Hike our top ten favorite, most popular and scenic trails in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area north of Atlanta.
The Chattahoochee River makes a run through metro Atlanta from its headwaters near the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia. Through decades of conservation and preservation, the river has become one of the metro area’s finest outdoor destinations, and our favorite trails along the river explore some of Atlanta’s most scenic outdoor terrain. They explore the river’s banks, catching exceptional views from rocky bluffs, visiting historic mill ruins and a spillway waterfall, and trailing through a bamboo grove on the river’s banks. They scout the remains of a cross-river bridge that was largely heisted by thieves nearly 100 years ago. They explore wildflower-filled forests, rocky tributary creeks, and sun-drenched meadows and marshlands. And they all offer fantastic options for an in-town outdoor adventure, visiting some of our most-loved spots in the city.
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a 48-mile-long, 10,000-acre chain of parks that stretch south from the river’s dam at Lake Lanier. The river flows wide through metro Atlanta, coursing through angular shoals and over multiple dams. The river’s flow ranges from glassy, serene stretches to frothy, turbulent whitewater, offering a wide variety of on-water adventures.
But while paddling, fishing, and boating are popular on-water activities on the river, the recreation area is also well-loved for its many miles of running and hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Most trails in the NRA feature maps and markers at each trail intersection. The trails make for a great in-town hike for beginners and a wonderful weekend stroll for families with children. They’re also a fantastic workout for runners looking to escape the monotony of sidewalks and crosswalks on a trail with a heavy dose of scenic beauty.
Chattahoochee River hikes near Atlanta: our top 10 favorite trails
Grab a great hike or trail run on our top ten favorite adventures below, or check out the full list of our favorite trails on the river’s banks and our Chattahoochee River map for even more fun on the river. And wherever your adventures take you, please remember to pack out everything you pack in, and leave no trace to help preserve the natural beauty of the river, its forests, and its banks.
- SCENIC RIVER VIEWS + A BAMBOO FORESTEast Palisades Trail3.4 miles Perhaps our all-time favorite hike on the Chattahoochee’s banks, the East Palisades Trail catches broad river views from towering bluffs, hikes through a bamboo forest, and visits whitewater rapids on one of the river’s most scenic stretches near Atlanta.
CIVIL WAR PAPER MILL RUINS + A TUMBLING TRIBUTARYSope Creek Trail1.5 miles Hike Sope Creek Park, exploring a rocky tributary and a beautiful forest. The trail visits the ruins of a stone paper mill destroyed in the Civil War, a tumbling creek, and a glassy, reflective pond. It’s a great, kid-friendly outdoor escape near Atlanta.- OUR FAVORITE ATLANTA RUNNING TRAILCochran Shoals Trail3.1 miles Run, walk or bike the 5k Cochran Shoals Trail on the river’s banks near Vinings. It’s likely the most popular trail in the NRA, loved for its scenery, nearly-level elevation, and the community of runners and families that pack the trail daily.
- WIDE RIVER VIEWS AT WEST PALISADESWest Palisades Trail at Paces Mill Park3.6 miles Run, bike or walk the West Palisades Trail network at the ultra-scenic Paces Mill Park near Vinings. Catch stunning views of the broad-flowing river, and then follow Rottenwood Creek upstream to a small waterfall. Tucked between two major Atlanta highways, it’s an outdoor oasis framed by urban infrastructure.
- HISTORIC MILL + A SPILLWAY WATERFALLVickery Creek Trail at Roswell Mill4.7 miles The Vickery Creek Trail follows a tumbling tributary to a spillway waterfall, Civil War-era mill ruins and a covered bridge at the historic Roswell Mill. With abundant natural beauty and a generous dose of history, this loop is one of our all-time favorite intown hikes.
- EXPLORE A MID-RIVER ISLANDPowers Island Trail2.4 miles The Powers Island Trail explores the river’s shore opposite from Cochran Shoals, hiking to a historic mid-river island and climbing through a beautiful, vine-covered forest to a riverside ridge and the remains of an old homestead.
- TWO-PARK ADVENTURECochran Shoals to Sope Creek8.5 miles This hike explores two of our favorite parks in the Chattahoochee River NRA. The adventure begins at Cochran Shoals, passes a small, secluded historic cemetery, and loops through Sope Creek to the park’s paper mill ruins and glassy pond. It’s a higher-mileage intown hike that’s packed with scenery and history, and makes for a great trail run, too.
HEISTED HISTORIC BRIDGE ON THE ‘HOOCHJones Bridge Park Trail4.6 miles This trail at Jones Bridge Park explores a wildlife-rich forest on the river’s banks and visits a historic bridge that was largely heisted by thieves in the 1940s. Hike this trail in early, foggy mornings for a surreal sunrise view.- WILDLIFE-FILLED FOREST AT BULL SLUICE LAKEGold Branch Trail at Bull Sluice Lake3.5 miles The Gold Branch Trail loops through the wildlife-filled banks of Bull Sluice Lake near Roswell. Just upstream from Morgan Falls Dam, the river’s flow is wide, slow, and glassy.
- The Island Ford trail explores the Chattahoochee River NRA headquarters, located in a 1930s log home on the river’s banks. The trail hikes to several large caves thought to be Native American dwellings of the early inhabitants of the Chattahooochee River Valley.
- Our favorite hiking gearWhat to pack? Ready to hit the trail, but wondering what to pack? Our hiking gear list features our favorite, trail-tested hiking gear for day hikes on local trails and in the Georgia backcountry. We print and stitch our Atlanta Trails shirts and hats locally in Atlanta and Asheville, and they’re our favorite for trail adventures all over the South. And no matter what you pack in, pack it all back out. Please leave no trace and help preserve Georgia’s beauty.
OUR HIKING GEAR LIST
Parking & Access
For free access to the parks, travel via public transportation, or bike, run, or walk to the parks if they’re nearby. Driving? Purchase a Chattahoochee River NRA daily pass for $5 per vehicle – a true bargain for a day’s worth of outdoor adventure. Or for an even better value, grab an unlimited-use $40 annual pass. (Since the parks are some of our favorite, go-to destinations for an outdoor adventure near Atlanta, we purchase an annual pass year after year.)
The parks are units of the National Park Service and are open from dawn to dusk. Leashed pets are welcome; in fact, several of these trails scored a spot in our favorite dog-friendly trails in the Atlanta area.
Please Remember
Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.
Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you're going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials, and don't rely on a mobile phone to find your way. Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.
