Red and Black are the colors of the University of Georgia, and now they’re the colors of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s trail network, too.
The State Botanical Garden is updating the names and corresponding colors of its trail network, which includes over 5 miles of trails, to improve wayfinding and visitor accessibility. Additionally, new trail posts will be installed, featuring mileage markers to enhance wayfinding.
The garden’s White Trail will now be known as the Red Oak Loop, and the Orange Trail will be renamed the Black Gum Loop. Other trails will also change names and colors, making it easier to distinguish between different trails.
“Do you really need to ask the question ‘Why are we changing our trail colors from orange and white to red and black?’ We are the Dawgs, we are red and black,” said the garden’s director of Horticulture and Grounds, Jason Young. “This is a big change, but it is needed to improve the user experience of our trail system.”
Updates to the garden’s trail names and colors will be made in early August. This is one of several projects planned to improve the garden’s trails for its users.
Community partners, including Walmart volunteers and Eagle Scouts, have helped build elevated wooden walkways in low areas where the trails are often wet and muddy, increasing the safety and enjoyment of the trails. New bridges are also being constructed to improve access across the creeks found on the trail network.
With an increasing number of annual visitors to the garden, several infrastructure improvements are planned for the next few years as part of the State Botanical Garden’s Gateway to the Garden project.
In the spring of 2025, infrastructure improvements were completed on the garden’s driveway. Rain gardens with native species were installed to help manage stormwater runoff.
Future Gateway to the Garden projects will include an updated entranceway, improved trail access, and additional parking to accommodate the increasing number of visitors the State Botanical Garden welcomes annually.
“The Gateway to the Garden project will be transformative for the State Botanical Garden and its visitors,” said the garden’s director, Jenny Cruse-Sanders. “The updates to the garden’s trails will improve our visitors’ experience while enjoying our natural areas.”
Construction of a new trail, funded by the Vaughn-Jordan Foundation, is scheduled to begin this summer. The new trail will connect to an additional parking lot, allowing the State Botanical Garden to welcome more visitors to experience its collections and impactful programs. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a unit of Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia.
For more information about the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, visit botgarden.uga.edu.
