Morgan Falls Overlook Park & Morgan Falls River Park

August 28, 2021 by Shawn Taylor in parks

It seems the largest attraction to Morgan Falls Overlook Park is the huge playground. That said, the park has other attractions too, including great views of the river and a short nature trail. The nature trail has two trailheads, one from the west side of the parking lot, and the other at the north end of the pavilion.

Birders – or those with dogs – will want to walk or drive 1/3 of a mile to Morgan Falls River Park and Dog Park. There are no trails here, but you can walk a bit along the creek and check out the views of the dam and the river.

Fishing seems to be popular in both locations. In Morgan Falls Overlook Park, an unmarked, narrow, ungraded trail runs for about a third of a mile, beginning at the left side of the kayak rental building and continuing along the river's edge. I saw several folks fishing along this trail. I also saw folks fishing at Morgan Falls River Park from the metal observation deck and along the river bank.

Address: 200 Morgan Falls Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30350
Cost of admission: Free
Governance: City of Sandy Springs
Acres: 28
Approximate miles of trails: 1
Hours: Sun-up to sun-down
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 17
Transit directions: Take the MARTA 87 bus from Dunwoody Station to Roswell Rd & Morgan Falls Rd, then walk 1.3 miles west on Morgan Falls Rd
Parking: There are free parking lots at both the Overlook Park and the River Park
Trail surface: Natural
Restrooms: Restrooms are available at the Overlook Park
Dogs allowed: Yes, and there is an off-leash dog park at the River Park
Fishing allowed: Yes
Guidebook mentions: Page 74 of Hiking the Hooch (1st edition)

Amenities:

Restrooms
Bike racks
Water fountain (dog & human)
Playground
Swinging benches
Large pavilion
Kayak rental (seasonal)
Dog park

Links:
Sandy Springs
High Country Paddle Shack

Overlook Park, January 15, 2017

Spotted Pink Ladybeetle, July 11, 2021

River Park, January 15, 2017

Powdered Dancer, July 11, 2021

Morgan Falls Dam, August 28, 2021

Overlook Park, January 15, 2017

Bald Eagle, River Park, March 4, 2017

Great Blue Heron at Morgan Falls Dam, River Park, March 4, 2017

More photos on Flickr:

Good to combine with:

Featured

John Ripley Forbes Big Trees Forest Preserve

Lost Corner Preserve

Updated January 15, 2017, July 11, 2021, and August 28, 2021

Johns Homestead

June 18, 2021 by Shawn Taylor in parks

The house at Johns Homestead was built in approximately 1832, and is one of the oldest remaining houses in DeKalb County. More information about the buildinds and land are available from Friends of Johns Homestead Park and The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. The park was created in 2004 when DeKalb County purchased the homestead land. The lake section was added via a separate purchase in 2006. The City of Tucker was incorporated in 2015, and the park now belongs to the city.

Address: 3071 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker, GA 30084
Cost of admission: None
Governance: City of Tucker
Friends of the Park Group: Friends of Johns Homestead
Acres: 50
Approximate miles of trails: 2
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 11
MARTA directions: Take the 75 bus from Avondale Station to the Lawrenceville Hwy @ Lovely Ln stop. This stop is right in front of the homestead.
Parking: There is a parking lot for the park on Lawrenceville Highway, just NE of the homestead buildings.
Trailhead(s): There are two trailheads along Lawrenceville Highway, one at the parking lot and one at the homestead buildings. The trails are also accessible from Edinburgh Drive and Stapp Drive.
Trail surface: Mostly natural, some gravel
Blazes/markings: None
Restrooms: None
Dogs allowed: Yes, on leash
Fishing allowed: Yes
Accessibility notes: As of June 2021, on the trail connecting the homestead to the lakes, there are two footbridges across small streams that are narrow (~12” wide) and bouncy. There are plans to replace these with full pedestrian bridges.
Links:

Friends of Tucker Parks
Concept Plan (note, this includes several trails and other amenities that are not yet build)
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

