Thompson Mills Forest - Georgia State Arboretum, Braselton

About Thompson Mills Forest - Georgia State Arboretum

Thompson Mills Forest - Georgia State Arboretum spans 337 acres near Braselton in Jackson County and showcases nearly 200 native Georgia tree species. Visitors walk woodland trails throughout the property and explore a distinctive granite outcrop that harbors several threatened plant species. The arboretum contains specific collections including the Eva Thompson Thornton Memorial Garden, established on 8 acres, and the Pinetum and Conifer collection featuring trees grown from seeds acquired worldwide. Cherrybark oaks and other native specimens were planted from 1980 onward, bringing the total to 194 of Georgia's 215 native tree species. The arboretum also preserves the site's agricultural heritage as the former Thompson Mills Community, where early twentieth-century U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton breeding experiments took place. A visit suits anyone interested in forestry, dendrology, ecology and regional plant diversity, whether for casual nature walks or dedicated study of Georgia's native flora.