Written by Joseph Holevinski, Converge multimedia journalism intern and Senior at Gwinnett School of Math, Science & Technology (GSMST)
There are several public parks scattered all throughout Gwinnett County and each park has something different to offer. One of the lesser-known Gwinnett County parks (and in my opinion, one of the most underrated) is Bunten Road Park. Bunten Road Park is located, not surprisingly, on Bunten Road, which is at the edge of the city of Duluth.
While it may not be one of the largest parks by square footage, it definitely has a lot to offer. From an activity center and sports fields to a nature trail and a newly upgraded playground, there are plenty of things that this park has to offer!
One of the main features of Bunten Road Park is the Maxine Garner Activity Center. Here you can find a range of different amenities such as an indoor gym, office space, meeting rooms and aerobics rooms. There are several different programs for all ages offered here as well.
Additionally, right next to the activity center, you can find the playground. The playground truly is a wonderland of brightly colored structures that kids can run around and climb on. There are several swings, a large rope climbing sculpture and a huge gazebo in the center with picnic tables. It is more than enough to keep kids entertained for a while.
The thing I liked most on my exploration of the park were its extensive and well-maintained pathways. Every single one of the park’s amenities can be accessed via paved asphalt pathways, and these paths encircle the entire park. Walking around the park along the pathways is a relaxing and leisurely activity. In addition, the paths are wide enough that bicyclists can comfortably ride their bicycles around the park without risk of running into pedestrians. Also, one of the paths goes under a bridge. On the underside of this bridge is a painting of the solar system that adds a bit of art to the beauty of the paths at Bunten Road Park.
The most underrated thing that Bunten Road Park has to offer is its nature trails. These paths really immerse you in the beauty of the woods throughout the park. The trail leads you down a hill on shallowly sloped, compacted dirt paths through the trees. Along the way there are newly replaced benches where you can stop and take a breath. At the bottom of the hill is a small river with a sturdy wooden bridge that you can cross over the river with. The nature trail continues back up the slope and ends right next to the tennis courts. The two tennis courts are just one of many of the different sports amenities that the park contains, including baseball and soccer fields.
Whether or not you have been to Bunten Road Park, it is definitely an amazing park to check out. With the beauty of its different trails and paths and its abundance of activities and sports fields, what is there not to love?
