Tribble Mill Regional Park: Two Lakes and Eight Miles of Trail in Gwinnett County

Tribble Mill Regional Park in Lawrenceville covers 700 acres around two lakes — Ozora Lake and Chandler Lake — with eight miles of paved and unpaved trail, picnic facilities, playgrounds, and seasonal boat rentals. It is Gwinnett County's most complete multi-use regional park outside of Stone Mountain.

Tribble Mill Regional Park sits on Tribble Mill Road in Lawrenceville, in eastern Gwinnett County. Despite its size — 700 acres, two lakes totaling nearly 200 surface acres, and eight miles of trail — it is underrepresented in metro Atlanta trail guides that tend to focus on intown parks or the well-documented Chattahoochee corridor. For Gwinnett residents, it is simply "the lake park." For visitors from elsewhere in the metro, it is a genuine day-trip destination with more to offer than its low profile suggests.

The Two Lakes: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Trails: Eight Miles Across Varied Terrain

The park's eight miles of trail include both paved lakeside paths and unpaved woodland trail in the upland areas between the lakes. The paved sections follow the shorelines of both lakes closely, offering consistent lake views and relatively flat walking. Ozora Lake's paved perimeter trail is the park's most popular route: about three miles around the lake with views across open water, occasional benches at scenic points, and access to the boat rental facility on the north shore.

The unpaved woodland trail connecting the two lake areas is the park's best-kept ecological secret. This section moves through upland Piedmont hardwood forest — oaks, hickories, and scattered shortleaf pine — with considerably more elevation change than the lake trails and far fewer visitors. Birding in the upland section in spring can be productive for forest interior species absent from the more manicured lakeside areas. The trail surface is natural packed earth and root-threaded in sections; appropriate footwear matters here.

An additional unpaved trail loops through the southeastern section of the park near Chandler Lake's quieter shore. This is the park's best wildlife-watching zone: the lake narrows at its southern end into a marshy cove where wood ducks and great blue herons concentrate, particularly in early morning. Turtles pile up on the spillway rocks at Chandler Lake when the sun is out; yellow-bellied sliders and painted turtles are the dominant species.

Wildlife: What to Watch For and When

Osprey are the most dramatic wildlife encounter at Tribble Mill. They fish Ozora Lake's open water from spring through fall, hovering with rapid wingbeats before dropping feet-first into the surface. In September, osprey numbers increase briefly as migrants move through. Great blue herons work the shorelines of both lakes year-round, and great egrets appear regularly in late summer and fall. Canada geese are a permanent, year-round fixture — flocks of fifty or more are common on Ozora Lake's open sections, particularly around the boat launch area.

Chandler Lake in early morning is the recommended starting point for a wildlife-focused visit. Arrive at the Chandler trailhead by 7:30 am to find the lake surface calm, herons and wood ducks active before the midday heat, and the spillway turtles beginning to emerge onto sunny rocks. By mid-morning the family crowds arrive at Ozora and the ambient noise level rises considerably; if you have started at Chandler you can migrate to Ozora for the boat rental experience and accept the company.

Fishing at Tribble Mill

Both lakes are stocked with largemouth bass, bream (bluegill and redear sunfish), and channel catfish. Georgia freshwater fishing license regulations apply to all anglers 16 and older. The lakes are open for bank fishing year-round, with the most active fishing from March through October. The main fishing areas are along the unpaved shoreline sections of both lakes and from the fishing pier at Ozora Lake near the boat rental facility. Shore access is more restricted on the paved trail sections, where the bank slopes directly into the water without room for casting. The Chandler Lake spillway area is productive for catfish.

Planning Your Visit

Tribble Mill is free to enter and free to park. The boat rental facility at Ozora Lake operates seasonally — typically April through October — with hourly rates for kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats. Picnic shelters at Ozora Lake are available for reservation through Gwinnett County Parks; unreserved shelter space fills by mid-morning on warm weekend days from May through September. Weekday morning visits offer the quietest experience and the best wildlife activity. Fall weekdays in October are an ideal combination: comfortable temperatures, good color on the upland oak canopy, and dramatically reduced visitor numbers compared to summer weekends.