Saturday Morning Hike at East Palisades

Join me for a Saturday morning hike in the beautiful East Palisades! This is a popular and heavily forested unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), and is located in NW Atlanta. In addition to beautiful scenery, there's a variety of wildlife that can be spotted, running the gamut from the common geese and ducks to the occasional deer, owls, and otters!

We'll start off heading south, then loop around for some lovely river views before heading back into the hills to cross over to see the bamboo forest. We'll make a couple of stops on our route, then ultimately swing back towards the cars to wrap up our hike at 11 AM. Our goal is to get in about 4 miles, maybe a bit more, on our 2 hour hike. While we won't be pushing ourselves too hard, please note that some of the areas can be a bit steep. This is not a hike appropriate for true beginners, but you should be fine if you have a little experience and feel comfortable with a consistent moderate pace and a bit of elevation.

Please remember to bring water! In spite of cooler weather, it's a must for this hike so you can stay hydrated. On a similar note, please consider that there are no restrooms at this location, so plan accordingly. :)

We'll start with our hike promptly at 9 AM, so please arrive 10-15 minutes early. This will give us a chance to make introductions and snap some group photos before hitting the trails. Also, as this is a CRNRA unit, you'll want to be sure to bring $3 for a parking pass if you don't already have an annual pass.

If you have any questions, please contact me for more information.

Address (from the CRNRA map): 1425 Indian Trail NW, Atlanta, GA 30327
Google maps/GPS users - you will get more accurate results using "East Palisades Trail Head" or these GPS coordinates: 33.88431, -84.43689

From I-75 NB - exit onto Mt. Paran NW road (exit 256) and turn right. After about 0.5 miles, turn left on Harris Trail NW and go another 1.5 miles. Turn left onto Northside Drive NW and go 0.5. Turn left onto Indian Trail NW and follow the road to the parking lot.

From I-285 - take exit 22 onto Northside Drive NW and head south (right turn if you're on 285 EB, left if you're WB). Follow it for 1.7 miles, then turn right onto Indian Trail NW and follow the road to the parking lot.

Trail map: http://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/upload/TrailMapPalisadesEast.pdf
Remember your $3 or CRNRA pass