Peachtree Creek: Two Swinging Bridges for Price of One! + Great Weather!
|
|
The Basics: |
| Event Type: |  | Hike | |
|
Event Location: | |
Hahn Woods & Morningside Parks in NE Atlanta
| |
| Date(s) & Time: | | Fri, Feb 17 2012
12:00 pm >> Fri, Feb 17 2012 3:00 pm
| |
| Registration Opens:
| |
Tue, Feb 14 2012 10:00 pm
| |
| Registration Cut Off:
| |
Thu, Feb 16 2012 10:00 pm
| |
| Event Duration: | | 3 Hours | |
| Difficulty Rating: | | D2: Easy to Moderate | |
| Distance: | | 5 Miles | |
| Pace: | | Moderate | |
Trip Leader(s):
| | Charlie Cottingham
 Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
| |
| Member Cost: | | None |
|
| Participant Info: |
| Who's Invited: | |
Members Only, 21 And Older Only
| |
| Maximum Group Size: | | 15 |
| Minimum Group Size: | | 2 |
| Number Registered So Far: | |
9 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
|
| Are Dogs Permitted: | |
Yes
|
|
| Itinerary: |
|
IN A NUTSHELL: Friday is shaping up to be a "Perfect 10" weatherwise, with a high in the 60s, lots of blue in the sky, and virtually no chance of rain. Hope you'll celebrate this gorgeous springlike day by joining us for a friendly midday hike that's a new twist on a more familiar one! Between noon and 3:00 PM we'll enjoy two beautiful Atlanta parkland areas that are just 3 miles apart - each with its own huge suspension footbridge over the South Fork of Peachtree Creek.
Many of you have hiked with me at Emory University's lovely Hahn Woods and Lullwater Park where we always take an exciting walk over the creek via that suspended footbridge.
I recently enjoyed exploring for the first time the Morningside Nature Preserve, just 3 miles downstream of Emory's parklands where an equally beautiful suspension footbridge has been recently been built over the South Fork of Peachtree Creek - see photo above.
Just after our Hahn Woods and Emory portion of this event, we'll jump in our cars and caravan just 10 minutes westward to Morningside where we'll enjoy some of its nice trails and its amazing new bridge.
WHEN & WHERE? We’ll gather initially at 12:00 Noon in the Hahn Woods parking lot at 866 Houston Mill Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 adjoining the south fork of Peachtree Creek—follow the detailed Directions below, and if you use GPS you can enter the above address or Lat/Lon coordinates 33.8036,-84.3228 as your destination.
EVENT PLAN: After introducing ourselves we’ll begin the hike on the pretty Hahn Woods creekside loop trail near our cars. Then we'll cross underneath the bridge to the other side of Houston Mill Road and follow the trail eastward along the creek. Along the way at Emory we'll stop at a couple of waterfalls and an old stone tower - then take a thrilling walk over the creek via this $190,000 bridge that was built in part to give VA Hospital patients and staff easy access to Emory's parklands. We expect to be back at the Hahn Woods parking lot by about 1:15 PM.
We'll then caravan in our vehicles about 3 miles westward to Morningside Nature Preserve and enjoy another 80 minutes or so of hiking, with a photo stop at its striking new suspension bridge that unlike Emory's steel bridge is built mostly of heavy wooden timbers (photo above).
If you like, bring a snack or light picnic lunch in addition to your water or beverage. We'll make time for snacking at various scenic stops along the way. Feel free to "split" early from our hiking group and return to work if you must, but of course let our group know if and when you're splitting. It's easy to find your way back to the parking lot.
BRING FIDO if you LIKE! The park property at both Emory and at Morningside are popular among dog lovers. Feel free to bring your well-behaved dog on this AOC event provided he or she is leashed and under your control at all times. If you plan to bring your dog please make a note of that in your online event registration.
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/
EXCELLENT 3-minute VIDEO of MORNINGSIDE NATURE PRESERVE and its new SWINGING BRIDGE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAO21mwKOHc
FOR MORE on EMORY'S PARKLANDS including its history and some fascinating photos: Click on this link and/or check out from the library David R. Kaufman's excellent book, "Peachtree Creek: a Natural and Unnatural History of Atlanta's Watershed." http://www.environment.emory.edu/ecology/lullwater.shtml
|
|
Required Items to Bring:
• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Athletic Shoes or Hiking Boots with a coarse tread and comfortable Lightweight Clothing layers appropriate for the weather.
• Hydrate in advance and carry in your pack a filled Water Bottle (or other favorite soft beverages)—or if you have one, your filled "Camelbak" or other hydration system.
| | Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
• Consider bringing a Snack or Light Picnic Lunch in your daypack or fannypack which you can munch on at scenic stops along the way.
• Consider bringing a pair of Trekking Poles if you have a pair and like to use them. A simple Hiking Stick is an excellent alternative.
• Consider bringing your Camera—also perhaps lightweight Binoculars if you have a pair, for birding, etc.
| |
|
| How to Get There: |
| Event Directions: | |
FROM the "SPAGHETTI JUNCTION" I-85 / I-285 INTERCHANGE in NE Metro Atlanta:
1) Take I-85 South toward Atlanta about 4 miles and exit to your right at Exit #91 "Clairmont Road."
2) Turn Left onto Clairmont Road (US-23 southward toward Decatur) and go about 2.4 miles to the traffic light at Mason Mill Road. (This light is about 0.2 mi. south of the busy junction and light at North Druid Hills Rd).
3) Turn Right onto Mason Mill Rd and go 0.6 mile to the traffic light at Houston Mill Rd.
4) Turn Left onto Houston Mill Road, go just 0.3 mile (down the hill and across the bridge). Just beyond the bridge turn Right into the gravel Hahn Woods parking lot where we'll meet and begin the hike. (In the unlikely event that this lot is full there's also free street-side parking on Mason Mill Road, just a 3- or 4-minute walk away.)
STREET ADDRESS and LAT/LON COORDINATES of HAHN WOODS PARKING LOT: In conjunction with the above directions either of these may be useful as your entered "Destination" for GPS or Google Maps:
866 Houston Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329
33.8036,-84.3228
"BACK HOMEWARD" DIRECTIONS from MORNINGSIDE NATURE PRESERVE TRAILHEAD to I-85:
We'll have free curbside parking for this second trailhead at the following address: 1941 Wellbourne Dr, Atlanta, GA 30324
The Lat/Lon coordinates at this address are: 33.8075,-84.3601
1. To return to I-85 first drive north on Wellbourne Drive about 0.2 mile to Cheshire Bridge Road.
2A.) If you need to get on I-85 North toward "Spaghetti Jcn": Turn Right onto Cheshire Bridge Rd and go NE about 1.2 mile to the I-85 North entrance ramp.
2B.) If you need to get on I-85 South toward midtown or downtown Atlanta: Turn Left onto Cheshire Bridge and go SW just 0.3 mile to Piedmont Ave. Turn Right onto Piedmont then immediately left onto Piedmont Circle and go 0.3 mile to Monroe. Bear Left onto Monroe for 0.2 mile, then Right onto Armour Drive and immediately left onto the I-85 South connector. | |
|
| Notes: |
|
|
|
| Cost Includes: | | No Charge! Free Event with Free Parking. |
Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy. |
Print-Friendly Version
Add this event to your calendar (Outlook, iCalendar)
Calendar of Events
Event Places