Welcome Sunshine! Wildflowers & Wildlife Walk by the Hooch

  Most AOCers may be unaware that the friendly rangers of our Chattahoochee River Nat'l Recreation Area here in metro Atlanta offer a variety of free nature walks and other programs that are highly enjoyable and educational.
  On this "AOC participation event" we'll meet National Park Service naturalist Jerry Hightower in the CRNRA "Whitewater Creek" Parking Lot in NW Atlanta (see easy directions below).  Jerry is known for his vast knowledge of Georgia's native plants and animals and of the human history of the Chattahoochee River corridor.  He will guide this leisurely paced 2-1/2 hour nature walk will be in the lovely "East Palisades" unit of the CRNRA.
  These forested riverbanks in NW Atlanta were once home to Native Americans who lived and thrived here for thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived.  Imagine bustling villages, dugout canoes on the river bank, smoldering fires smoking fish and game, and piles of freshwater mussel shells.
  We expect to observe and identify an abundance of beautiful wildflowers, trees, shrubs and ferns.  Jerry will discuss the Indians' and pioneers' medicinal and dietary uses of some of the native plants.  We'll keep a sharp eye out for birds and wild mammals that thrive here and their footprints.  We may also find a few turtles and uncover a salamander or two hanging out beneath creek stones.

DON'T FORGET $3 in CASH for CRNRA PARKING FEE.  The driver of each vehicle (that doesn't display a valid Nat'l Parks Annual Parking Pass) needs to pay the daily fee in a self-serve envelope and hang the numbered receipt on your rear-view mirror.

MORE on the CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NAT'L RECREATION AREA:  Click on this link: http://www.nps.gov/chat/index.htm

DIRECTIONS from DOWNTOWN or MIDTOWN ATLANTA via I-75 NORTH:

1. Take I-75 North about 5 miles and exit toward your right at "Mt. Paran Road" (Exit #256).

2. Turn Right (eastward) onto Mt Paran Rd and go 0.1 mile to Sentinel Post Rd.

3. Turn Left onto Sentinel Post Rd and go 0.4 mile to Whitewater Ck Rd.

4. Turn Right onto Whitewater Creek Rd and go 0.4 mile to the CRNRA "East Palisades" sign.

5. Turn Left onto this narrow road and go 0.3 mile to the parking lot.  We'll gather by the bulletin board.


DIRECTIONS from I-75/I-285 INTERCHANGE in NW ATLANTA (near Cumberland Mall) via I-75 SOUTH:

1. Take I-75 South just 0.5 mile and exit toward your right at "Cumberland Blvd" (Exit #258).

2. Turn Right onto Cumberland Blvd and go just 0.3 mile to the 2nd traffic light at US-41 (Cobb Pkwy/ Northside Pkwy.)

3. Turn Left onto US-41 and go 1.6 miles to the traffic light at Mt. Paran Road. 

4. Turn Left onto Mt Paran Rd and go 0.3 mile to Sentinel Post Rd (passing underneath I-75 on this short leg).

5. Turn Left onto Sentinel Post Rd and go 0.4 mile to Whitewater Ck Rd.

6. Turn Right onto Whitewater Creek Rd and go 0.4 mile to the CRNRA "East Palisades" sign.

7. Turn Left onto this narrow road and go 0.3 mile to the parking lot.  We'll gather by the bulletin board.

FOR a GPS or GOOGLE MAPS DESTINATION (in conjunction with the above directions) enter these Lat/Lon coordinates of the parking lot:  33.8780,-84.4420