Thursday Morning Semi-Fitness Hike at Island Ford

It's Thursday, so that means it's time for our weekly Thursday morning semi-fitness hike!  For those of you new to the AOC, Island Ford is one of the most beautiful trails along the Chattahoochee, and the Visitor Center for all of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area parks.

Because of a glitch in the registration process, we've run into the problem of having too many members added to the active list above the maximum limit of 20.  Please be aware that we will be moving members above 20 registrants to the waiting list in the order of their registration times.  People will then be added to the active list as we have withdrawals.   

This is a semi-fitness hike, so we ramp up the speed as much as possible in order to get in a good workout.  Please be aware that we'll be pushing ourselves so that we can get in at least 5.5 miles. We'll be taking just a few water breaks, so hydrate well before the hike.

This is NOT a beginner's hike because the brisk pace over rough terrain presents significant challenges that require one to build up speed and endurance. Please be sure you've done some ready for a challenging hike before you tackle this one.    If you don't have an AOC record of suitable hikes, we'll be contacting you to ascertain your fitness level  We don't want to slow down the group to wait for people who can't keep up the pace, nor do we want to push you beyond your limits.

BE SURE YOU HYDRATE WELL THE DAY BEFORE THE HIKE and bring water/electrolyte drinks to the hike. Adequate fluids are essential.

Please sign up as soon as registration opens, as this hike tends to fill up quickly, and we don't want you to end up on the waiting list.

We'll start at the MIDDLE parking lot. (Hewlett Pond Parking Lot) This lot is NOT the first lot on the left, nor is it the Visitor Center lot;  rather, it's the lot before you come to the pond, on the left side of the road. .  . about .6 miles from the entrance.   We've found that parking in this lot is always light, and it affords a variety of routes to hike.

We'll start the hike promptly at 10:30 am.   Arrive at least 5 minutes early to meet everyone before we start,  and/or to purchase a $5 parking pass if you don't own an annual pass. If you think you might need to use the restroom before we start, give yourself an extra 15 minutes, as you'll have to drive to the Visitor Center and then drive back to the trailhead parking lot. 

BE SURE TO LEAVE VALUABLES AT HOME OR AT LEAST WELL OUT OF SIGHT WHEN HIKING.  CAR BREAK-INS HAVE OCCURRED IN ALL OF THE CNRA AREAS.

No more than 3 dogs on the hike, so if 3 dogs are already listed, please do not add yours. If you bring your dog, it must be kept on leash at all times.  The reputation of the AOC is damaged when we break the leash law!  Please - - no aggressive dogs who might challenge other dogs or people on the hike.

This is Willow, an example of a suitable, non-aggressive dog!  :-)

For folks who are interested, we plan to eat lunch together after the hike at the nearby North River Tavern, where the Thursday special is burgers for $6.95. It's very close to the park - - about a 5 minute drive.   8879 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30350

1906 Island Ford Pkwy, Sandy Springs, GA

From northbound US 19 and GA 400
- Take exit #6 (Northridge Road).
- Coming off the exit, stay in the right lane, cross over GA 400, and turn right onto Dunwoody Place.
- Go 0.5 miles to Roberts Drive.
- Turn right and proceed 0.7 miles to the park entrance on your right.

From southbound US 19 and GA 400
- Take exit #6 (Northridge Road)
- Continue straight ahead at the traffic light onto Dunwoody Place.
- Go 0.5 miles to Roberts Drive.
- Turn right and proceed 0.7 miles to the park entrance on your right.

Once you enter the main gate, drive down the road about .6 miles until you see the parking lot on the left, above road level.  There will be a pond on your right if you drive past the lot.

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

North River Tavern:  8879 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30350  (Optional lunch site)

Restroom facility is available down the road at the Visitor Center.  Allow an extra 15 minutes to use the bathroom so that you can get back to the middle lot in time to meet your fellow hikers before we start.

Don't forget to bring $5 cash for a parking ticket;  change is not available. (An annual pass can be purchased at the Visitor Center for $40. Lifetime passes are available to seniors over 62.)

Please cancel your registration yourself up to the time of the hike if you can't join us after all.   It puts an unnecessary burden on the trip leaders to ask them to delete your registration before the hike starts.