Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Sope Creek

The paper mill ruins are what this park segment is most known for. The ruins are located near marker SC27 on the map. This segment connects to Cochran Shoals via trails. Mountain bikes are allowed on some segments of both Sope Creek and Cochran Shoals. Note: some of the mountain bike trails are one-way only. They change direction based on the day. Hikers hike in the opposite direction of bikes.

Address: 3726 Paper Mill Rd SE, Marietta, GA 30067
Cost of admission: $5/day per car
Governance: NPS
Friends of the Park Group: Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy
Acres: 303
Approximate miles of trails: 5.5
Hours: Dawn to dusk, exact park hours are posted at the trailheads
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 13
Transit directions: The Cochran Shoals is fairly transit-accessible, and this unit connects to that one. Sope Creek itself is not very transit accessible.
Parking: Parking is available at the trailhead
Trailhead(s): There are two trailheads at the parking lot on Paper Mill Rd
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: Each trailhead is marked with a map of the unit
Restrooms: There are no restrooms in the Sope Creek unit, but there are restrooms at the Columns Drive and Interstate North trailheads of the Cochran Shoals unit, which connects to Sope Creek
Dogs allowed: Yes, on leash
Fishing allowed: Yes
Accessibility notes: Lots of rocks in the trail and uneven surfaces. There are also some fairly steep sections. Some muddy sections as well, depending on recent weather.
Guidebook mentions: Chapter 54 in Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests (1st edition), page 84 in Hiking the Hooch (1st edition), trip 81 in Afoot & Afield Atlanta (2nd edition)

Links:

• NPS (PDF)

• SORBA (mountain bike trails)

Map notes:

• The yellow trail is one-way. The direction alternates by day. As of September 2021, hikers go clockwise on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and counter-clockwise on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Mountain bikers ride in the opposite direction.

• As of September 2021, some of the trails shown on OpenStreetMap (and therefore on this map’s basemap) are not present. To my knowledge, only the trails I’ve marked on the overlay are usable.

November 20, 2005

November 20, 2005

November 20, 2005

November 20, 2005

April 15, 2017

April 15, 2017

April 15, 2017

Sibley Pond, September 2, 2021

Halloween Pennant, September 2, 2021

More photos on Flickr

From around the web

Recent iNaturalist observations

View more observations near Sope Creek Unit - Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on iNaturalist »

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Good to combine with:

Updated January 6, 2017, April 15, 2017, and September 2, 2021

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: West Palisades

Also known as: Paces Mill Unit
Address: 3444 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339
Cost of admission: Free, $5/day parking fee per car
Governance: NPS
Friends of the Park Group: Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy
Acres: 302
Approximate miles of trails: 6
Hours: Dawn to dusk, exact park hours are posted at the trailheads
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 10
Transit directions: Take the 12 MARTA bus from Midtown Station to the Cobb Pkwy & River Pkwy stop. The park entrance is only about 0.2 miles south of the stop. For access to & from the southbound bus, you can cross under Cobb Parkway from the park parking lot instead of needing to cross the highway at grade.
Cycling directions: A multi-use path (partly outlined here) connects West Palisades to Cochran Shoals. It’s about 3 miles between the two units by bike.
Trailhead(s): There is a second trailhead at 932 Akers Ridge Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30339
Parking: Paid parking is available at both trailheads
Trail surface: Part paved, part natural
Blazes/markings: Each intersection is marked with a map
Restrooms: There are restrooms at the Cobb Parkway parking lot and near the Akers Ridge parking lot
Dogs allowed: Yes, on leash
Fishing allowed: Yes
Best time to visit: If you arrive in the first weekend in November, like I happened to in 2016, especially if the weather is unseasonably warm, you might find dozens of fly fishers in the river. This is because of the "Delayed Harvest" rule, where fish must be released along this section of the Chattahoochee between November 1 and May 14 of each year. This is a time when the river is stocked with trout from hatcheries, so it's considered to be a good time and place for beginners to fish.

