Warm Afternoon Hike at Mason Mill Park & adjoining Emory Trails

EVENT PLAN:   Hope you can join us for this adventurous mid-afternoon hike!  Ideal winter weather is expected - in the high 50s with lots of sunshine & no chance of rain.   We'll explore about 5 miles of the vast network of shady trails & boardwalks at DeKalb County's Mason Mill Park and the interconnecting Lullwater Preserve parklands at Emory University.
  We'll gather a few minutes before 1:30 PM in the free parking lot just inside the Mason Mill Park entrance (by the stone restroom building) and expect to be back there at the cars by 3:30.  See detailed Directions & GPS info below.  As on similar hikes since the pandemic began we expect it to be easy to observe the CDC's latest guidelines regarding safe social distancing, etc. while outdoors.
  We'll enjoy portions of popular multi-million-dollar "PATH Foundation" paved trails and raised forest-canopy boardwalks - also explore a few ruggedly scenic narrow trails that wind around the creeks & lakes.  At the base of the panoramic hill surrounding the 95-year-old Emory president's mansion we'll visit its nearby waterfall and take an exciting suspension foot bridge (above photo) across Peachtree Creek to explore the estate's historic stone "hydropower tower."  We'll take a moderate pace, slowing down a bit on the few steep spots and pausing occasionally to take photos and discuss the native wild flora & fauna.  If you need to "split" early from the group for any reason, that's OK, but please let me know if and when you choose to do so.  From almost anywhere in the terrain it should be easy to direct you back toward your car at Mason Mill.
  Bring your well-behaved dog if you like, but please make sure that he or she is leashed and under your control at all times - also in your registration notes please mention his/her name & breed, etc.

OPTIONAL EXTRA INFO about the PARKS, TRAILS etc:  The hundreds of acres of beautifully wooded parklands at Mason Mill and Emory conveniently interconnect with one another.  The PATH Foundation's South Peachtree Creek Trail (see interactive map link below) is the main artery through this multi-park region, and like the Silver Comet Trail was built to their high design & construction standards.  In the ~15 years since PATH built the original mile of "double-wide" trail & boardwalk between Mason Mill Park and Medlock Park the foundation has invested additional millions to create and maintain a beautiful 3/4-mile spur from Mason Mill to North Druid Hills Rd and another 1/2-mile spur to Emory University underneath Clairmont Rd, allowing easy access to the awesome Lullwater Preserve trail network.  At Mason Mill a high wooden deck overlooking the historic "Decatur Waterworks" ruins by the RR track has proven to be a favorite dark spot for urban "skygazing" - i.e, viewing the stars & planets, sunsets, moonrises, eclipses, meteor showers, comets, etc.  Just across the creek below that deck is Ira Melton Park, with a convenient set of massive flat stepping stones allowing hikers easy access to its trails at normal water levels.  Although we don't have time to include it this time, another fun option is to walk eastward beyond Medlock Park a few blocks further to lovely Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve and enjoy at least a mile-long "bird-habitat wetlands loop" there before heading back.

For an INTERACTIVE  TRAIL MAP of the MASON MILL, MEDLOCK & EMORY PARKLANDS, click: https://www.pathfoundation.org/south-peachtree-creek-trail 

DIRECTIONS to our GATHERING SPOT in the MASON MILL PARKING LOT,  just inside the main Park Entrance by the stone Restroom Building:

GPS and GOOGLE MAPS USERS:  As your Destination address for our gathering spot inside the park, you can enter the following Lat/Lon address, being sure to include the comma and minus sign:  33.8079, -84.3065
(For a zoomable color MAP and satellite view of this spot click the square blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.)

ROUTE from the I-85 CLAIRMONT ROAD EXIT in NE METRO ATLANTA to our above MASON MILL PARK Gathering Spot:
1. From this I-85 Exit (#91) take Clairmont Rd southward (toward Decatur) about 2.3 miles to the traffic light at McConnell Drive.  (This is the next light south of the much busier Clairmont/ North Druid Hills intersection, and it's a half mile north of the huge VA Medical Center.)
2. Turn Left onto McConnell Drive and go just 0.1 mile to the stop sign.
3. Turn Right to stay on McConnell and continue another 0.1 mile to the "Mason Mill Park" entrance sign.
4. Turn Left at the Park entrance and park in the large free lot just ahead on your right.  We'll gather there by the stone Restroom building and playground.  In the unlikely event that parking spaces are scarce, the nearby public library at the above right turn has plenty of free parking - just a 3- or 4-minute walk away.

Free Event with Free Parking!