Famously called the “City in the Forest,” Atlanta is almost half covered by tree canopy – with 48% of the land covered or shaded by trees. This brings Atlanta to the top of the list of urban areas in the country with high tree cover. For comparison, Washington D.C. has 37% tree canopy while New York City and Chicago have only 23% tree canopy.
Since 2007, over half of the world’s population has been living in cities. As the world continues to urbanize, preserving our cities’ parks, greenspaces, and trails becomes increasingly urgent. Not only do urban parks reduce ambient temperatures, but they provide countless benefits such as reducing flooding, sequestering carbon, providing habitat for wildlife, and improving natural biodiversity.
In addition to benefitting the environment, access to nature has countless personal benefits, including improved brain function, reduced stress, better immune function, and greater feelings of social connection. The more time individuals spend in nature, the greater the perceived value of nature tends to be and the more willing they are to participate in pro-environmental behaviors (Mackay & Schmitt, 2019; Li, 2022). On a community level, in urban areas, green spaces are also linked to lower rates of violent crime (Shepley et al., 2019)(Ogletree et al., 2022).Luckily, Atlanta has a wide range of parks and trails to engage its residents in preserved nature. Below are some suggestions for walks and hikes accessible within the city of Atlanta or a short driving distance that can make for a lovely day or afternoon.Starting close to home, Lullwater Preserve is accessible right from Emory’s campus, featuring the President’s home and Candler Lake, a few unique paths ranging from 0.8 to 1.2 miles wind through the preserved forest, the South Fork Peachtree Creek, and some flat areas that are great to accommodate a game of frisbee or a picnic.
From the trails, you can cross a wood and steel span bridge which leads to the stone ruins of an old powerhouse on site. You can expect to see wildlife, especially deer along the trails and turtles sunbathing on perfect resting spots across Candler Lake.
Lullwater Preserve offers the perfect break between classes, but there is no parking on site so you must access through paid parking at Emory University. See Emory’s Transportation and Parking Services website for more information on visitor parking and parking passes.
President's Loop
- 0.8 miles
- Paved
- Elevation gain: 70 ft
Lake Loop
- 0.9 miles
- Partially paved, partially flat unpaved
- Elevation gain: 157 ft elevation
Hill Loop
- 1.2 miles
- Unpaved, some steep sections
- Elevation gain: 40 ft elevation
Just across the street from Emory’s campus, two preserved areas provide access to South Fork Peachtree Creek and some hidden trails. Here, old growth forests, wildflowers, and a few champion trees can be found. More than once, I have spotted a Heron in the water at these sites. It offers a relaxed pace with a few miles of unpaved dirt paths as well as access to the creek banks. Near the parking lot at the entrance of Zonolite Park, there is a picnic table and a community garden. The trail also provides a few benches along the way to stop and take in your surroundings.
Zonolite park was restored to an urban wetland from a brownfield site, at one point being an industrial site of its namesake. Now, it has been converted into an urban forest beloved by community members. If you turn left from the parking lot and follow the trail up the streambanks to the east, you will run into Herbert Taylor Johnson Nature Preserve, a former granite quarry. It is now home to a high number of uncommon plants, including Rivercane, American Hazelnut, and Sweet Cicely. In the preserve, you can wander among weaving trails along the river.
Free parking for these sites can be found here.
Zonolite Loop
- 0.5-1.5 mile
- Dirt path
- Elevation gain: 10 ft
- Outer loop: 0.6 miles
- Pine forest trail: 0.15 miles
- Beaver Pond Trail: 0.19 miles
- Wetland meadow trail: 0.2 miles
All:
- Dirt path
- Total elevation gain: 26 ft
Slightly farther from Emory’s campus but within the city of Atlanta you can find the Chattahoochee River National Recreational Areas (CRNRA), which offer more extensive trail networks and activities along the Chattahoochee River. A list of all the CRNRAs can be found here, but below are some of my favorite and most frequently visited. All of the parks within the CRNRA charge $5 for parking, or a yearly pass costs $40 and covers any CRNRA. Parking at CRNRAs is also included in an America the Beautiful Pass, which includes up to four people for access to lands managed by National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Army Corps of Engineers. Prices vary based on eligibility, which can be checked here.
Cochran Shoals is one of my absolute favorite spots for a river walk or run. The main loop follows the Chattahoochee River on a relatively flat gravel path. It provides river access for anyone wanting to take a paddleboard or kayak on the water or just to sit to admire the river that provides metro Atlanta the majority of our water. The path crosses a few bridges and has shaded and sunny sections. While it is a beautiful area to visit year-round, yellow wildflowers bloom in the late summer, typically around September. From the main loop, which is around 3 miles, I have seen river otters and snapping turtles along the boardwalk section. The loop also provides access to numerous dirt paths that can be taken for more mileage. Some accommodate bikes, and some are for hikers only.
