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KENNESAW MOUNTAIN TRAIL PART 2
As I indicated last month the trails @ Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Cobb County are one of my favorite places to run, especially this time of the year. Let’s start with the Kennesaw Mountain Trail. This trail, 1.1 mi. one way, is rocky and very steep with the path rising over 1,000’ on the way to the top (that’s a 100’ rise every 0.1 mi. or so). The trail starts @ Kennesaw Mountain Road (behind the Visitor’s Center) on the right near the traffic gate. It meets the mountain road again at the parking lot near the top, passes the Georgia Overlook (a memorial dedicated to Georgia General officers who served in the war) and continues on to the peak. Along the way you’ll pass rifle pits, gun embankments and the Scenic Overlook. Take a few minutes to take in the views from the overlooks – they’re incredible! The hardwoods in this area are breathtaking this time of the year.
 
Next time we’ll look @ Kennesaw Mountain Road run as well as the Burnt Hickory Loop and then finish up with the Cheatham Hill Trail & Kolb’s Farm Loop.

KENNESAW MOUNTAIN TRAIL
One of my favorite places to run trails is the park is dominated by Kennesaw Mountain, which rises 1,000’ above the relatively flat plateau known as the Central Uplands and is the tallest mountain in a short string of peaks north & west of Atlanta. Just south of Kennesaw Mountain is a smaller rise known as Little Kennesaw Mountain and further south Pigeon and Cheatham Hills form a north-south line on the way to Kolb’s Farm at the southernmost boundary of the park. The park has over 16 miles of trails and is truly a great place to run any time of the year but especially in the spring & fall. 

 
Due to the number of trails within the park I will be profiling them in the next couple of Fleet Feet newsletters - starting from the Visitor’s Center @ the northern end of the park. To reach the center take exit 269 off I-75 and follow the brown & white park signs to Stilesboro Road off Old US 41 (about 4 miles from the Interstate). For more information on the park and trails pick up a trail map @ the center or go to www.nps.gov/kemo (click on maps under the Quicklinks heading and then trail maps.

TRIBBLE MILL PARK
My next few monthly articles are going to be devoted to trail running in there are about nine miles of trails in the park consisting of the paved 2.8 mile multi-purpose trail around OzoraLake (gently rolling terrain) as well as the narrow 1.8 mile earthen trail (flat) which encircles ChandlerLake. The remainder of the trails are hilly and are accessed from either the ChandlerLake trail or from the trailhead near the Ozora Meadows and extend into the interior area of the park.
 
There are a number of parking areas in the park but most people using the trails utilize the lot at the meadows near the Holly Pavilion. You can also park & enter the trails near the Oak Pavilion but this area is a bit secluded and the lot is small.  Water & restroom facilities are located near both the Oak & Holly Pavilions.
 
YELLOW RIVER REGIONAL PARK
The next Gwinnett County Park I want to mention is Yellow River Regional Park located in the southern part of the county along the banks of the Yellow River (there are two entrances/parking areas from Juhan Road just south of Annistown Road). Gwinnett County originally purchased this 566-acre site for a wastewater treatment facility but the plant was built at another site and the property ended up in the hands of the Parks and Recreation Division.
 
The park property is located on both the east and west sides of Juhan Road and is mostly wooded. The wooded area covering the majority of the park consists of upland deciduous forests, traditional pine woodlands and mixed pine & hardwood areas. The park contains about 13 miles of trails devoted to mountain biking, running, hiking, and horseback riding. The trails bordering the Yellow River (on the east side of Juhan Road) are relatively flat while those across Juhan Road are hilly and much more challenging. There is also a paved one-mile multi-purpose trail accessed from the northernmost parking area (construction will begin shortly on a playground area and restroom facilities in this area). Restroom facilities and a changing area are presently available at the southernmost parking area on Juhan Road. 
 
LITTLE MULBERRY PARK
At almost 900 acres Little Mulberry Park is currently Gwinnett County’s largest park (at 1,900 acres HarbinsPark will be the largest when it opens later this year or in 2009). Little Mulberry Park (located east of I-85 in the northeast part of the county) was developed in two phases with the 485 acre first phase (accessed from Fence Road) containing five miles of trails including two 1-mile paved multi-purpose trails, a handicap-accessible trail around a pond and more than 2-miles of woodland foot trails. Other amenities include picnic pavilions, playground and restrooms.
 
The second phase, which opened in late 2006, includes the 200-acre Karina Miller Nature Preserve, additional trails including those designed for equestrian use, a connector trail to the rest of the park on the Fence Road side, a lake with several fishing piers (with a paved 2.2 trail around the lake), and a second entrance from Hog Mountain Road. Restroom facilities are also available in this phase of the park. The physical features of the park, especially the woodland trails, run the gamut from flat to extremely hilly. You can get in a good workout!  
 
In case you’re wondering, GwinnettCounty has over 8,885 acres of parkland. As my grandson Hayden would say – “That’s awesome, Gramps”.
 
GEORGE PIERCE PARK
George Pierce Park located @ 55 Buford Hwy., (about 1-mile north of the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road intersection) in Suwanee contains over 300 acres with large areas of wetlands and numerous athletic facilities. The park contains seven youth baseball/softball fields, two adult softball fields, five soccer fields, a football field, a playground, three pavilions, a concession/restroom building, a pond for fishing, as well as a 0.6-mile paved trail and a 1.2-mile mulch trail. The park also has a 16,000 square foot community center that is circled by a new 1.75-mile multi-purpose paved trail that connects to the 0.6-mile trail.
 
What is especially nice about GeorgePiercePark is that it connects to the Suwanee Creek Greenway - a paved multi-purpose trail that winds through 4-miles of wetlands and wooded areas. You can also access the greenway from trailheads behind SuwaneeElementary School (on weekends & after 4 PM during the week), Suwanee’s Town Center Park (restrooms available), Martin Farm Park, near the Suwanee Sports Academy on Burnett Road, and @ Suwanee Creek Park (restrooms available).           
  

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in CobbCounty. The park lies just west of the City of Marietta and preserves a Civil War battleground of the 1864 Atlanta Campaign. Eight miles long and barely a mile wide (covering over 2,900 acres), the park now encompasses much of the area involved in a series of engagements known as the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the Battle of Kolb’s Farm. The name Kennesaw is derived from the Cherokee Indian “Goh-nee-saw” meaning cemetery or burial ground.GwinnettCounty. First up is Tribble Mill Regional Park which is located about five miles southeast of our Lawrenceville Square store near Grayson (enter off New Hope Road). This passive park contains about 700 acres with a 108-acre recreational lake (Ozora) and a 40-acre fishing lake (Chandler) along with trails for walking, running and horseback riding, camping area, lakeside pavilions and large, open space area (Ozora Meadows) where special events are held throughout the year. There is also a large handicap-accessible playground located in the meadows area near the Holly Pavilion.