ATLnature

ATLnature is your guide to Atlanta's trails and other rad nature stuff in the city. Live in the city but miss hiking on the weekends? Don’t have time (or a car!) for a trip to north Georgia? Did you know there are over 30 nature trails inside the perimeter of 285 alone?

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Southside Park

Southside Sports Complex
April 16, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Thanks to a partnership of IMBA, REI, and the City of Atlanta, mountain bike trails are being built in this under-utilized park. Southside Park is currently Atlanta's largest park (until the westside reservoir park opens) at 211 acres. There will eventually be three trail loops: beginner, intermediate, and expert, but currently only the beginner trail is open (as of April 2018). It is known as the Evergreen Trail. It is about 1.25 miles long. All the trails combined will be about 7 miles long.

The trails are all open to hikers and runners. The trailhead signage shows which direction mountain bikers should travel based on the day of the week, and all other trail users should proceed in the opposite direction.

Check out MTB Atlanta's website for more info and a map of the planned trails.

Address: 3460 Jonesboro Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30354
Cost of admission: None
Governance: City of Atlanta
Acres: 211
Approximate miles of trails: 1
Hours: 6:00am to 11:00pm
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 7
Parking: Parking is available at the trailhead
Trailhead(s): The trailhead is clearly marked at the north end of the parking lot
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: None
Geocaching: None

Amenities:

  • Bike racks at trailhead

  • Ball fields

  • Mountain bike trail

Links:

  • MTB Atlanta

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

Summer Tanager, April 14, 2018

Summer Tanager, April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

White-Breasted Nuthatch, April 14, 2018

White-Breasted Nuthatch, April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018

For more photos, see my flickr album.


From around the web

REI Hiking Project

Recent iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist.org
View more observations near Southside Park on iNaturalist.org »

Good to combine with:

  • Southtowne Trail

  • South Bend Park

  • Constitution Lakes

  • Sykes Park

April 16, 2018 /Shawn Taylor
atlanta page 4, free admission, near downtown-10 miles, mountain biking, itp page 2, near: intrenchment creek, near: reynolds nature preserve
parks
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Constitution Lakes

Constitution Lakes
April 14, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Formerly the site of South River Brick Works, many bricks can still be found here. This park is also home to the Doll's Head Trail – brainchild of Joel Slaton – a creepy art project communally created using objects found in the park.

Address: Intersection of Moreland Ave and S River Industrial Blvd SE
Cost of admission: None
Governance: DeKalb County
Acres: 267
Approximate miles of trails: 3
Hours: 7:00am to sunset
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 6
MARTA directions: From Five Points Station, take the #49 bus to Bailey St SE @ Fayetteville Rd SE. From there, walk Southwest on Fayetteville Rd. Continue south on Moreland. Turn left onto S River Industrial Blvd SE. The sign for the park is immediately ahead. It's about a nine minute walk from the bus stop to the park entrance.
Parking: There is parking at the trailhead
Trail surface: Paved and boardwalk from the parking lot to the lake. Other sections are natural surface or boardwalk
Geocaching: Yes
Guidebook mentions: Chapter 2 in Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests (1st edition)

Links:

  • Friends of Constitution Lakes

  • "Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes" History Atlanta, July 9, 2014

  • "Doll's Head Trail", Atlas Obscura

  • eBird hotspot

May 24, 2015

May 24, 2015

May 24, 2015

May 24, 2015

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

Great Blue Heron, April 16, 2017

Great Blue Heron, April 16, 2017

April 16, 2017

April 16, 2017

November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

For more photos, see my flickr album.

Good to combine with:

  • Southside Park

  • Old Atlanta Prison Farm (post forthcoming)

  • South River Trail (post forthcoming; PATH Foundation link)


Updated August 2, 2016, November 22, 2016, April 1 & 16, 2017, and April 14, 2018

April 14, 2018 /Shawn Taylor
atlanta page 1, free admission, itp, near downtown-10 miles, birding, wetland, 3+ miles of trails, near: intrenchment creek, near: reynolds nature preserve
parks
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