chattahoochee river national recreation area

A wonderful location for exploring history, nature and simply enjoying being in a quiet beautiful location amidst the hustle and bustle of Atlanta's northside.Sope Creek, named for Cherokee Chief Sope contains walking and biking trails in addition to the remaining ruins of a Civil War Confederate Paper Mill (located where else but off Paper Mill Rd.Not too sure how many acres are included in the Chattahoochee River NRA, but it is considerable with many miles of river frontage. The river by the way is the main source of drinking water for the Atlanta area, also an active trout stream (how many cities can say that).The river is fed by Lake Lanier a few miles up north and as a result runs very cool to cold, goodfor rafting etc., and observing wildlife such as beavers, muskrats, deer, an occasional bobcat and the largest variety of bird life imaginable.Great side trip, or a great destination. Enter off Johnson Ferry Rd at Columns Dr. or off Paper Mill Rd., multiple restaurants nearby.

This place is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of East Cobb. It's quiet and serene. Great for walking your dog, jogging or bicycling - specially Mountain Biking. The trails are decent for beginners and for intermediate riders. The place is also very popular for hikers and joggers - so bikers beware of the changing directions for the day.

The trails off of 285 and Powers Ferry Rd in Cobb county are very good and usually full of runners/joggers/dog walkers, etc. Relatively short for cyclists, however. Good in-town option to get your exercise in. Be aware of the parking fee which is due each time, self-pay kiosks are in the parking lot. If you go more than 5 times, you should get the annual pass.

I come here regularly. In fact this is my third year purchasing an annual pass and we make good use of it especially in the spring and fall.

Get there early along the river you may just catch a big surprise. or Dinner for several nights. Don't go on a day that the dammn is released the current is too strong.

When I visit my daughter and her family, we almost always use these parks. Often just to walk the trails, sometimes we picnic or play ball in a grassy area. We have 2 yr old, teenagers, parents a myself a grandparent and it's always fun. Sometimes I sit by the river and help the little one throw rocks in the river or try to keep up with him as he runs the trail looking for more rocks. We have spent several hours grilling and relaxing at a picnic table with the sounds of the river nearby. The trees are big and beautiful for lots of shade. You will seasonally see wild flowers. It's wonderful for a big city, like Atlanta, to have this resouce to use and, with good reason, let me tell you they DO use it!!!

Visited this area at sunset. The fog rising over the river and sunset views were spectacular. We had planned to go tubing in terms area but missed the opportunity. Will put this at the top of the list next time I visit!!!

I am a travel writer who covers national parks (npplan.com). I live it Atlanta and thoroughly explored the Chattahoochee River National Recreation area and have information about all the park units, trails, and the river that can be found nowhere else on the Internet except for my web site. I have nearly 350 photos as well. While the actual body of water within this 48-mile section of the Chattahoochee is owned by the federal government and operated by the National Park Service, not all of the shoreline along the river is under federal jurisdiction. Much of the river bank is private property and access to the river at these areas would be through the property owner’s approval. However, the NPS does own 15 parcels of land along the river, 13 of which can be accessed by roads. These are known as the “Park Units.” Each park unit has various amenities such as hiking trails, boat ramps, canoe launches, picnic areas, etc.Believe it or not, this little known National Park property gets nearly as many visitors each year as does Yellowstone National Park, though the Chattahoochee River is about as mundane a river as you will run across, not particularly scenic or exciting. Nobody travels across the country to see it; it’s doubtful many people travel across Georgia to see it. It owes its 3 million plus visitors a year to the simple fact that it is the playground of Atlanta, one of the largest cities in the United States. But when you get right down to it, that’s exactly what a National Recreation Area is all about any—recreation, not scenic beauty. While some National Recreations Areas are beautiful enough to attract visitors from around the nation, most serve as a recreation area for the local population. The goal of any National Recreation Area is to preserve the area and keep it free from commercial development so that the people of today’s generations and all future generations can enjoy outdoor activities.Unlike many parks where there are set things to see and do that take up a certain amount of time, visiting the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area is a leisurely experience with no set agenda that visitors must experience. People come to the park in their spare time for exercise and outdoor fun and adventure. National Park Planner gives visitors insight into trail lengths and difficulties, information for planning a river float trip suited to your time constraints and physical abilities, and the locations of historic ruins, boat ramps, and picnic areas.

We have visited this location several times with and without our kids, and have found it to be a great place to take a quiet walk. Although the parking lot is usually crowded and the area is frequented by many people (bikers, runners, walkers, picnickers...), the trail is very wide with some nice quiet boardwalks off of the main path that are designated for walkers and runners, no bikes. We have seen many birds on our trips here and most recently we could hear two barred owls calling back and forth. The only problems we have encountered here are the bathrooms (disgusting) and the confusion on how to use our National Park pass to park here (parking is $3 per day, or free with the NP pass).

Came by today for a short run and to see the progress of the nearby Akers Mill Trail. There were lots of people here for a mid-morning on a Monday.Paid my $3 parking fee and then set off. Was awed by the tranquility of the river, even near a busy Interstate overpass!Looking forward to my next visit to this nice area.

Pedestrians have to be very careful on the trails. Park authorities have marked special trails with NO BIKES signs, which had been destroyed by anonymous persons, then rebuilt. The bikers on these trails are somewhat rude towards runners and walkers. I had even the experience when one biker shouted at me to shut my f...... mouth, when I complained about his rude attitude. He was approaching me with high speed downhill from behind on a small trail and nearly gave me a blow with his bike. Trails are small and rocky in certain areas, so they leave space for one person only. A few bikers start to shout from a certain distance from behind, when they approach you. These trails are absolutely overcrowded by bikers during weekends and during the weekdays afternoons. This is no recreation area for walkers, this is a challenge to master for people who like to take a meditative walk out in the woods. The nature itself is truly beautiful, but because of the rude attitude from bikers towards people who like to walk, I can only give it a poor rating. Hopefully, the park authorities will find a way to stop these reckless bikers from threating harmless walkers.

While attending a conference in Atlanta I opted to get away from the city for the day and "get back to nature". The nearby Chattahoochee River Natural Recreation Area was the perfect choice. I rented a bike, boarded public transportation and got within a couple miles to then enjoy a great day of biking. Stopping at the Visitor Center is a must first stop to get a local map and find out about areas you may otherwise overlook. From there I went to Island Pond, then the Nature Center and finally nearby Morgan Falls. I didn't take any of the bike trails but just stayed on the local roadways the entire time. A beautiful, relaxing day enjoy the beauty of nature in this unspoiled yet well-maintained area. *Note-you must walk (not ride) your bike along the Nature Center's Boardwalk.

A really great place to get some outdoor exercise with a great view of the Chattahoochee river. Just be warned that the small parking lots get pretty crowded on the weekends, so you may have to wait a few minutes for a space.

This is a pleasant surprise in Atlanta. The entrance really misguides what it holds inside! It is a very long river side with a lengthy awesome trail. The views from the banks of the river are spectacular. We saw few kids diving into the river from a heightened rock on the other side of the bank and having fun. We also saw many people kayaking in the river. The day we had been, the water was flowing smoothly and slowly and was a perfect day for a naive kayakers. Unfortunately, only after seeing them, we realized we could also have had kayaking fun. On the trail, we saw a small snake on a rock. So, watchout for snakes and other creature on your trails. Will definitely recommend for people looking at going on long trails, river swimming, kayaking, jogging or just having a peaceful day in the woods.

Love the walking trails through the woods, by the river, and across the swamp, lots of room to stretch your legs at any pace. Added bonus: the chance to see beaver and maybe even an alligator!