Guidebook mentions: Chapter 9 in 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles (3rd edition), page 104 in Hiking the Hooch (1st edition), trip 78 in Afoot & Afield Atlanta (2nd edition), chapter 61 in Hiking Georgia (4th edition)

Features:

• Restrooms

• Boat ramp

Links:
Map (PDF)

November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016

November 4, 2017

November 4, 2017

Blue-tipped Dancer, May 22, 2021

November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016

More photos on Flickr

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From around the web

Recent iNaturalist observations

View more observations near West Palisades Unit, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on iNaturalist »

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

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Good to combine with:

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Updated November 6, 2016, November 4, 2017 & May 22, 2021

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Johnson Ferry South

Address: 4630 Columns Dr SE, Marietta GA 30067
Cost of admission: Parking at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area lots costs $5 per vehicle
Governance: NPS
Acres: 77
Approximate miles of trails: 1
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 13
Cycling directions: There are bike lanes on Johnson Ferry and Abernathy, but they don’t yet fully connect to the Sandy Springs MARTA station
Parking: Parking is available at the trailhead
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: Each formal intersection is marked with a map
Dogs allowed: Yes, on leash
Guidebook mentions: Chapter 55 in Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests (1st edition); Hiking the Hooch (1st edition) page 81

Amenities:

• Picnic pavilion

Links:

• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

• Park map

May 16, 2015

May 16, 2015

May 16, 2015

May 16, 2015

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

November 24, 2019

November 24, 2019

For more photos, see my flickr album.

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Good to combine with:

Good to combine with:

• Cochran Shoals

• Johnson Ferry North

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Updated on August 4, 2016 and November 24, 2019

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Powers Island

As well as the trails marked on the official maps, there are social trails on the island. From the PI3 marker, you can walk north to the northern tip of the island and then return via a different path, making a full loop of the island.

The trails in this unit are mostly flat, other than the eastern loop between intersections PI6 & PI7, which is quite hilly.

Address: 5450 Interstate North Parkway, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Cost of admission: Free, $5/day parking fee per car
Governance: NPS
Acres: 90
Approximate miles of trails: 3
Hours: Dawn to dusk, exact park hours are posted at the trailheads
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 11
Transit directions: Take the CobbLinc 10 bus from Arts Center Station to the Cumberland Transfer Center. At the Cumberland Transfer Center, transfer to the CobbLinc 50 to Powers Ferry Rd + Rivers Apartments. Walk southeast on Powers Ferry. Take a left on the multi-use path along Interstate N Pkwy. The multi-use pathway ends at the entrance to the Cochran Shoals NPS unit. Continue straight along Interstate N Pkwy, on a sidewalk across the river for 300 feet and then in the grass on the roadside for 100 feet. The entrance to the Powers Ferry unit is on the left.
Transfers between CobbLinc (formerly Cobb Community Transit — CCT) and MARTA are free, so taking the train to and from Arts Center will not cost extra. But be aware you will need a Cobb pass or cash to board a Cobb bus when not making a transfer. Cobb trips can be added to your Breeze Card at any Breeze station.
Parking: Parking is available at the trailheads for $5/day
Trailhead(s): There are trailheads at three corners of the parking lot
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: Blue blazes along some trails. Trails are well-used and clear, other than the social trails on the island.
Guidebook mentions: Page 99 in Hiking the Hooch (1st edition); Trip 79 in Afoot & Afield Atlanta (2nd edition)

Amenities:

• Restrooms

• Picnic tables

• Nantahala Outdoor Center outpost (river trips and rentals) (seasonal)

• Watercraft launch (Note: the launch is a short walk from the parking lot. It is not a ramp that you can back a vehicle up to.)

Nearby amenities/conveniences:

• Harry's Pizza & Subs at the intersection of Powers Ferry & Interstate N Pkwy (0.5 mi from trailhead)

• Gas station at the intersection of Baby Does Ln & Powers Ferry (0.5 mi from trailhead)

Links:

• NPS

• eBird hotspot

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March 10, 2018

Falcate Orangetip butterfly, March 10, 2018

March 10, 2018

March 10, 2018

Mycena mushroom, March 10, 2018

March 10, 2018

Lentinus arcularius, March 10, 2018

March 10, 2018

Chattahoochee River, March 10, 2018

March 10, 2018

For more photos, see my flickr album.

Good to combine with:

• Cochran Shoals

• Sope Creek

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Johnson Ferry North

Address: 301 Johnson Ferry Road SE, Marietta, GA 30068
Admission: Free, but parking at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area lots costs $5 per vehicle
Acres: 108
Approximate miles of trails: 2
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 15

Links:
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Park map

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

Cooper's Hawk, January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

Hermit Thrush, January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

Good to combine with:

• Johnson Ferry South

• Cochran Shoals