West Palisades Cruise, Paces Mill Boat Ramp lot

This is not a hike for a beginner. 

To qualify, you must have:

1. recently (last 2 weeks) kept pace with a D2 group doing 3.0 mph on a previous hike and be willing to keep pace at 3.0 mph with the group on this hike.  

2. recently (last 2 weeks) kept pace with a D2 group doing a 350 foot elevation gain hike

If you are on the waitlist, it means that you did not meet the event qualifications or the event was full.

For this hike, we will accomplish --

Terrain:  RUGGED;  slippery in places with leaves over nuts, rocks, and roots, plus extra sticks, blowdowns, mud patches, and awkward slopes. 

Average speed: 3.0mph 

Elevation gain: there will be a 250 foot climb

One of the more challenging of the Chattahoochee River parks, the West Palisades trail system provides relaxing river-side trails along with several moderately steep inclines.

The trails either stay around 800 feet in elevation along the river or around 1000 feet in elevation on the hilltop, so navigating this park requires a climb.

For this cruise, we will cruise on foot for 4.3 miles mostly on trails from Paces Mill Boat Ramp to NOC Powers Island Outpost.  From there we will cruise on water for 3 miles returning to Paces Mill Boat Ramp.

If you do not have an inflatable for the water, you have several options of rentals (raft, kayak, ducky, tube) from the NOC when you arrive.

You will need a car pool partner if you have an inflatable to drop a car with the inflatables at Powers Island and return by car to Paces Mill to start the hike at 8:30am.

If you are renting, just meet at Paces Mill and rent your inflatable at the end of the hike when we reach Powers Island.

In Google Maps, type:  Paces Mill Boat Ramp

Here is the Google link:

https://goo.gl/ m aps/LuAqSyPkgTwFmAVn9

Warning: other GPS will lead you to nowhere on Cumberland Blvd.

$5 credit card charge for parking unless you have an annual pass, which you can apply for HERE.

  Masks - "Please be advised that attendees of AOC events should have face coverings on their person, in the event they are unable to maintain a physical distance of 6 feet.

 The AOC continues to follow federal, state, local and CDC guidelines to help contain the spread of COVID-19. A national Executive Order enacted on January 20, 2021 states “...on- duty or on-site Federal employees, on- site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.” Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and the CRNRA parks are examples of federal lands.