Several years ago, the Town of Braselton bought more than 200 acres along the Mulberry River north of Interstate 85. The reason wasn't recreation. The river is an important drinking-water source for the community, and owning the land along its banks was a way to protect it. The Mulberry RiverWalk came later, built on that protected land. Many of the trail's quirks make more sense once you know that order. That includes its soft surface, its lack of buildings, and why the town sent heavy equipment out in late September.
The trail runs about 2.3 miles from the trailhead on Liberty Church Road to the four-county monument. The town lists it as a 4.4-mile out-and-back, which is the same trail walked both ways.
The Rules Come From the River
The town's own description says that to keep the river clean, the trail avoids chemicals and non-natural materials. That's why you walk on crushed slate instead of asphalt or concrete. The slate cuts down on erosion and mud, which matters when the trail runs right beside a water supply. The town also notes the tradeoff: the surface is soft and can be hard going for bikes and wheelchairs.
So the surface is a protection choice, not an oversight. A paved path would roll more easily, but the town has picked the river over rolling speed. Bicycles and strollers can still use the trail. They just get a softer, slower ride than they would on Braselton's LifePath along Highway 211, the multi-use path many residents know from the golf-cart parade at PathFest.
What the Renovation Changed
The trail reopened in December 2025 after a renovation paid for mostly with Barrow County SPLOST funds plus a small share of Gwinnett SPLOST funds. Crews resurfaced two miles of the 2.3-mile trail, from the trailhead to the Hall County line.
The rest of the project went into the river itself. According to Braselton News coverage from December 24, 2025, crews also stabilized the riverbanks, planted bushes and trees, and built steps down to the water. Bank stabilization isn't something you see from the trail. It's the work that keeps soil out of the water, and it fits a trail that exists to protect the river.
Town Manager Jennifer Scott described the result plainly:
"It's a completely different thing. It's extraordinary. It might be my favorite project we've ever done."
She also said she was hearing from residents who use the trail, and that "they absolutely love it."
Walking It From the Parking Lot to the Monument
Once you know the trail's purpose, the route reads differently. Here is what you pass, in order.
- The Liberty Church Road trailhead at 940 Liberty Church Rd. Parking here is free. A colorful mural called Riverwalk by Braselton artist Chris Hobe greets you in the parking area. Hobe was commissioned through a partnership between the town and the Braselton Arts Council to paint a large mural on the wall around a lift station on the property. The art covers a piece of water infrastructure, which suits this trail.
- New signs and benches. The town lists new signs at the parking lot entrance, the trailhead and along the trail, plus extra benches.
- Gardens, footbridges and picnic spots. The town describes the route as lined with perennial gardens, footbridges and places to picnic, with very little change in elevation.
- The Silk Tree Pointe trailhead. This second access point sits in the Mulberry Park subdivision and has limited parking.
- The four-county monument. The trail ends at a monument and small rest area marking the spot where Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties meet.
The town also lists an art installation donated by sculptor Brian Seay. The town's page doesn't say where on the trail it sits, so it's something to look for along the way.
Why Crews Came Out in September
On September 21, 2026, the town announced it had hired a contractor to clear overgrown vegetation from the Liberty Church Road trailhead to Silk Tree Pointe. That section closed Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29, with a planned reopening on Wednesday, September 30, depending on weather.
The notice explained why: there was so much growth to remove, and the equipment involved was heavy enough, that the trail had to close for safety. The town called it "an initial cleanup to get the corridor back in good shape after a season of heavy growth." Once it was done, the trail was expected to be easier to walk, run and ride, with better sight lines and fewer limbs and brush crowding the path.
A trail on 200 acres of protected riverbank grows in fast, and a trail that avoids chemicals has fewer quick fixes. The town relies on contractor crews and on residents. Volunteer cleanups usually happen twice a year, and the town asks people to report problems year-round at 706-654-3915. For questions about the September work, the notice listed Braselton Public Works at 706-654-5559. We didn't find a later update confirming the reopening date, so if you plan an early-October walk on the Liberty Church Road end, check the town's notice first.
The Practical Details
| What you'll want to know | What the town says |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily, sunrise to sunset |
| Main parking | Free, at 940 Liberty Church Rd |
| Second trailhead | Silk Tree Pointe, limited parking |
| Restrooms | None on site |
| Dogs | Leashed dogs welcome; owners must pick up waste |
| Surface | Soft crushed slate, can be hard going for bikes and wheelchairs |
| Length | About 2.3 miles one way, 4.4 miles round trip |
With no restrooms on site, the full 4.4-mile round trip is worth planning around. You can find the town's full visitor page and a map link on Explore Braselton.
Where the Trail Goes Next
The December 2025 renovation wasn't meant to be the last phase. The town was already designing an extension that would continue the trail from the four-county monument into Hall County and out to the town limits. That would bring the trail to about 4.5 miles and add another parking lot. Town officials also hoped to work with Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton to connect to the hospital's trails. At the time, Scott said she hoped construction on the next phase would start within 12 months.
That 12-month window closes around the end of this year. So far, we haven't found a public 2026 council vote, funding decision or construction start for the Hall County phase. The town's closed-bids page still lists the original RiverWalk improvements contract rather than a new extension bid. Treat the extension as planned, not underway.
The artwork is in a similar spot. The December 2025 plan called for murals on the well houses along the trail in addition to Hobe's lift-station wall, with painting set to begin "around the end of January," the January after that December report. Hobe's Riverwalk mural at the parking area is documented. The well-house murals may or may not be finished yet, so they're worth watching for on your next walk.
If the extension is built as described, the trail will run past the four-county monument and on toward the hospital, through more river corridor on the same protected terms.
Casey and Cyrena Harrington keep track of projects like the Mulberry RiverWalk extension because these details shape daily life in Braselton long before they show up in a listing. If you'd like to talk about which parts of town have easy access to the trail at Liberty Church Road or Silk Tree Pointe, C&C Harrington Homes is happy to help. Get in Touch.