July 4, 2017

Pileated Woodpecker, January 6, 2018

January 6, 2018

Frozen Twin Brothers Lake, January 6, 2018

Slaty Skimmer, June 18, 2021

More photos on Flickr

From around the web

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Recent iNaturalist observations

Good to combine with:

Featured

Friendship Forest Wildlife Sanctuary

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

Shamrock Forest

Updated July 15, 2017, January 6, 2018, and June 18, 2021

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Johnson Ferry South

Johnson Ferry South

November 24, 2019 by Shawn Taylor in parks

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:

May 16, 2015

January 3, 2017

November 24, 2019

For more photos, see my flickr album.

Good to combine with:

Featured

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Sope Creek

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Cochran Shoals (Columns Drive & Interstate North)

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Johnson Ferry North

Good to combine with:

Updated on August 4, 2016 and November 24, 2019

Roswell Riverwalk

Roswell Riverwalk Trail

December 17, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Unlike most of the posts on this blog, this one features a multi-use path instead of a nature trail. Most of the trails here are paved or boardwalk, and bicycles are welcome.

The Roswell Riverwalk provides connections to several trails: the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Vickery Creek (which in turn connects to Old Mill Park), and Allenbrook.

In November 2018, the fifth and final phase opened, running along Willeo Road from the Chattahoochee Nature Center to Willeo Park.

Location: Along Riverside Rd, Azalea Dr, and Willeo Rd
Cost of admission: Free
Governance: City of Roswell
Acres: Linear
Approximate miles of trails: 3.5 miles one way
Hours: Unknown
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 17
MARTA directions: Take the 85 bus from North Springs Station to the Riverside Rd stop. Walk west on Azalea Dr. On the south side of Azalea Dr, you can access the Riverwalk.
Parking: Parking is available at several parks along Azalea Dr and Riverside Rd.
Trail surface: Mostly paved and boardwalk, with one gravel section and some dirt side-trails
Geocaching: Yes

Amenities:

Parks along the riverwalk have restrooms, water fountains, pavilions, and playgrounds

January 26, 2017

Wilson's Snipe, March 4, 2017

October 22, 2017

January 21, 2018

January 26, 2017

Riverwalk bridge over Big Creek, January 26, 2017

Confluence of Big Creek and the Chattahoochee River, January 26, 2017

For more photos, see my flickr album.

From around the web

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Good to combine with:

Featured

Big Creek Greenway

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Gold Branch

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Vickery Creek

Chattahoochee Nature Center

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Allenbrook

Old Mill Park

Updated January 27, 2017, October 23, 2017, January 26, 2018, & December 17, 2018

Big Creek Park

August 11, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Address: 1600 Old Alabama Rd, Roswell, GA 30076
Cost of admission: None
Governance: City of Roswell
Acres: 160
Approximate miles of trails: 1.4 miles of unpaved hiking trails + 7 miles of mountain bike trails; connects to 7 miles of Big Creek Greenway
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 22
MARTA directions: From North Springs Station, take the 140 or 141 to North Point Pkwy @ Mansell Rd (the first stop after the Mansell Rd Park & Ride). From there, walk East on Mansell Rd. The path will be on the right. Once on the path, take the first left. Take the first right to walk over the creek and then take another right. Continue straight to enter the park. The walking distance from the bus stop to the Big Creek Greenway paved path is about a block, but the walking distance from the bus stop to the unpaved portion is about 1.5 miles.
Parking: From the Old Alabama Road entrance, there are two parking lots
Trailhead(s): This map shows the trailheads from the greenway and parking lots
Trail surface: Park trails are natural surface; greenway trails are paved and boardwalk

Amenities:

Bike rentals (at North parking lot)
Trash cans
Restroom
Mountain bike trails
Pump tracks

Links:
City of Roswell
RAMBO

March 19, 2017

August 11, 2018

For more photos, see my flickr album.

