Seeing new and unique parts of Atlanta is a great way to get out of the house and explore. If you have been following along for a while you’ll know that going on hikes/walks is my one of my favorite things. When Covid hit last year, hiking in Georgia was one of the few ways I could explore and still stay safe. I made it a goal during my summer break to find a new Georgia hike/walk once a week. There are so many great places to see and I found great hiking/walking spots within an hour from downtown Atlanta. For each of these hikes/walks near Atlanta, I always recommend having the All Trails app on your phone so you can always stay on the trail and know where you are going. If you don’t want to have to deal with paying at each park individually, I recommend buying the Chattahoochee Parks Pass for $40 annually.
Views of the Chattahoochee at Island Ford trail
Island Ford:
This Atlanta hike I heard about from Bert from The Bert Show. Island Ford took me 25 minutes to get to the trailhead from downtown. Island Ford costs $5 to hike. The Island Ford trail is 5.4 miles and is one giant loop. If you look at the map, go to the right first and complete that loop. The loop to the left of Island Ferry Road doesn’t end with great views and wasn’t worth it to me unless you are wanting to get the exercise in. All Trails rates Island Ford as easy but the second half is definitely more moderate.
Vickery Creek:
I grew up coming to this Atlanta hike and it is perfect in the summertime and on a weekday because it is less crowded. At Vickery Creek, if you take a left before the bridge you can head straight to the falls for a really easy hike. After you pass the bridge, always turn left, if you go right you’ll hit a dead end. The Vickery Creek waterfall is the highlight of the trail but it is stunning back in the woods and gets a great workout in. Vickery Creek Trail is a 4.7 miles round trip loop and it is free to visit!
Dolls Head Trail:
I found out about this Atlanta hike from Ventres Adventures! Dolls Head Trail is a quick 15 minutes south of the city. Dolls Head Trail is only 1.6 miles roundtrip and took me 40 minutes to complete. The whole premise of this Atlanta hike is to show how much trash gets polluted on this planet. A local carpenter decided to make trash into art and encourage others to as well. This Atlanta hike is a little bit creepy but it is fun to look at. I loved the boardwalk area and I do recommend bringing bug spray especially if you go in the summer. If you go after a solid rain day, bring good hiking boots as well.
Lullwater Loop:
Lullwater Loop is one of my favorite hikes within an hour of Atlanta! Follow the directions on the All Trails app for the parking on Houston Mill Road. It is only a 15 minute drive but there aren’t a ton of spots so make sure you get there early! I love the part of the trail you walk through the beautiful Emory campus. The last .25 mile of the trail was under construction when we visited but it was easy to walk around it on the way back to the parking lot. Lullwater Loop is 3.8 miles and it took us a little over an hour to complete.
West Palasides Trail:
So many people know about the East Palisades Trail which is famous for its bamboo forest, but many don’t know its counterpart! The West Palasides Trail is actually the best spot to bring your beach chair in the summer and enjoy the Chattahoochee River. West Palasides Trail costs $5 to access and it is 4 miles round trip. I’ll be honest, I got lost on it even using All Trails. I recommend going to the right when you get to the bottom of the hill to hit the far part of the trail and complete the loop along the river at the end. This Atlanta hike is a quick 20 minute drive.
Cochran Shoals:
I grew up coming to this trail in high school to stay in shape for basketball season. Cochran Shoals is a very flat and easy trail, and offers stunning views of the Chattahoochee as well. This Atlanta trail is 20 minutes from that city and is a 3.1 mile loop. You can park at Eugune Grundy Road or at the end of Columns Drive. Cochran Shoals costs $5 to hike and is very populated on the weekends. If you want to add a little more distance or challenge to this Atlanta trail, there is a board walk about .25 miles into the trail onto the left from the Cochran Shoals entrance. It can add an extra mile or more to your walk. This Atlanta trail also connects to Sope Creek in case you wanted to combine both for an extra hard and long trail.
Sope Creek Trail:
This Atlanta trail is a hidden gem! Nestled back behind a curvy road, you get to see many different sites! A 32 minute drive from Atlanta, this 1.5 mile easy loop features a small pond, a river, and and old mill ruins. There are also extra trails to make it longer and harder if you’d like to add them on. Sope Creek costs $5 to access this Atlanta trail as well.
Pine Mountain Trail:
Forty-five minutes away, this “Atlanta” trail is farther than most but still offers a variety of views. Right outside the city of Cartersville, I chose the Pine Mountain trail west entrance right off interstate 75. A 2.1 mile out and back trail and a great moderate hike for those wanting a little bit of a challenging trail. At the top of the trail you get stunning views of Lake Allatoona. On really clear days you can see Kennesaw Mountain and even the city skyline. Parking is $5 at this trail.
Olde Rope Mill Park:
Olde Rope Mill Park trail was a little bit confusing when I drove up. It said this Atlanta trail was closed but there were tons of cars and people. From hiking this trail myself, I think parts of it are closed, mainly the most popular ones near the waterfall. Thirty-five minutes from Atlanta, this trail is free to visit! I started off on the paved Little River Trail and then worked my way around the Avalanche Trail Loop. The trail winds back and you can see the far side of the river and rail road tracks. I ended up hiking 4.5 miles and it took me a little over an hour and a half to complete. This Atlanta trail is rated as moderate.
Morningside Nature Preserve:
Only a quick 13 minute drive from Atlanta, the Morningside Nature Preserve offers a quick escape. It is free to visit and is a 1.6 mile loop. It features a river and a beautiful bridge across the river. Very dog friendly and there is even a little dog beach for your pups to get in the water.
Red Top Mountain
This lovely trail was only 40 minutes from Atlanta. I hiked this trail on election day of this past year and I was the only one there. The Red Top Mountain loop trail was 5.6 miles and moderate in rating. The loop weaved through the beautiful fall trees and up against the shores Lake Allatoona for a mile. It costs $5 to park and it took me 2 hours to complete.
400 Path Trail
This Atlanta trail takes 15 minutes to get to and parallels interstate 400 and is free to visit. I completed the full trail map on AllTrails that was 7 miles and it took me a little over two hours to complete. I started at the top end of the trail right up 400 off Weicua Road. AllTrails says to park at Sarah Smith Elementary school but I parked on Statewood Road instead. There are other parking access points on Old Ivy Road, Highland Drive and Martina Drive. You can break down this Atlanta trail by just doing the northern portion or southern portion which are each 2 miles roundtrip. The middle portion takes you through the heart of Buckhead in case you want to stop for a meal or snack.
Finding great trails to hike/walk on the weekends or on your days off is not hard to do in Atlanta! I know about many of the classic trails like Sweetwater Creek, Stone Mountain, and Sawnee Indian Mountain seats, but I wanted to highlight many of the lesser known trails. All these trails less than an hour from Atlanta offer so much variety and give you so much to explore. If you hike any of these Atlanta trails and love them, let me know in the comments!
