Interstate North Trails of CRNRA

Let’s hike the Interstate North trails of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.  These are some of the lesser utilized trails of the CRNRA.  The beginning and ending of this hike are along the river and generally flat but the middle does offer numerous hills, some of which are steep (but short).  These hills are also full of rocks and roots which add to the difficulty and I would not recommend this hike for beginning hikers. 

We will meet at the parking lot located at 1956 Eugene Gunby Rd, Marietta, GA, 30067. The trailhead is located off Interstate North Parkway, approximately 0.3 miles from its intersection with Powers Ferry Road (right before you cross the Chattahoochee River). This is a CRNRA unit so use your annual parking pass or pay $5 for parking. There are bathroom facilities at this location.

Itinerary

Departing the parking lot, we will start with a 0.6 mile walk along the multi use trail along the Chattahoochee River as a warm up.  Turning left, we will cross the Swamp on boardwalks and then begin our climbs.  Along the way we will climb and descend several times as we make our way across a number of ridges which run down towards the river.  The climbs are enough to get our hearts pumping but nothing terribly difficult.  

Using an interesting group of connector trails, we will connect with the Cochran Shoals section of the CRNRA where we will hike for a mile or two.  After following Terrell Branch Creek back towards the Chattahoochee along the creek, we will again intersect the Multi use trail and follow it back to our cars.  The hike will cover about 5 miles in about 2 hours.   

Coordinates for the trailhead  33.902094, -84.444038

Street Address is 1956 Eugene Gunby Rd, Marietta, GA, 30067

Eugene Gunby Road is right off Interstate North Parkway where it crosses the Chattahoochee River.  Its on the Cobb County side of the river between the river and Powers Ferry Road. If you are headed away from the river towards Cobb County, its the first right after you cross the river.  If you are on Interstate North Parkway headed towards Sandy Springs, its the last left before you reach the river. 

 You can also use these directions which the CRNRA provides on their website.  The Interstate North location is listed under Cochran Shoals unit.

https://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/unitdirections.htm