Living in Atlanta as an adult, the Atlanta Beltline has shaped my life in many ways. While at Georgia Tech, I trained for my half marathons on it. Today I take many daily walks. Many know the popular portion of the trail on the Eastside of the city, but today I am very excited to partner with the Path Foundation to tell you all about the new Westside Connector Beltline Trail.
What/Where is the Westside Beltline Connector Trail?
The Westside Beltline Connector Trail is part of the larger trail system of the Atlanta Beltline that when completely finished will be a 33 mile multi-use trail around the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta Beltline’s goal is to offer a pedestrian-friendly environment that promotes walking, jogging, and biking. The Westside Beltline Connector Trail’s goal is to attach to the Atlanta Beltline by creating a larger 10 mile trail connecting several Westside neighborhoods to the famous Silver Comet Trail. It also passes the Georgia World Congress Center close to Mercedes Benz Stadium.
The Westside Beltline Connector Trail start is located at the corner of Northside Drive and Ian Alan Jr. Boulevard and ends at Law Street. This 1.7 mile out and back paved trail is the perfect escape after a busy day of work or a great way to explore a new part of Atlanta. It is perfect for walking, jogging, running or biking. There is also a great green space right right after the Cameron Madison bridge. The green space is perfect for a picnic offering stunning views of the Atlanta skyline. With the Westside Beltline Connector Trail newly finished, I only saw 5 total people on the trail. It is perfect for social distancing right now.
Where to Park to access the Westside Beltline Connector Trail?
There are lots of free parking options to gain access to the Westside Beltline Connector Trail.
Parking at the start of the trail I recommend street parking on Edwards Street NW or Jones Ave NW.
If you don’t want to start at the very beginning of the trail, park on Cameron Madison Alexander Boulevard (.45 mile from the start) or on Julian Street NW/Fox Street NW (.75 mile from the start).
Parking towards the end of the trail, I recommend the street parking on Bedford Street or the parking lot designated for the Westside Connector trail located at the intersection of Bedford Street and Law Street NW.
When can you visit the Westside Beltline Connector Trail?
The “official” hours on the Westside Beltline Connector Trail are from 7 am to 11 pm. If you are an early morning runner/biker/walker you can still access the trail since it is equipped with lights. For extra security measures, the Westside Beltline Connector Trail also has many video surveillance cameras along the path.
5 Tips for Exploring the Westside Beltline Connector Trail:
- Bring water with you or hydrate beforehand since are no water foundations or places to buy water on the trail.
- Go to the restroom right before you head out on the Westside Beltline Connector trail. There are no restaurants or facilities on the Westside Beltline Connector trail you can stop at to use facilities.
- Stop at the Trap Museum on your way down the trail. It is only open on weekends and recommended to buy your ticket ahead of time.
- Sit and enjoy the beautiful weather/views on the many benches located along the Westside Beltline Connector Trail.
- Explore the local art murals Boone Boulevard and Edwards Street.
The Path Foundation did a fantastic job in creating this beautiful trail in partnership with the Atlanta Beltline. There are so many great trails to explore the city of Atlanta and if you check out the Westside Beltline Connector Trail I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
If you are interested in more trails to explore close to Atlanta, click HERE for my blog post that has 12 trails located less than an hour from the city.
