Milton City Park and Preserve Trail: What to Know Before Your Fall Visit

This fall, Milton City Park and Preserve at 1785 Dinsmore Road is caught between two projects. The preserve side got its upgrades over the winter and has had a full spring and summer of use. The 7-acre active side was supposed to start construction in August and is still waiting on a contract. For now, the finished 2.5-mile loop is open and the parking lot and courts are still untouched. The City's own paperwork shows that won't last past May 2027.

The August Start That Moved to the Bid Calendar

In February, at the ribbon cutting for the preserve improvements, the City said work would begin "at the end of summer." The plan was to reconfigure the parking lot, improve the lighting, add a playground, and rebuild the tennis complex with six courts instead of the current four. A July 15 preview of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting repeated that timeline and said the active portion would be transformed "starting in August."

The procurement records show a later timeline. Invitation to Bid ITB 26-PW10, titled Milton City Park & Preserve Improvements, sets out this schedule:

The contractor has to be able to start within ten calendar days of the notice to proceed. The bid also allows the City and contractor to negotiate a new completion date if weather affects the schedule. As of September 30, the Georgia Procurement Registry listed the bid as "Under Evaluation," and no contractor had been named.

The schedule doesn't set a construction start date. That date depends on a notice to proceed the City still has to coordinate with whichever firm wins the bid. As of the end of September, the City hadn't announced any closures for the active side.

What the Preserve Side Already Delivered

The current loop is the second phase of a plan that goes back to February 2018. That's when the City bought 137 acres of the former Milton Country Club, the first purchase made with the voter-approved $25 million greenspace bond. About 130 of those acres were set aside as greenspace. The other 7 acres hold the City Pool, the tennis courts and the Community Center, which is the active section now waiting on its contract.

The renovated Community Center, once the golf course clubhouse, opened in April 2022. So did the first 1.25 miles of trail. The winter project by contractor Tri Scapes, funded in part by a $1.5 million grant through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, made these changes:

• Doubled the trail to 2.5 miles and made it a loop, so you no longer walk back the way you came
• Added an asphalt section along Dinsmore Road that connects the natural trail to the parking lot
• Connected the two ponds with a creek
• Built a pier with a pavilion over the water
• Added boardwalks across the wet sections
• Planted dozens of native trees and shrubs
• Added bioswales, weirs and other stormwater features to replace the old golf course drainage

Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen summed up the change at the February ceremony:

"We've taken land that was once limited in use and opened it up to the entire community. Rather than a space designed for one activity, it's now … for everyone."

The City held a Trail Grand Opening on April 18 during Earth Week, with a trail-mix hike, bee and bird activities, crafts and plant giveaways. The City Pool closed to swimmers on Labor Day. Two days later, on September 9, it hosted the Last Splash Puppy Bash, which the City said drew scores of dogs and even more people.

The Wildflower Fields Get Their First Autumn

The wildflower planting came after the ribbon cutting. In early April, crews started preparing about 11 acres, working through 2 to 3 acres a day, with a goal of finishing the seeding by April 15. They seeded open areas and the ground near the boardwalks. Then they pressure-washed and stained the boardwalks, which limited access to those sections for a while.

The City described the third phase as wildflowers "that will flourish and add color to the park's natural beauty." It hasn't published a progress report since. This fall is the first autumn for those seeded acres, and how the fields look along the loop will show how well the seed took.

The Trail Surface Is Still an Open Question

There's still an open question about the trail surface. In July, the City said it was testing crushed slate on 100 feet of trail while it gathered public input "on how best to address challenges." The July 16 board agenda included a staff update on the loop surface. The next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, August 20, was canceled.

The City hasn't said what the "challenges" are. In May, one walker on AllTrails described "large chunky gravel" that was hard to walk on and hard on pets. That's one person's feedback, and the City hasn't confirmed it's what prompted the slate test. No decision has been published since. If you care about the surface underfoot, the City has said it is collecting input, and that conversation hasn't finished yet.

Using the Loop This Fall

The rules that matter for an everyday visit are on the City's books:

1. Hours. The park is open from dawn to dusk.
2. Dogs. Milton's park rules require pets to be leashed and owners to clean up after them.
3. Bikes. Citywide rules limit bikes, skateboards and similar devices to designated areas and keep them off walkways. The February announcement mentioned people riding bikes at the preserve, so check the posted signs to see which sections allow them.
4. Fishing. The City has called the new pier "a great spot for fishing or relaxing in the shade." Georgia DNR requires a current Georgia fishing license for anglers 16 and older, and its 2026–2027 regulations cover seasons and limits.

There's one smaller item on the building side. A September 18 City Council preview listed an agreement with 54 Faith Inc., doing business as Five Star Painting, for routine interior and exterior painting at the Community Center. The preview didn't mention any effect on access.

What Changes Once the Contract Is Signed

The parking lot is the part to watch. The asphalt section along Dinsmore Road ends at the Milton City Park and Preserve parking lot, which makes the lot the loop's main entrance. The contract will reconfigure that same lot and upgrade its lighting while the new playground and six tennis courts go in next to it. The City hasn't published closures, alternate parking or a phasing plan for any of this.

Once the work is finished, the park will have both halves its Master Plan called for. Until a notice to proceed is issued, the trail, pier and boardwalks are open as built, and the parking lot and tennis courts are still as they were before construction. The May 23, 2027 completion deadline means the next fall will look different, and possibly the spring before it too.

Projects like this one, from the bid calendar to the final ribbon cutting, shape daily life in Milton long before anyone shows up with a shovel. If you're thinking about how the City's park and greenspace plans fit with your own plans around Dinsmore Road or anywhere else in Milton, Lisa Gelber is glad to walk through what's on the record and what's still pending. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.