No Excuses Mid-day Hike at Sope Creek (Paper Mill Entrance)

We're going to take it at an easy pace on this hike -- very moderate. It will be a good hike for folks who don't have a lot of experience on the trails, but who have hiked enough to go 4 miles through some relatively hilly areas. We'll stop and rest as needed throughout the hike, but it might still prove too challenging for those who can't deal with any elevation change.

The Sope Creek parking lot off PaperMill Road is a more secluded entrance to the Cochran Shoals area of the Chattahoochee NRA. We will hike about four miles of the trails in the park including sections along the creek to see the ruins of the old paper mill and the newly re-opened Sope Creek bridge. Now that there's a safe sidewalk across the bridge, we'll hike to the other side of the river to get some unique views not normally seen on our Sope Creek hikes. 

Please remember to bring $3 cash for the National Park Service parking fee, unless you have a Chattahoochee NRA annual pass.

If you bring your dog, it should be able to keep up with the group and interact well with other dogs and people. The Chattahoochee NRA requires that owners keep their dogs on a leash and clean up after their pets on the trails. Please be willing to keep your dog on leash out of consideration to other hikers -- and because it's the law.

Limit of 3 dogs, please!

Sope Creek Parking Lot (Paper Mill Road)

3760 Paper Mill Rd SE
Marietta, GA

GPS Coordinates: 33.939515,-84.441905

Directions: Take Interstate 75 North out of Atlanta to Windy Hill Road (exit 260). Turn right on Windy Hill Road, and then left on Powers Ferry Road. At the intersection of Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill Road, take a right on Terrell Mill. Take a right on Paper Mill Road; the park entrance is approximately 1 mile further on Paper Mill Road on the right.

From Johnson Ferry Road, cross the river going North; turn left at the Paper Mill Road intersection, past the Columns Drive light.  Stay on Paper Mill as it winds along to the Sope Creek bridge.  Once you cross the bridge, be alert for the Sope Creek sign on your left, about 1/4 mile from the bridge.

If you're traveling south on Johnson Ferry Road, turn right at Paper Mill Road and proceed according to the directions above.

Trail Map - http://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/upload/TrailMapSopeCreek.pdf

Don't forget to bring $3 cash for parking!

There are no bathroom facilities at this location, but trees are abundant!