Explore Atlanta on Foot for Fun and Fitness

By Ren and Helen Davis

Whether you choose to tour an oasis-like city park, discover a historic battlefield nestled in the forest or follow a meandering ribbon of asphalt along a long abandoned railroad line, Atlanta and its surrounding communities welcome you to explore on foot. Pick your own path to fun, fitness and adventure. Here are a few destinations to get you going.

decade later, the Olmsted Brothers landscape design firm developed a master plan for transforming the fairgrounds into a public park. Today many of the features from both the exposition and the early park are preserved throughout the grounds. Piedmont Park may best be known today as the home of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, atlantabg.org, and the finish line for the annual Peachtree Road Race held each July Fourth. The park has more than five miles of

Downtown and Midtown

Historic Oakland Cemetery, 248 Oakland Ave. Nestled on 48 rolling acres in the shadow of Atlanta’s skyline, Oakland is the city’s oldest public burial ground, and the final resting place for many notable Atlantans including Margaret Mitchell, Bobby Jones and Mayors Ivan Allen and Maynard Jackson. Three miles of narrow lanes and paths invite walkers to enjoy the pastoral landscape. Pick up a map or guidebook at the Bell Tower visitor center to explore on your own, or join one of the many guided tours offered by volunteers from the Historic Oakland Foundation. More at oaklandcemetery.org, or call 404-688-2107.

Piedmont Park, 1342

Worcester Dr. (public parking deck). Often called Atlanta’s “common ground”, Piedmont Park has a rich history. In 1895 it hosted the Cotton States and International Exposition. A paths and lanes that invite walkers to enjoy public sculptures, green spaces and the Midtown skyline reflected in the waters of Lake Clara Meer. Visit piedmontpark. org for details.

Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, Tenth St. at Monroe Dr. (Convenient parking is at the Piedmont Park deck on Worcester Dr.) Developed from a graduate thesis by Georgia Tech student Ryan Gravel, the BeltLine will eventually be a 33-mile multiuse trail circling Atlanta, much of it following the route of long unused railroad lines. The 2-mile Eastside Trail is now completed. Enjoy a

Explore Atlanta on Foot for Fun and Fitness

Continued from page 5 leisurely stroll to view public art projects, check out shops at Ponce City Market and simply people watch. Trees Atlanta, treesatlanta. org, offers free docent-led tours of portions of the Beltline Arboretum. Learn more at beltline.org.

Buckhead

Chastain Park PATH Trail, parking lot on Powers Ferry Rd. north of Jett Rd. One of Atlanta’s most popular public parks, featuring an 18-hole golf course, tennis center, athletic fields and equestrian center, has been made more inviting with the addition of the paved, 3.7-mile loop trail developed by the non-profit PATH Foundation. The trail is a popular social gathering place, especially on weekends. Keep an eye open for errant golf shots! For more info, go to pathfoundation.org/trails/ chastain-park.

Sandy Springs

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Cochran Shoals

Unit, Interstate North Pkwy. off New Northside Dr. and I-285. The most popular of the National Recreation Areas dotting a 48mile stretch of the river from Lake Lanier to Cobb Pkwy., the level 3.1-mile Cochran Shoals Fitness Trail is a wonderful destination for leisurely walking, serious fitness training or enjoying the scenic river. If you wish to extend your trek, side trails lead to Powers Island and further to the Sope Creek and Johnson Ferry Units of the park. Daily parking pass, $3, annual pass, $35; federal national parks and recreation lands passes, including senior passes also accepted. To view maps and learn

Join a Walking Club or Take a Group Outing

Atlanta is home to several walking/hiking clubs that offer group outings and adventures for members of all ages and physical abilities. Organizations like Trees Atlanta and the Atlanta Preservation Center, atlantapreservationcenter.com, offer group walks and activities in parks and historic neighborhoods. Outdoor outfitter REI, rei.com, also offers hikes and other activities through their Atlanta, Perimeter and Kennesaw stores.

■ Georgia Walkers: Affiliated with the American Volkssport Association, ava.org, Georgia Walkers hosts walking events and sponsors more than a dozen non-competitive 6.2-mile walks each year at various locations around Atlanta and the state. Learn more at georgiawalkers.homestead.com.

■ Atlanta Outdoor Club: Established in 2000, the club hosts a wide variety of outdoor activities for adults of all ages. All events are fee-based. Activities information at atlantaoutdoorclub.com.

■ Mosaic Jewish Outdoor Club of Georgia: Affiliated with Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America, the local group hosts walks, hikes and other adventures throughout the year. Events are open to adults of all interests, abilities and denominations. Event info at meetup.com/Mosaic-Jewish-Outdoor-Club-of-Georgia.

■ Women’s Outdoor Network (WON): This membership organization (yearly dues $15) sponsors group walks, runs and a myriad of other activities for women age 18 and older. Membership and event information at wonatlanta.com.

about other units of the national recreation area see nps.gov/chatt, or call 678-538-1200.

Smyrna and Marietta

Silver Comet Trail, parking at Mavell Rd. off Cooper Lake Rd. and at Silver Comet Cycles at 4342 Floyd Rd., Mableton. Following the long abandoned route of the Silver Comet train from New York to Birmingham, the trail winds 61.5 miles from Smyrna through rural western Georgia where it links to the Chief Ladiga Trail in Alabama. The section of the trail linking Mavell and Floyd Roads is a pleasant 4.2-mile (one-way) introduction to this popular pedestrian and bicyclist trail. Learn more at silvercometga.com.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Dr., Marietta. The wooded slopes and surrounding countryside of this 2,965-acre park, so peaceful today, were filled with the sound and fury of combat during the June 1864 Civil War battles for Atlanta. The park is crisscrossed by a 16-mile network of trails ranging from strenuous ascents over the summits of

Kennesaw and Little Kennesaw Mountains, to woodland paths leading to historic Cheatham Hill, Kolb Farm and the site of a New

Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Begin your hike with a stop at the visitor center to pick up a map and to view exhibits on the significance of this hallowed ground in American history. For info and maps, visit nps.gov/kemo, or call 770-427-4686.

Roswell

Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC), 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell. The CNC features the Chattahoochee River Interpretive Center, classrooms, ponds and gardens and wildlife rehabilitation facilities. A nearly three-mile network of interconnecting trails crosses wooded slopes and winds through meadows and gardens and onto wooden boardwalks along the banks of the river. The Center hosts educational programs and activities throughout the year. Senior daily admission, $7; annual memberships available. Find out more at chattnaturecenter.org or by calling 770-992-2055.