Scenic Evening Hike in Emory’s Hahn Woods & Lullwater Park

OVERVIEW: Join in a scenic evening hike in Hahn Woods and the adjoining Lullwater Park. This beautiful nature preserve nestled between Emory University, the CDC, and the Veterans Administration Hospital, provides a peaceful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding metropolitan area. Miles of trail options take hikers through floodplains, along creek sides, through wooded forest, open fields, and around Candler lake. Some area attractions within the park include grist mill ruins, the Emory president's "Lullwater Estate", Candler lake, and a 210-ft long pedestrian suspension bridge. With springtime here we should have the opportunity to view blooming plants and trees, songbirds, the ever present waterfowl, and possibly even a raptor or two.

WHEN & WHERE? The hike will begin at 6PM sharp from the Hahn Woods free parking lot at 866 Houston Mill Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329—see detailed Directions below. Please plan your arrival time with traffic in mind—it is Atlanta; and it will be rush-hour.

EVENT PLAN: After introducing ourselves we will begin our hike on a creek side loop trail which will cross under Houston Mill Road and past an old dam. We will follow the trail upstream along the South Fork of Peachtree Creek, under the suspension bridge, and past the old grist mill ruins. We will then follow an old road uphill for a bit before turning into the woodlands of Lullwater Estate. After exiting the woods we will hike around Candler lake, cross the suspension bridge, up a wooded trail, and eventually returning along the opposite side of South Peachtree Creek. The hike will be approximately 4 miles and we should be back at our cars between 7:30 and 8:00PM.

We will be hiking at at "my" moderate pace (which may be a little on the quicker side of moderate to some) such that we are out of the parking lot before it closes.

DOGS are welcome in the park, and up to three well-behaved dogs will be permitted on this AOC hike provided they are 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.

FROM  I-85 in NORTHEAST METRO ATLANTA:

1) Get off I-85 at Exit #91, "Clairmont Road."  (The Clairmont exit is about 4 miles south of the I-85/ I-285 "Spaghetti Junction" interchange and about 6 miles north of the I-85/ I-75 interchange in midtown.)

2) Turn southward  onto Clairmont Road toward Decatur (Left if you were coming from Spaghetti Jcn, or Right if you were coming from midtown) 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 "dummy address" of the Hahn Woods parking lot:  "866 Houston Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329."  This address may also be useful for your vehicle's onboard GPS navigation system.

No Charge—Free Event with Free Parking!