Rottenwood Creek - Bob Callan Trail Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, GA
miles
LENGTH 4 MILES
DIFFICULTY 2.8 Easy
DURATION 1-2 hours
ELEVATION GAIN
280
feet
TRAIL TYPE
There And
Back Again
Rottenwood Creek - Bob Callan Trail

This two mile long paved mixed use path follows both the Chattahoochee River and the scenic Rottenwood Creek, making an excellent quick getaway from the surrounding area. The multi-use trail is perfect for families enjoying a walk, bikers who are looking for a short, slightly hilly path, and dogs looking to get their owner some exercise. Future plans would extend this trail another two miles to Terrell Mill Road.

Parking is available at both ends of this trail. While the parking area on Interstate North Parkway is free, there are only about 10 spots. The parking lot at the Paces Mill entrance to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is much larger, but there is the standard $5/day fee for these parks. Also at this entrance is a large picnic area and boat ramp.

Beginning at the Paces Mill entrance, the trailhead is at the far end of the parking lot away from the river. The path stays level, following the Chattahoochee River for the first half a mile. At .4 miles, you will cross under I-75. Immediately afterward, the trail crosses over Rottenwood Creek where it flows into the Hooch. Here, the trails for the West Palisades parks branch off on two dirt trails to the right.

Stay on the paved path, which now follows Rottenwood Creek north, running parallel to I-75 and then Cumberland Boulevard. Cross over the creek again and shortly afterward are several areas that allow easy access to the creek to explore around and enjoy the water. At 1 mile in, the trail emerges from the tree cover it’s had so far and gaining most of its elevation in the next .4 miles over rolling hills. During the summer months, this stretch can be draining under the hot sun. Along this section, the trail connects to Cumberland Boulevard by way of a short side trail.

At 1.6 miles, the Chattahoochee park ends and the trail becomes the Bob Callan trail. Without a sign alerting the hiker to this fact, you would never know the difference. From here, the path travels under Cumberland Boulevard, I-285, and Interstate North Parkway, the latter of which is the lowest, about 7 feet high at its lowest point. Upon reaching the trail’s northern terminus, cross the bridge to the smaller trailhead or turn around and head back the way you came.

Read More

Elevation Map Length (miles) by Elevation (feet)
Terrain Map Click to control map
Details
length4 miles
difficulty2.8 Easy
duration1 - 2 hours
trail typeThere And Back Again
blazeNone
elevation gain280 ft.
state Georgia 
park/forestChattahoochee River National Recreation Area
visitor infoIsland Ford Visitor Center
1978 Island Ford Parkway
Sandy Springs, GA 30350
678-538-1200
hoursSunrise - Sunset (parks)
9am - 5pm (Visitor Center)
parking fee$5/Day, $40 Annual Pass
trailhead coordinates 33.869792, -84.456046 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 33°52.19, W 84°27.36 (Degree Minutes, MinDec)
N 33°52'11'', N 33°52'11'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Trailhead Directions
33.869792, -84.456046 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 33°52.19, W 84°27.36 most GPS units use this one
N 33°52'11'', N 33°52'11'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Google Map It
The entrance to the Paces Mill parking area is on the west side of Cobb Parkway, then goes under the highway to the large parking lot.
Notes
All official CRNRA maps can be found at https://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/maps.htm. For this paved path, the majority of it is shown on the Akers Drive and Paces Mill map.
Nearby Hikes
Similar Hikes
Reviews / Comments
Average Review Rating
4 (1)
hikethesouth-6 years ago
Very Nice
Really nice paved path that's easy and convenient for the local area. Following along the Chattahoochee River, Rottenwood Creek, and more urban landscapes, this is a really great quick escape.
Easy | Hiked Spring 2012
New Comment
Username   
Email
Email will only be used to send a verification link for first time use with this username and to authenticate the username for further reviews/comments.
Comments   2000
New Review
Username
Email
Email will only be used to send a verification link for first time use with this username and to authenticate the username for further reviews/comments.
Rating
Difficulty
Last Hiked
Review Title
Review   2000