It’s a big city, but there are hiking paths galore
Sometimes it seems like Atlanta is becoming one of those huge, asphalt jungles but it isn’t all skyscrapers and streets.
If you want to spend a little time in some mountain atmosphere and clear your head, you won’t have to travel over an hour to some beautiful hikes and in some cases it takes much less time.
Those who have an entire day can travel in any direction and in less than two hours will be in an entirely different environment.
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, a string of wilderness-like parks running from inside the City Limits north to Buford Dam (Lake Lanier). The area includes nine park units with a total of 50 miles of hiking trails, a Visitor Center at Island Ford (HQ) Unit; numerous picnic areas; canoe, kayak and raft rentals. Stocked trout stream with 23 species of game fish. Year-round fishing with Georgia fishing license and trout stamp.
For more information, please call the Visitor Center at 678-538-1200 or go to http://www.nps.gov/chat/pphtml/activities.html
Panola Mountain State Conservation Park
Created to protect a 100-acre granite monadnock (mountain), sometimes called Little Stone Mountain, the park offers a close-in place for hiking, nature programs and education. Inside the park’s 759 acres are two miles of self-guided nature trails and a 1-mile fitness trail. Guided 3.5 mile hikes are available on weekends. Special events include the Spring Wildflower Walk in April, the Fall Wildflower Walk in September and wildlife programs.
www.gastateparks.org
Arabia Mountain Trail
Rock outcroppings the size of football fields, streams rushing over woodland waterfalls, hundred-acre farms just like grandpa used to have, and fields of wildflowers undulating in the breeze.
The Arabia Mountain Trail respectfully visits all of these natural wonders as it winds through 2000 acres of protected parkland in south DeKalb County.
Future phases of the trail are funded and in development. These phases will connect Evans Mill Road to Murphey Candler School and Klondike Road with a new covered bridge over Stephenson Creek.
Future phases that are yet to be funded and designed will connect Lithonia with Stone Mountain Park and connect the existing trail to Panola Mountain State Park and Rockdale and Henry counties, including a bridge over the South River.
www.pathfoundation.org/trails/arabia.cfm
Pine Mountain Trail
Believe it or not, the Appalachian Mountains all aren’t north of Atlanta. About an hour and a half south of town, near Callaway Gardens, the final stages of the Appalachians spring from the ground in the form of Pine Mountain. Located inside FDR State Park, the trail is a 23-mile footpath which crosses and follows the beautiful Pine Mountain ridge. Hikers will enjoy quiet woods, sparkling streams, misty waterfalls, rock outcroppings, varied forest, scenic overlooks, deer and turkey await your discovery. Just follow the blazes (6″ by 2 ?” rectangles painted on trees).
The Pine Mountain Trail offers clear crisp views of distant ridges in winter, with occasional snowfall. In the summer there are lush green ferns and lowland flowers. Wild flowers are abundant and in spring you will find flowering dogwood, native azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Fall brings bright and beautiful leaves of hickory, oak, dogwood, maple, which change from day to day.
www.pinemountaintrail.org/index.html