as provide any information you need.

The only other handicap parking spot is at the other end of the park in front of the assembly building which has a paved path from the parking spot into the pavilion. To the right of the pavilion is the playground, which is not wheelchair accessible because the floor material is loose mulch.

Restrooms & Showers

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 4.39.47 PM — “Handicap” stall

The bathroom facilities had a handicap sign on the front door, however the bathrooms are not technically ADA compliant. The “handicap” stall was basically a regular stall with grab bars installed – definitely not enough room to fit a wheelchair comfortably, if at all.

I will say that I was only able to visit one of the restroom facilities on the property, I would assume that the other was similar, but I can’t definitively say that.

The showers had grab bars and a fold-down shower bench which were decent, however, the shower head was pointed toward the center of the shower with no way to move it so that the water would aim at a person who was sitting on the bench. The handle to control water flow and water temperature was also off-center, requiring a person using the shower bench to reach outside of their base of support to control the water. Similarly, the soap dish was on the opposite wall, a nearly impossible place to reach if someone was sitting on the shower bench or had limited use of their trunk.

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 4.39.56 PM — Shower

What the Park Has to Offer

The park sits on Lake Burton and boasts an ADA fishing pier, as well as picnic areas, canoeing, a playground, and of course its campsites.

Below I’ve attached pictures of the ADA pier.

Overall

I thought this was a great little campsite/park if you wanted to spend the day at the lake or have a picnic with a view. The restroom facilities are not the greatest, but manageable with adequate planning.

The park has trails nearby that are not quite wheelchair accessible, but I will attach those photos as well! I included pictures of the trail that is the least accessible (the first 40 yards). The rest of the trail goes gently uphill and gets muddy in some areas.

ADA Pier