Our Favorite Trails

Easy & Local Trails

Arabia Mountain - An easy, local hike is at Arabia Mountain in southern Dekalb County.  The entire preserve is over 2000 acres in size. Paths along the open granite rock mound are marked with rock cairns.  There are wooded trails on the Nature Center side of Klondike Road, and they go around a small lake. It also has some fun paved bike trails, and these a part of the Arabia Mountain Greenway trail that connects Stonecrest Mall with the Arabia Mountain Preserve.

Cheatham Hill - See the historic Civil War battleground located on this 5-mile easy hike in Marietta. Kennesaw Mountain and its historic significance to Atlanta are also there.

Cochran Shoals Trail - This trail is 3.2 miles of flat and easy terrain shared with runners, cyclists, dogs, and walkers. Ideal for newcomers to hiking. This trail runs along the Chattahoochee River in Cobb County.

Mason Mill Park - In-town hiking can be found at this park near the VA Hospital in Dekalb County. Three miles of trails and some waterworks ruins are located here.

Stone Mountain Park - This venue offers several trails of differing lengths. The trail around the mountain is 6.2 miles and is mostly easy with one moderate section. Another 6.2-mile hike covers the backside of the mountain away from the crowds. The hike up the mountain is not long, only about 3/4 mile, but is more strenuous due to the climbing.

Suwanee Creek Greenway - Located in Gwinnett County, the Suwanee Creek Greenway is a hard-surface, multipurpose trail that meanders through four miles of wooded areas, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. The original trail was constructed in the early 1990s, and a three-mile extension opened in May 2004. The greenway connects nearly 400 acres of parkland as well as residential and commercial areas. One trailhead is located at Suwanee Creek Park, 1170 Buford Highway, and the other is at George Pierce Park.

Sweetwater Creek State Park - Located on the west side of Atlanta, several well-marked trails of varying lengths will take one through Civil War ruins and a factory. Canoes are available for rent for use on the lake.

Yellow River Park - Gwinnett County has beautiful forests and wildflowers, and one of the best places to enjoy both is Yellow River Park in the southern tip of the county. This park is 566 acres in size and is mostly wooded and contains several different types of forests. The wooded area covering the majority of the park mainly consists of upland deciduous forests, traditional pine woodlands, and mixed pine and hardwood forests. The park includes miles of winding mountain bike, hiking and horse trails through the woods above the Yellow River. Bike trails range from flat, smooth and wide for beginner cyclists to twisty, rocky and steep single-track trails coveted by more advanced cyclists.

Easy & Out of Town Trails

Fort Yargo State Park - Biking or hiking can occur on these level trails (approx 6 miles) around a lake in Fort Yargo State Park, located about 1 hour east of Atlanta. A lake and an historic Fort are also located there.

Laurel Ridge Trail - This trail is located near Buford Dam in Gwinnett & Forsyth Counties.  Along the 4-mile trail you can glimpse beautiful views of the lake, woodland and river scenery, as well as rare wildflowers and a variety of wildlife. The trail winds through several park areas, along the lake’s shoreline and the banks of the Chattahoochee River.

Raven Cliffs Trail - This 5-mile mostly easy trail located near Helen is an SOA favorite. There is also a 2-mile side trip to Duke Creek Falls. Challenging, but not impossible for beginners, this is a great introduction to SOA.

State Botanical Gardens - Located at UGA in Athens, a conservatory and many paved and unpaved trails take one through many different landscapes. The section of native plants is also interesting. You can also get some landscaping ideas. Touring the UGA campus brings back some fun memories for some of us alumnae.

Tennessee Rock Trail - Located at Black Rock Mountain State Park in north Georgia, this is an easy trail. It is especially rich in wildflowers.  It is a little over 2 miles and is a loop trail. The ranger station has a booklet with descriptions of the numbered points along the trail. There is a spectacular overlook from the Tennessee Rock where you can see several states.

Moderate Trails

Bear Hair Trail - The Bear Hair Trail in Vogel State Park is a moderate loop trail of about 5 miles, with an offshoot to an overlook. It is a nice spot to sit and enjoy the view. You will want to hike the trail in a counter-clockwise way, as there is a steep section along the way that would be a difficult climb.

Broad River Trail - Located near Toccoa, this 7-mile easy to moderate hike offers scenic views of the river and water falls with panoramic hillside photo ops.

Chatooga River Trails - Hike the 7.25 miles from Russell Bridge to Licklog Falls and back. This is a lovely trail with lots to see as it follows along the Chattooga River, east of Clayton. Numerous stream crossings make this a favorite summer hike.

Cloudland Canyon State Park - The West Rim Trail and Water Fall trail comprise a 5-mile moderate to strenuous hike. Located on the Western edge of the Lookout Mountain, this is a very scenic State Park. The elevation varies from 800 to 1,980 feet. Cloudland was established in 1939 with 2,200 acres of beautiful mountain land. The park is a good place to learn some about the geology of the Northwest Georgia.

