Favorite Place to Take a Hike In/Near Atlanta Metro (North Atlanta: home, closing)

[ebaynu2u]

Also check out www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com Free to join, daily hikes, friendly group!

[AnsleyPark]

Quite frankly, my favorite hike is from Midtown into Downtown, around Centennial Park and back. I realize it isn't a nature hike, but it still a hike.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Quite frankly, my favorite hike is from Midtown into Downtown, around Centennial Park and back. I realize it isn't a nature hike, but it still a hike.

Good point! I've always enjoyed once in a blue moon walking from downtown to midtown (around GSU to let's say Midtown Station).

[Born 2 Roll]

Local trails provide a variety of terrains for hikers of all skill levels. Are you interested in a short jog to the river? Maybe you want to traverse hills to overlook a lake.

Here are 10 of Gwinnett County's "can't miss" trails.

GET OUT THERE: A guide to Gwinnett County's best hiking trails (Gwinnett Daily Post)

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

GET OUT THERE: A guide to Gwinnett County's best hiking trails (Gwinnett Daily Post)

Thanks for posting this.

The first 4, in particular, are really large parks with mostly passively used land and rely more on trails in natural settings. Not what you'd find at a typical county/city park.

Closer to what you'd expect from state park.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Thanks for posting this.

The first 4, in particular, are really large parks with mostly passively used land and rely more on trails in natural settings. Not what you'd find at a typical county/city park.

Closer to what you'd expect from state park.

It seems to be reflective of Gwinnett County government’s strong commitment to and robust investments in building out its park system and preserving green space and open spaces.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

It seems to be reflective of Gwinnett County government’s strong commitment to and robust investments in building out its park system and preserving green space and open spaces.

Yes, Absolutely.

Parks is one thing, beyond schools, Gwinnett county has increased taxes for and they have given it a dedicated pool of taxes to develop.

I wish other areas in the region would follow suit as I feel it does much to add value to the area given the lack of truly public spaces exist in today's world where most land, residential, commercial, and undeveloped is private.

In the last 20 years they have spent over $500m in SPLOST funds for capital improvements and they have a dedicated 0.950 millage rate for parks and recreation operations costs. It is equates to about $150 for a $400k house.

The only criticism I have, and to be fair they have been addressing this, they over spent on buying large blocks of undeveloped land before areas of the country developed. You can see why they did this, but this meant they put alot of money into areas that were sparsely populated and not in areas of the county where people were paying the taxes at the time.

This slowed funding to things in developed areas, like greenways and smaller neighborhood infill parks. Their goals are now changing back to reinvesting into these types of things, but the bad thing is it will take another 20 years to see these things emerge on a grand level.

We should see less purchases of large plots of land and more purchases of tiny areas of land in developed areas and more focus on trails/greenways in the next decade or two.

[Born 2 Roll]

Hitting one of the trails throughout metro Atlanta is a great way to stay socially distanced while getting fresh air and exercise. We’re lucky to have dozens of places to commune with nature within the metro area or just outside it.

Last week’s Best of Atlanta poll asked where you go when you have the urge to walk in the sunshine or under a canopy of trees.

Here are the top five:

These are five places that Atlanta Journal-Constitution readers seem to like most for hiking in metro Atlanta as part of the AJC’s continuing “Best of Atlanta” poll series:

WINNER: This is the best place to hike in metro Atlanta (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

[Citykid3785]

Here's some of my favorite. Because I have young kids, these skew family friendly:

River boardwalk
Lost corner preserve
Noonday creek Woodstock
Noonday creek Marietta
Leita Thompson
Big creek greenway
Big woods
Cochran shoals
Soap creek
Mabry park
Mountain to river
Westside beltline
Path 400
Eastside beltline
Northside beltline
Rottenwood creek/Bob Callan
East Palisades
Blue heron nature preserve
Red top mountain
Vickery creek
Cascade springs
Silver comet
Old rope mill
Mason mill park
South peachtree creek trail
Proctor creek greenway
Roswell area park

[markjames68]

A ways away but Springer Mountain has value as the start of the Appalachian Trail. If you want a short hike park in the lot and then hike up and back (a bit less than a mile each way).

If you're up for a big hike, start at Amicalola State Park and do the approach trail.

https://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking...nger-mountain/