Red Top Mountain State Park050

Red Top sits on 1,562 acres, on the shores of Lake Allatoona - a great area for swimming (beach is open seasonally), boating, and fishing. Visitors can bring their own boats or rent from Park Marine. Twelve miles of hiking trails wind through the park, and lead to a reconstructed 1860s log cabin (open and staffed on Saturdays). The park has lodge, restaurant, and meeting facilities, and a 3/4-mile paved trail behind the restaurant is easy to navigate with wheelchairs and strollers.

Named for the soil's red color caused by high iron-ore content, Red Top was once an important iron mining area.

Seven picnic shelters are available for rental ($40)and two group shelters (seat 100 and 250, $160-220) are enclosed and heated for year-round use. They have kitchens with stoves and refrigerators and private bathrooms. The Pioneer Campground is also available for rental. Reservations can be made by calling 1.800.864.7275 or visiting the website.

The Mountain Cove Restaurant serves daily 7am-9pm.