Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Gold Branch
Address: 5690 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068
Cost of admission: $5/vehicle
Governance: NPS
Acres: 363 acres
Approximate miles of trails: 5
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 16
Transit directions: The nearest bus stop (at Roswell Rd & Azalea Dr) is about 3.5 miles away. However, most of this distance can be covered via the Roswell Riverwalk, making it more enjoyable to cover on bike or on foot.
Parking: Parking is available at the trailhead. It costs $5/day, or you can purchase an annual pass for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
Trailhead(s): The trailhead is at 33.9843,-84.3854. On Lower Roswell Rd, you'll see a sign for Gold Branch. That's where parking and the trailhead are located.
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: Each intersection is marked with a full map of the Gold Branch unit.
Dogs allowed: Yes, on leash
Fishing allowed: Yes
Guidebook mentions:
Chapter 57 in Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests (1st edition)
Page 66 of Hiking the Hooch (1st edition)
Trip 83 in Afoot & Afield Atlanta (2nd edition)
Some of the segments along the river are quite narrow, and some hills are fairly steep and long.
This seems to be one of the less popular CRNRA units that have substantial trails.
Amenities:
There is a single picnic table at the trailhead
Nearby amenities/conveniences:
None
For more photos, see my flickr album.
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Good to combine with:
Updated June 30, 2017 & November 9, 2019