Saturday Morning at Sope Creek

It's celebration time!  Ann Chastain has been super-excited about reaching her 100th AOC event, and she wanted to be sure to share it with me.  I'm delighted to honor her today, so she's my guest on the hike!

This will be a moderately paced hike through the beautiful trails of Sope Creek.  The route we take will depend upon participants.  If we have members new to Sope Creek, we might have to swing by the ruins; otherwise we'll head to the Cochran Shoals section, where we can swing by the restrooms before making a loop around Cochran Shoals.   I've allowed some extra time on the hike to make sure we have time to cover the planned route.  

Though many areas are relatively flat, there are several hills that we'll encounter.  If you have hiking poles, they'll definitely be an asset to help navigate some of the rockier trails.

The Sope Creek parking lot off Paper Mill Road is a more secluded entrance to the Cochran Shoals unit of the Chattahoochee NRA than the Columns Drive entrance.  It's located among some very exclusive subdivisions, so you'll enjoy the ride!  If you're coming from Johnson Ferry Rd., it's just past the Sope Creek bridge, on your left. If you're coming from I-75 on Papermill, it will be on your right, after you pass Sope Creek Elementary School and the Sibley Forest subdivision.  If you get to the Sope Creek bridge, you've gone too far.    

Please remember to bring your smart phone to pay the $5 parking fee to the National Park Service, unless you have a Chattahoochee NRA annual pass.  Passes can be purchased in advance online at https://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/fees.htm  Please allow 10 extra minutes to purchase a pass if you don't get one in advance.  We'll be starting our hike on time - - 10:00 am!

Sorry - - no bathroom facilities at the trailhead, but we'll hike to the bathrooms on Columns Drive during our hike.

Please remove your registration yourself if you can't make the hike.  You can do this up until the actual time of the event.    

And remove ourself from the waiting list if you don't wish to be added as spots open

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.

Please remove your registration yourself if you can't make the hike.  You can do this up until the actual time of the event.  

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

Don't forget to buy a $5 parking pass before the hike!  No bathroom facilities at this trailhead.