Explore Emory: Gorgeous post-Irma Weather for this Sunday Hike!

IN a NUTSHELL:   Hope you can join us for this easy but adventurous 4- to 5-mile hike.  Thankfully "Infamous Irma" didn't wreak too much havoc last Monday on our metro Atlanta parks & trails, although a little extra "creativity" may be needed to get around fallen branches, etc.. Sunday afternoon's weather is expected to be very nice, with mostly sunny skies, a high in the  mid-80s and comfortable fall-like humidity.
  Emory University's 185 acres of parklands include Lullwater Park, Hahn Woods and the forested corridor that connects them via the south fork of Peachtree Creek.  The parks' ~5 miles of creekside and lakeside trails are prized by hikers as "crown jewels" of the historic campus here in NE Atlanta.  We'll visit waterfalls and stony old mill ruins, explore the grounds of the palatial Lullwater House overlooking Candler Lake, and cross the creek via an exciting 210' swinging footbridge.  Your well-behaved dog is welcome on this event provided that you keep him or her on leash and under your control at all times.

WHEN & WHERE?  We’ll gather a few minutes before 2:00 PM in the CLIFTON SCHOOL parking lot on Starvine Way.  CAUTION:  Be sure to enter Starvine via Clairmont Road since the western end of Starvine Way is restricted to Emory campus buses (between the School lot and Emory's main campus).  See DIRECTIONS below and for a zoomable map & satellite view of this meetup spot click the square blue & green "Event Location icon" above. We have permission to use this convenient free lot on weekends and evenings.

EVENT PLAN:   After introducing ourselves we’ll begin the hike there at the Clifton School and continue around the lovely parklands and lake adjoining the Emory President's mansion.  We'll explore both sides of the South Fork of Peachtree Creek with a thrilling walk over the $190,000 swinging footbridge.  (The Google map copied below below shows in red much of our planned route.)  Along the way we'll enjoy the beautiful trees, shrubs & wildflowers, waterfowl and songbirds.   We'll take a moderate pace, stopping occasionally to discuss the native plants & animals we encounter and to take a few photos.  On past Emory hikes we've often spotted great blue herons, Canada geese, large hawks & owls and occasionally even wild otters!  After visiting Hahn Woods on the western end of the parklands we expect to be back at the cars by about 4:30 PM. Feel free to "split" early from the group if you need to, but if you do let us know.  We can easily direct you back to the parking lot.  Thanks to our friends at the Clifton School for permission to use their nice lot on weekends and generally after ~6:00 PM on weekdays!

FOR 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 an excellent online GUIDE to Emory's LULLWATER PARK go to: https://guidetolullwaterpark.wordpress.com/
FOR more on EMORY'S BEAUTIFUL CREEKSIDE PARKLANDS including fascinating OLD 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 for an interactive park/campus map go to:  http://map.emory.edu/

Here's a map showing in red some of the trails we normally include in these Emory hikes:

CAUTION for GPS USERS!   As directed below, be sure to enter Starvine Way from Clairmont Road  since its western end is restricted to Emory Campus buses!

DIRECTIONS from the "SPAGHETTI JUNCTION" I-85 / I- 285 INTERCHANGE in NE Metro Atlanta (Also for a zoomable color map or satellite view of the spot where we'll meet click on the square blue & green "Event Location icon" near the top of this article.)

1. From "Spaghetti Jcn" take I-85 South toward Atlanta about 4 miles and exit at Exit #91 "Clairmont Road."

2. Turn Left onto Clairmont Road (US-23 southeastward toward Decatur) and go about 3.2 miles to the traffic light at Starvine Way. (The Starvine light is less than a quarter mile south of the huge VA Hospital and just north of the Railroad bridge over Clairmont.)

3. Turn Right onto Starvine Way and go 0.4 mile (westward through Emory's "Clairmont Campus" and a couple of stop signs) to the parking lot.at the "Clifton School" (a.k.a. "Emory Child Care").  It's at the end of the publicly accessible roadway on your Right.  We'll meet near the steel gate whose sign says "Authorized Entry Only."  If the Clifton School lot happens to be full there's lots more free visitor parking in the multi-story Parking Deck, just 0.2 mile back toward Clairmont Rd via Starvine Way.

GPS and GOOGLE.COM/MAPS USERS:  Provided that you pay attention to the caution about entering Starvine via its eastern end at the Clairmont Road traffic light, you can augment the above Directions by entering either of the following as your Destination Address:
  Street Address: 1900 Starvine Way, Atlanta, GA 30322
  Lat/ Lon Coordinates: 33.7952,-84.3116

No Charge—Free Event with Free Parking!