Mason Mill Park and interconnecting Emory & Medlock Trails!

EVENT PLAN:    Hope you can join us for this adventurous morning hike!   We'll explore about 5 miles of the amazing interconnected network of shady trails & boardwalks at DeKalb County's beautiful Mason Mill Park, Medlock Park and Emory University's historic Lullwater Preserve.
  We'll gather at 9:45 AM in the free parking lot just inside the Mason Mill Park entrance (by the playground & stone restroom building) and expect to be back by 12:00 Noon.  See detailed Directions & GPS info below. We'll enjoy portions of popular multi-million-dollar  "PATH Foundation" paved trails and raised forest-canopy boardwalks -  also several of the many ruggedly scenic narrow trails that wind around the creeks & lakes.   We'll take a moderate pace, slowing down a bit on the few steep spots and pausing occasionally to take photos  and discuss the native wild flora & fauna.  If you need to "split" early from the group for any reason, that's OK, but please let us know if and when you choose to do so.  From almost anywhere in the terrain it should be easy to direct you back toward your car at Mason Mill.
  Bring your well-behaved dog if you like, so long as it is leashed and under your control at all times and in your registration notes please  mention his/her name & breed, etc.

OPTIONAL EXTRA INFO about the PARKS, TRAILS etc: (Also note the two handy Map Links below.) The hundreds of acres of wooded parklands at  Mason Mill, Medlock and Emory University conveniently interconnect with one another and t he "PATH South Peachtree Creek  Trail" is the main artery through this multi-park region.  The PATH Foundation oversaw construction of the original  mile of paved + boardwalk trail sections from Mason Mill to Medlock Park in ~2000 and has invested more millions to build two similar scenic double-wide "PATH" connecting spurs.  One spur extends southward from Mason Mill to Emory via a convenient Clairmont Rd underpass, and the other northward to N. Druid Hills Rd with a single-track trail branching from it to the popular Mason Mill Dog Park.
  Emory's awesome Lullwater Preserve trail network features a wide variety of lakeside & creekside trails, an exciting suspension footbridge (above photo), and the historic grounds of the Emory president's mansion that was built in 1925.
  A high wooden deck allows safe passage over the RR track at Mason Mill Park and overlooks the old "Decatur Waterworks" ruins. The deck has become a favorite dark spot for urban "skygazing" - i.e, viewing sunsets, moonrises, the stars & planets, eclipses, meteor showers, comets, etc.  Just across the creek near the deck is Ira Melton Park, with a convenient set of massive flat stepping stones that allow hikers access to its trails at normal water levels.
  Another fun option is to hike from Medlock Park ~15 minutes eastward via a couple of shady residential streets to lovely Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve and enjoy its intimate shady trails & scenery.  Its ~1-mile-long wildlife-habitat & wetlands loop has become one of the Audubon Society's favorites for birding field trips.

Click here for the excellent new "TRAILS of MASON MILL" MAP:    http://commissionerrader.com/wp- content/uploads/2022/01/Mason-Mill-Trail-Map.pdf    It includes and discusses many of the beautiful narrow  creekside loop & connector trails and also the wide PATH trails & boardwalks that they branch from, including the PATH Connectors to Medlock, Emory and N. Druid Hills Rd.

Click here for the PATH FOUNDATION'S  INTERACTIVE MAP  of the boardwalks and trails in the "South Peachtree Creek" corridor through the Mason Mill, Medlock & Emory parklands:   https://www.pathfoundation.org/south-peachtree-creek-trail

DIRECTIONS to our GATHERING SPOT in the MASON MILL PARKING LOT,  just inside the main Park Entrance by the Playground & stone Restroom building:

GPS and GOOGLE MAPS USERS:    The street address of the Park office building adjoining our gathering spot is 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur, GA.  (For a zoomable color MAP and satellite view click the square blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.) 

ROUTE to our Gathering Spot  from the I-85 CLAIRMONT ROAD EXIT in NE METRO ATLANTA:

1. From this I-85 Exit (#91) take Clairmont Rd southeastward   (toward Decatur) about 2.3 miles to the traffic light at McConnell Drive.  (This is the next light south of the much busier Clairmont/ North Druid Hills traffic light, and is a half mile north of the huge VA Medical Center.)
2. Turn Left  onto McConnell Drive and go just 0.1 mile to the stop sign.
3. Turn Right to stay on McConnell and continue another 0.1 mile to the  "Mason Mill Park" entrance sign.
4. Turn Left at the entrance sign and park your vehicle just ahead on your right in the large free lot.    We'll gather there by the Playground & stone Restroom building.  In the very unlikely event that parking spaces are scarce,  the nearby public library at the above right turn  has plenty of free parking - an easy 3- or 4-minute walk to reach our group.

Free Event with Free Parking!