The parking lot here has bathrooms and a water fountain.
River Loop
- 3.1 miles
- Mostly gravel, wide path follows the river
- Elevation gain: 35 ft
Cochran Shoals to Sope Creek
- 8.5 miles
- Gravel and dirt paths
- Elevation gain: 640 ft
Nearby to Cochran Shoals, East Palisades offers a dirt path that is a bit more shaded. The winding trail network provides a variety of paths to explore the area. Here, the rocky bank of the Chattahoochee is accessible when the water levels are low. You may be able to hop out on the rocks into the center of the river.
Trail Network
- Up to ~4 miles, easily adjustable
- Dirt path
- Elevation gain: trails closest to the river ~495 ft, northern trail options ~750 ft
Just across the river from East Palisades, West Palisades provides a unique experience in the CNRNA. West Palisades has multiple creek access points for kayakers and paddleboarders, although it’s a bit of a longer walk to the riverbanks. After parking here, you can head down to the river, about a 0.6 mile hike downhill. At the river, there are bathrooms and a wide range of rocks to sit from. This is the perfect spot to read a book or sit and watch the river run. I have also spotted a great heron in the river here! From the river access point, you can walk along the river’s edge Northeast or Southwest , or head up a gravel path to access more miles of trail network. West Palisades has a lot to explore, but can be a bit steep in some areas.
Trail Network
- Up to ~4.5 miles, easily adjustable
- Dirt and gravel paths
- Elevation gain: 600 ft
Arabia Mountain is a perfect place to visit for unique geology. The national heritage area is home to two geological oddities called monadnocks, -an isolated mountain. The granite ecosystem is home to an ethereal wonderland. Rare and beautiful plants found almost nowhere else on Earth are at home in the vernal pools of the National Natural Landmark mountain. Wildflowers and rare succulents bloom from the rocky outcrops in a vibrant array of colors. The star of the show is diamorpha, also called elf orpine, which covers the mountain in a blanket of red during winter and spring. In early spring, the diamorpha blooms into delicate white flowers – a bizarre sight coming from a large rock. Panola Mountain was never quarried, which means the rare ecosystem is well preserved.
If you hike up the mountain, you will find stunning 360 views of the surrounding forest. It is almost easy to forget how close you are to the major urban center of Atlanta from this viewpoint. It is also a great viewpoint spot for a sunrise or sunset, with just a quick 10-15 minute walk to the summit of the mountain from this parking lot.
The rocky blooms are not the only beautiful wonder of the natural area, however. Azaleas and mountain laurel line the forest and lake loops in the spring, in the more shaded parts of the hikes. There are so many options to explore in this recreational area but my favorite is the Arabia Mountain --> Klondike --> Forest Trail Loop. From either parking lot in the area, there are plenty of amazing trails to access. See the trail map for more details.
Parking at both lots is free, but bathrooms are only available at this parking lot.
The Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve also connects to the Arabia Mountain PATH trail, 30+ miles of paved trail that are perfect for longer walking, running, or cycling distances.
Walking Trails
Arabia Mountain --> Klondike --> Forest Trail Loop
- 3.9 miles
- Paved trail, boardwalks, rock, dirt path
- Elevation gain: 318 ft
Mountain view loop trail
- 2.4 miles around the lake
- Rock and dirt path
- Elevation gain: 193 ft
Klondike trail
- 3.3 miles
- Rock, dirt, and boardwalk
- Elevation gain: 265 ft
The summit of Stone Mountain is one that rivals Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve for the perfect sunrise spot in Atlanta. A challenging but rewarding hike, the walk-up trail is about one mile of incline that covers about 700 feet of elevation. During operating hours, you can reach the summit by skyride as well.
From the base of the mountain, you can also walk along the southern edge toward the nature garden trail, with educational signage and wildlife habitats. On the walk, you get great views of the vernal pools and rare plants of stone mountain while also being encompassed by the preserved forest. I saw plenty of deer along this path.
The parking lot charges $20 for a one- time visit or $40 for a year-long pass and has restrooms at the trailhead.
You can also access Stone Mountain via the Stone Mountain PATH Trail, beginning from Atlanta. The PATH Foundation offers a paved trail covering 19 miles from Centennial Park to Stone Mountain with 400 ft of elevation gain. You can also park for free along the trail at the Carter Center, King Center, Inman Park MARTA Station, Eastlake MARTA Station, and Avondale MARTA station to bike or walk the remaining distance to Stone Mountain.
Walking Trails
Walk Up Trail
- 2 miles
- Rock
- Elevation gain: 700 ft
Nature Garden Trail
- 1.25 miles
- Rock and dirt paths
- Elevation gain: 50 ft
Muscogee Trail
- 1.4 miles
- Rock and dirt paths
- Elevation gain: 110 ft
