Friendship Forest Wildlife Sanctuary

September 26, 2021 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Address: 4380 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Clarkston, GA 30021
Cost of admission: Free
Governance: City of Clarkston
Friends of the Park Group: Friends of Friendship Forest
Acres: 18.5
Approximate miles of trails: 1
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 10
Transit directions: The MARTA #120 from Avondale Station stops right in front of the wildlife sanctuary
Cycling directions: The Stone Mountain PATH runs directly across the street from the wildlife sanctuary. The PATH goes through downtown Decatur and downtown Atlanta, and connects to the BeltLine.
Parking: There is a parking lot at the Ponce trailhead. There are a couple accessible parking spaces available.
Trailhead(s): The main trailhead is at the parking lot on Ponce. There is also a trailhead at the end of Clark St.
Trail surface: Some paved & boardwalk; some natural
Blazes/markings: Unpaved trails are unmarked
Restrooms: There are restrooms next to the parking lot and also some next to the amphitheater
Guidebook mentions: None

Amenities:

Restrooms
Picnic tables
Covered amphitheater/outdoor classroom
Bottle fill stations & water fountains by restrooms

Nearby amenities/conveniences:

Refuge Coffee Co. is 0.5 miles southwest of the wildlife sanctuary

Links:

December 21, 2016

September 26, 2021

Little Blue Dragonlet, September 26, 2021

September 26, 2021

More photos on Flickr:

From around the web

Recent iNaturalist observations

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Good to combine with:

Featured

Johns Homestead

Pine Lake

Updated December 21, 2016 and September 26, 2021

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

March 25, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve (formerly South Peachtree Creek Nature Preserve) opened in 1995. All of the trails are clearly blazed with plastic diamonds in colors corresponding to the maps shown at the trailhead. (Although the brown and orange blazes are the same color or very close.)
Right at the trailhead, there is a short (∼0.1 mile) interpretive trail with an outdoor classroom. The interpretive trail is mulched.

The other trails are a combination of dirt and boardwalk. The dirt sections can be very boggy if it has rained recently.

The Beaver Pond Trail and Outer Loop Trail have clear views of the central wetland meadow and beaver pond. There is a thick bamboo grove along the Outer Loop Trail. There are various points of access to South Fork Peachtree Creek along the Outer Loop Trail.

There is a second classroom area along the Pine Forest Trail.

The Beaver Pond Trail features a photo blind and an observation deck. The observation deck has a high chair that allows a clear view of the beaver pond and wetland meadow.
All of the trails have signage explaining various ecological features of the area.

Finding the primary trailhead: From I-285: take exit 39A onto US-78 W. After 2.2 miles, turn right on Harrington Dr. Take the 1st right onto Wood Trail Ln. The trailhead is at the intersection with Pine Bluff Dr and is clearly marked.

From downtown: Take Scott Blvd to its intersection with Medlock Rd and N Decatur Rd. Turn left on Medlock Rd. When the road ends, turn right on Wood Trail Ln. The trailhead is at the intersection with Pine Bluff Dr and is clearly marked.

Parking: Free on-street parking is available at the trailhead.

Address: Intersection of Wood Trail Ln & Pine Bluff Dr, Decatur GA 30033
Cost of admission: None
Acres: 28
Approximate miles of trails: 1.5
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 8
MARTA directions: From Midtown or Decatur station, take the 36 to N Decatur Rd @ Sunstede Dr. Walk north on Medlock Rd. until it ends at the International Community School. Turn right on Wood Trail Ln and walk to the end of the street. (About a 20 minute walk total, from the bus stop.)
Cycling directions: From Decatur MARTA station, head east on Ponce. Take a left on Glendale Ave and continue to the end of the road. Take a left on Forkner Dr. Cross Church St. and continue straight-ish on Medlock Rd. Continue until Medlock ends at the International Community School. Turn right on Wood Trail Ln and continue to the end of the street. A bike rack is available at the trailhead. [Directions]
Trail surface: Natural and boardwalk
Geocaching: There are caches in the preserve
Guidebook mentions: Chapter 3 in Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests (1st edition)

Links:
Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve: Web Facebook
Trail map

April 26, 2015

January 10, 2017

Inside the beaver pond during the drought, November 12, 2016

November 12, 2016

Common Whitetail, April 16, 2017

Nashville Warbler, April 16, 2017

April 16, 2017

March 25, 2018

Beaver pond during the drought, November 12, 2016

For more photos, see my flickr album.

Good to combine with:

From around the web

Recent iNaturalist observations

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Updated August 2, 2016, November 12, 2016, January 10, 2017, April 9, 2017, April 16, 2017, April 29, 2017, and March 25, 2018

Shamrock Forest

shamrock forest

July 31, 2016 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Address (approximate): 2700 Delcourt Drive, Decatur, GA 30033
Admission: None
Acres: 72
Approximate miles of trails: 2
Hours: Probably 7am to dusk like other parks in DeKalb county
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 10
Features:
- Picnic area

There are trails near Druid Hills Middle School and Laurel Ridge Elementary School. These trails are very wide and have a pine straw and dirt surface. The Shamrock Forest trail is more of a traditional nature trail. There are a few steep sections, but the trail is mostly fairly flat. The surfaces are mostly easy to walk on, but there are a few small sections of railroad rock or roots. There are surprisingly many trails for the park's size. Despite the trail density, you usually can't see the nearby trails.

There is a small parking lot at the trailhead. There are additional trailheads at the end of Balsam Dr., the end of Blueberry Trail, and behind University Heights United Methodist Church on Balsam Dr.

Links:
Laurel Ridge Neighborhood
RecPlanet

July 30, 2016

Good to combine with:

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

Featured

Jul 31, 2016

Bike-N-Hike: Shamrock Forest, July 30, 2016

Jul 31, 2016