Cooper Creek Recreational Area - Located in Suches, Ga, this is a loop comprised of 3 trails of 7.5 easy to moderate miles.

Edmunds Trail - Located at Black Rock Mountain State Park, this is a 7- mile loop trail with a nice overlook about half way, which makes a nice lunch spot.

Elachee Nature Center & Trails - Located in the Gainesville area, Elachee hosts more than twelve miles of mostly easy hiking trials taking the visitor through pine forests, hardwood ridges, streams, and wetlands. The longer trail is moderate with several hills. Use of the trails is free. If you visit the Nature Center, there is a small charge. There are also mountain biking trails in another area and separate from the hikers.

Gahuti Trail - Located in Fort Mountain State Park, the trail is moderate with a few steep sections. Fort Mountain derives its name from an ancient 855-foot-long rock wall that stands on the highest point of the mountain. The mysterious wall was probably built by Indians as fortification against other more hostile Indians or for ancient ceremonies. Most of the trails wind through hardwood forest and blueberry thickets, occasionally crossing streams and providing spectacular vistas.

Len Foote Hike Inn Trail - Beginning in Amicalola Falls State Park, the trail to the Len Foote Hike Inn is about 5 miles long and passes through some lush rhododendron and laurel thickets.  It is also a place to see pink ladies slippers and other wildflowers in the Spring. One can stop in at the Hike Inn for leftover apple cornbread and then hike out by the approach trail. For a strenuous hike, one can leave the hike inn and take the approach trail until it forks right about a mile from the inn and follow it up to Springer Mountain.

Panther Creek Trail - A wonderful trail located near Clayton, Ga. The 3.5 miles (one way) end at a lovely waterfall where you can stop for a snack and a dip in the cool mountain stream! Nearby in the city of Clayton, there are several dinner options.

Wolf Den Loop Trail - The Wolf Den Loop Trail at FDR State Park in middle Georgia is a 7-mile loop trail that starts at the TV tower.  One can opt to do a shuttle and hike past the Wolf Den and end up at Dowdell's Knob, which is about a 10-mile hike.  The view from Dowdell's Knob, once FDR's favorite picnic spot, is impressive.  There are long leaf pines on these trails, something you don't see much any more in Georgia, but which once covered the southern part of the state.

Strenuous Trails

Bartrum Trail - Named for William Bartram, an early explorer and naturalist, this National Recreation Trail stretches 37 miles from the Georgia/South Carolina line to the Chatooga River. Portions of the trail are steep.

Benton MacKaye Trail - The trail in Georgia stretches from Springer Mountain to Double Spring Gap on the Tennessee border and it is marked with white diamonds and blazes on trees. The terrain varies from streams through laurel and rhododendron thickets to scenic ridge tops and mature forest.

Blood Mountain - Blood Mountain is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Georgia. It is one of the highest places in Georgia, after Brasstown Bald, and Rabun Bald. Several trails of different levels are in the area.

Coosa Backcountry Trail - This yellow blazed, strenuous loop trail is located in Vogel State Park in north Georgia. Like the Bear Hair Trail, which it runs simultaneously with for a short distance, it is a better hike to do counterclockwise.  It is approximately 12 miles in length, and one can see pink ladies slippers and showy orchids in bloom there in the spring.

Rabun Bald Trail - Located near Clayton, off of Warwoman Road, this 3-mile trail provides a spectacular view of the tri-state area from an observation deck atop Rabun Bald, Georgia’s second highest point. The deck is constructed from remnants of an old fire tower built in the 1930’s. One of Georgia’s rarest birds, the raven, is frequently sighted. The ascent is extremely steep.

Standing Indian Mountain Trail - Standing Indian Mountain at 5,498 feet is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail south of the Great Smoky Mountains. The summit has excellent views to both the west and south, and the Standing Indian Shelter is located nearby for overnight accommodations. The Nantahala River begins on Standing Indian Mountain, just a short distance from here. The trail is very strenuous and is about nine (9) miles in length. It is a loop hike using 3 trails: 1) Beech Creek trail  (uphill, with the last 20 minutes straight up the side of Standing Indian), 2) Appalachian Trail  (downhill, and, 3) Deep Gap Trail (gentle downhill to steep downhill, flattens out toward the end).

Tallulah Gorge State Park - Tallulah Gorge is the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River. The hike down into the gorge and back up is steep and rocky but well worth the trip. There is a sliding rock at the bottom of the gorge that is lots of fun. This is where people slide down the rock into a pool of cold water at the bottom. (It is wonderful!) The steepness of this hike is the challenge, not the distance.

Stoneplace Trail - This trail is within Tallulah Gorge State Park and is lovely, but strenuous. You hike along the mountain and on the rim, not going down into the gorge.