On the 2014 Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, you will experience every type of terrain that walking in Atlanta has to offer. In order to train properly for what you will experience on your 2-Day, 30 mile journey, here is a list of walking trails in and around Atlanta that will provide you not only with training, but with gorgeous scenery along the way.
Arabia Mountain: Located in Conyers, Arabia Mountain offers a network of over eight miles of diverse trails through the Davidson Arabia Nature Preserve. There is an extensive walking trail, and incredible sunset views at the top of the mountain.
Piedmont Park: Located in the heart of Atlanta, Piedmont Park is a popular destination for athletics and recreation. Walk around and you will not only see gorgeous greenery surrounded by skyscrapers, you will also have great opportunities for people-watching! Piedmont Park has a weekly farmers market on Saturday mornings from 9:00am- 1:00pm, so make an outing of it and get fresh veggies as well as a great walk!
Kennesaw Mountain: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is made up of almost 3000 acres that include historic battlefields as well as Kennesaw Mountain itself. There are hiking trails and historic Civil War sites all around this area, so make sure you plan your trip for what you want to see and do!
East Palisades/ Indian Trail – Chattahoochee River: This is known as one of the most scenic sections of the Chattahoochee in the Atlanta area. It has large, angular rocks that extend from the river, giving hikers a spectacular view. The trail follows the river on the East bank of the Palisades, crossing through a bamboo forest and up many large bluffs overlooking the river.
Vickery Creek- Roswell: Part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Vickery Creek is composed of two trails that include beautiful scenery and historic mills. There are also opportunities for swimming, so bring a suit!
Sope Creek: This is another part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, with 3.5 miles of trail that include the ruins of a paper mill that was used to make Confederate currency during the Civil War.
Atlanta BeltLine: Walk the BeltLine for a sneak peak of part of the 2014 Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer route! The BeltLine is a huge revitalization effort that will provide 33 miles of walking trails and 22 miles of rail around the perimeter of the city. Four trail sections are open to the public right now, so hop on one and experience the gorgeous transformation of your city.
Stone Mountain: The classic go-to for hiking in Atlanta, Stone Mountain offers 15 miles of walking and hiking trails including a 1 mile hike up the mountain, as well as a nice 5 mile loop around the mountain that will actually be one of our training walks this season. Make it a day and have a picnic or catch the laser show after your training walk!
Lullwater Park at Emory: Here’s another way to sneak a peak of your 2014 Atlanta 2-Day Walk route- Lullwater is a hidden gem inside Emory University’s campus, complete with a lake, suspension bridge, acres of green space, and miles of walking and jogging trails.
Big Creek Greenway: This beautiful, flat, wooded trail has portions in Alpharetta, Roswell, and Forsyth, and has several entrances- check out the one closes to you and get walking. The Alpharetta portion will be the site of our August Training Walk!
Sweetwater Creek State Park: Sweetwater is located to the west of Atlanta along I-20, and boasts a large lake, 9 miles of hiking trails, and an abandoned Civil War era mill.
Silver Comet: This trail is northwest of Atlanta and winds through Cobb, Paulding, and Polk counties. It includes over 60 miles of trail, has regular rest stops with bathrooms & water fountains, and is relatively flat and shady. This would be a great trail to practice distance walking.