From around the web

Recent iNaturalist observations

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Good to combine with:

Featured

Jul 24, 2021

Big Creek Greenway

Jul 24, 2021

Dec 17, 2018

Roswell Riverwalk

Dec 17, 2018

Jul 19, 2017

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Island Ford

Jul 19, 2017

Jan 27, 2017

Old Mill Park

Jan 27, 2017

Updated May 21, 2017 & August 11, 2018

Big Haynes Creek Nature Center

Big Haynes Creek Nature Trail

May 28, 2018 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Not to be confused with Big Haynes Creek Recreation Area, Big Haynes Creek Nature Center is part of the Georgia International Horse Park, home to the equestrian events at the 1996 Olympics. These 173 acres were designated as a nature preserve and opened in 2007. The nature center features hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails, as well as a boat launch for canoes and kayaks. Some trails have bikes and horses separated, others are combined. Some of the trails are very wide and flat, while some are very narrow and moderately steep. Note: some of the biking and hiking trails are along granite outcrops and may be very slippery when wet.

Address: 855 Costley Mill Rd NE, Conyers, GA 30013
Cost of admission: None
Governance: Georgia International Horse Park
Acres: 173
Approximate miles of trails: Around 5 miles of trails in the nature center; around 20 miles total trails in the horse park
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 27
Parking and trailhead: Signs direct you to the nature center parking lot, which is across Costley Mill Rd from Gate D of the Georgia International Horse Park
Trail surface: Natural
Blazes/markings: Trails are blazed with paint on trees
Dogs allowed: Yes
Fishing allowed: No
Guidebook mentions: None

Amenities:

Four tent pads, grills, and a fire pit are available for approved groups
Boat ramp for canoes and kayaks
Interpretive signage
Equestrian and mountain bike trails (hiking appears to be permitted on both)
Wetlands overlook with viewfinder and bench

Links:

For more photos, see my flickr album.

From around the web

Random eBird sightings from the last 30 days

Good to combine with:

Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain

December 03, 2017 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Address: 1000 Robert E Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Admission: $15 parking fee per car. Free if you don't arrive by car.*
Acres: 3,200
Approximate miles of trails: 15
Hours: Hours vary. You can check the hours here.
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 15
MARTA directions: You can take the 121 bus from Kensington station to downtown Stone Mountain (corner of W Mountain St and Main St). From there, walk South on Main St. In a few blocks, you will see the PATH trail on your left. The trail will take you directly into the park. It's about a 10 minute walk from the bus stop into the park, although the walk might be much farther to your destination within the park.
Cycling directions: The Stone Mountain PATH trail connects Stone Mountain Park to downtown Decatur, downtown Atlanta, and the BeltLine

* There is some free parking available downtown in the town of Stone Mountain, GA. From there, you can bike or walk the Stone Mountain Trail into the park without needing to pay an entrance fee. There is another pedestrian entrance on E Mountain St. Where the road turns left before entering the park, you can walk straight into the park instead of going left. However, this gate is only open from sunrise to sunset.

Links:
Stone Mountain Park
Maps

May 10, 2015

Songbird Habitat Trail, January 5, 2017

December 3, 2017

White-breasted Nuthatch, December 3, 2017

Walk Up Trail, December 3, 2017

Songbird Habitat Trail, January 5, 2017

May 10, 2015

Songbird Habitat Trail, January 5, 2017

Good to combine with:

Updated August 4, 2016, January 5, 2017 & December 3, 2017

Kelley Cofer Park

February 04, 2017 by Shawn Taylor in parks

Address: 4259 N Park Dr, Tucker, GA 30084
Cost of admission: None
Governance: Presumably Tucker, GA
Acres: 17
Approximate miles of trails: 1
Hours: Unknown
Miles from downtown Atlanta: 15
MARTA directions: From Doraville station, take the 124 bus to Britts Gate Lane. From there, walk 1/4 mile east along N Park Dr to the park. (The 75 from Avondale is another option, with a bit longer walk.)
Trail surface: Natural