Cochran Shoals - Sope Creek D-3 Wander

Let's hike the Cochran Shoals and Sope Creek sections of the Chattahoochee River NRA.  For this hike, we will be using the Sope Creek trailhead off Paper Mill Road but will also be spending extensive time in the Cochran Shoals section of the park.  We will start at  9:30am, so plan on arriving 10 minutes early for introductions.  This is a CRNRA unit so it will require either an annual CRNRA pass or $5.   

We will hike a variety of trails in the park that will allow is to explore the various corners of both the Cochran Shoals and Sope Creek units. The trails we will cover include several that are rocky and rooty and several of the hills are rather steep (but not terribly long) so if you have hiking poles, they may be useful.  

Our pace will be moderate and we will plan on covering the 7 miles in 3:15 hours.  If you are looking for a fast paced hike, this is probably not for you.  If you have D2+ or D3 experience, you will be fine but I do not recommend this hike for new hikers.  

Sope Creek Parking Lot (Paper Mill Road)

3760 Paper Mill Rd SE
Marietta, GA

GPS Coordinates: 33.939515,-84.441905

Directions: Take Interstate 75 North out of Atlanta to Windy Hill Road (exit 260). Turn right on Windy Hill Road, and then left on Powers Ferry Road. At the intersection of Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill Road, take a right on Terrell Mill. Take a right on Paper Mill Road; the park entrance is approximately 1 mile further on Paper Mill Road on the right.

From Johnson Ferry Road, cross the river going North; turn left at the Paper Mill Road intersection, past the Columns Drive light.  Stay on Paper Mill as it winds along to the Sope Creek bridge.  Once you cross the bridge, be alert for the Sope Creek sign on your left, about 1/4 mile from the bridge.

If you're traveling south on Johnson Ferry Road, turn right at Paper Mill Road and proceed according to the directions above.