Noon-Hour Hike & Picnic at Emory's Hahn Woods & Lullwater Park - Thu, May 12 2011

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.



Noon-Hour Hike & Picnic at Emory's Hahn Woods & Lullwater Park


The Basics:
Event Type:Urban Hike
Event Location: NE Atlanta near I-85 Clairmont Exit   Urban Hike: Noon-Hour Hike & Picnic at Emory's Hahn Woods & Lullwater Park  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Thu, May 12 2011  12:15 pm >> Thu, May 12 2011 2:45 pm
Registration Opens: Mon, May 9 2011 4:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Thu, May 12 2011 9:00 am
Event Duration:2.5 hours – about 4 miles
Difficulty Rating:D2: Easy to Moderate
Pace:Leisurely
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Email Trip Leader(s)
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:15
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 4 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: Yes

Itinerary:

OVERVIEW:  This is a great time of year for exploring Atlanta's beautiful parks—so how about joining us for a scenic midday urban dayhike?  Please bring a light picnic lunch and beverage, perhaps in a small cooler.  Just before we begin the hike we'll enjoy our picnic lunches together in the shaded area by our vehicles. 
   Hahn Woods Park and its adjoining Lullwater Park are prized by hikers and joggers as "crown jewels" of Emory University's extended campus in NE Atlanta.  The 185-acre forested nature preserve boasts an extensive trails network.    From the free parking lot on Houston Mill Road, hikers can enjoy more than 4 miles of continuous scenic trails.  Attractions include old mill ruins & waterfalls, a  210-foot-long suspension footbridge over Peachtree Creek, Lullwater Park & Estate with its beautiful Candler Lake, blooming native plants, and frequent sightings of songbirds, raptors and waterfowl.
   Feel free to "split" early
from our hiking group and return to work if you must, but please of course let the hike leader know if and when you're splitting.
    
WHEN & WHERE?
  We’ll gather at 12:15 PM in the Hahn Woods parking lot at 866 Houston Mill Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 by the road's bridge over Peachtree Creek—see detailed Directions below and feel free to use the included Latitude/Longitude coordinates as the "destination" for your vehicle's GPS system.
 
EVENT PLAN:  After introducing ourselves and enjoying our picnic lunches together, we’ll begin the hike on the pretty Hahn Woods creekside loop trail near the cars.  Then we'll cross underneath the bridge to the other side of Houston Mill Road and follow the trail eastward along the South Fork of Peachtree Creek.  We'll continue around the lovely parklands and woodlands of Lullwater Estate and expect to be back at the cars by about 2:45 PM after a thrilling walk across the creek via the high suspension footbridge.  We'll take a leisurely pace, stopping occasionally to regroup and for photo-ops at several scenic spots—about 4 miles total.
   Emory's park property is a popular place among dog lovers. We'll permit up to three well-behaved dogs on this AOC event provided they're leashed and under their owner's control at all times. If you'd like to bring your dog please make a note of that in your online event registration.

Thanks to my friend Mark Reffett—also an active AOC volunteer trip leader—for his beautiful "promo shot" above of the suspension footbridge at Lullwater Park!  –Charlie

FOR NICE PHOTOS from our JAN 2011 AOC HIKE at LULLWATER PARK:
Check out Scott & Laura Erich's Picasa SmugMug photo album at the following link:
http://www.jauntsaroundtheworld.com/Atlanta-Outdoor-Club/2011-01-23-Hahn-Woods-Atlanta/

FOR MORE on EMORY'S BEAUTIFUL CREEKSIDE PARKLANDS including PHOTOS & HISTORY:  Check out from the library David R. Kaufman's excellent book, "Peachtree Creek: a Natural and Unnatural History of Atlanta's Watershed," and go to:
http://www.environment.emory.edu/ecology/lullwater.shtml


Required Items to Bring:


• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Athletic Shoes or Hiking Boots with a coarse tread and comfortable Lightweight Clothing layers appropriate for the weather.

• Hydrate in advance and carry in your pack a filled Water Bottle (or other favorite soft beverages)—or if you have one, your filled "Camelbak" or other hydration system. 

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.


• Please bring a Light Picnic Lunch and Beverage (perhaps in a small cooler, esp. if you haven't had lunch. Our custom on these AOC picnics is to offer any extra food items to others in the group, so feel free to share!

• Consider bringing a pair of Trekking Poles if you have a pair and like to use them.  A simple Hiking Stick is an excellent alternative.

• Consider bringing your Camera—also perhaps lightweight Binoculars if you have a pair, for birding, etc.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:


From the "SPAGHETTI JUNCTION" I-85 / I-285 INTERCHANGE in NE Metro Atlanta:

1) Take I-85 South toward Atlanta about 4 miles and exit to your right at Exit #91 "Clairmont Road."

2) Turn Left onto Clairmont Road (US-23 southward toward Decatur) and go about 2.4 miles to the traffic light at Mason Mill Road. (This light is about 0.2 mi. south of the busy junction and light at North Druid Hills Rd).

3) Turn Right onto Mason Mill Rd and go 0.6 mile to the traffic light at Houston Mill Rd.

4) Turn Left onto Houston Mill Road, go just 0.3 mile (down the hill and across the bridge) and turn Right into the gravel Hahn Woods parking lot just beyond the bridge.  (If the unlikely event that this lot is full there's also free street-side parking on Mason Mill Road, just a 3- or 4-minute walk away.)

FOR A CUSTOM MAP & DIRECTIONS
from your specific point of departure: Go to Google.com/maps and input as your destination the following approximate address of the Hahn Woods parking lot:  "866 Houston Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329"
(Latitude/Longitude: 33.803578,-84.322769 ) The above address or its coordinates may also be useful for your vehicle's onboard GPS navigation system.


Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

No Charge—Free Event with Free Parking!


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.