Trail Running Routes

CHAAPEL'S TRAIL RUNNING GUIDE 

KENNESAW MOUNTAIN PART ONE

One of my favorite places to run trails is Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Cobb County. 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.

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 sections - 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).

KENNESAW MOUNTAIN PART THREE

Following up on my last two articles let’s talk about the Kennesaw Mountain Road run and the Burnt Hickory Loop. The Kennesaw Mountain Road (1.2 miles one way) is a paved road that goes to the top of the mountain and, like the trail, it rises 1,000’ in just over a mile. One of the first things you’ll see as you start up the mountain is the Georgia Monument, dedicated to the state’s soldiers who fought @ the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. This road is open to traffic weekdays but on the weekends only busses which run @ regularly scheduled intervals are allowed. Parking & restroom facilities are located @ the Visitor’s Center.

The Burnt Hickory Loop (5.5 miles) is a scenic trail that starts near the Visitor’s Center, runs south to Burnt Hickory Road via the east trail and then returns to the Visitor’s Center on the west trail. This trail is the most challenging in the park as it also takes you to the top of the mountain (the last mile being the mountain trail described last month). This is a very picturesque run and from the top of Pigeon Hill both Pine Mountain & Lost Mountain are visible. Depending on where you want to start, you can park at either the Visitor’s Center or in the designated spaces along Burnt Hickory Road (this is an extremely busy road so be careful in this area). There are no restroom facilities on this section of the trail but a water fountain is available at Burnt Hickory and a friendly neighbor has a hose hanging over their fence for visitors to use (on the east section of the trail).  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).

KENNESAW MOUNTAIN PART FOUR

The Cheatham Hill Trail (2.2 miles one-way) runs southerly from Burnt Hickory Road to Cheatham Hill near the Illinois Monument (just south of Dallas Highway-SR 120). The trail in this area is very scenic especially as it begins its descent to Noses Creek. A word of caution: about a mile south of the bridge over the creek the trail crosses Dallas Hwy. – be extremely cautious, as this is an extremely busy road with poor sight distance. Once you cross the road the trail follows a ridge for about ¾ mile to Cheatham Hill (or, if you prefer, you can run down the road leading to the parking lot). There is parking & water available @ Cheatham Hill but no restrooms.

Kolb’s Farm Loop (5.6 miles), the southernmost trail in the park, begins near the Illinois Monument @ Cheatham Hill and follows a low ridge to Peter Kolb’s Farm off Powder Springs Road (SR 360). The trail does not actually go to the farm, now a restored log house (not open to the public), but crosses north of the house. At the southern end the trail turns due east (or west depending on which side of the loop you took down) & crosses Cheatham Hill Road (the residence @ Kolb’s Farm is visible from this point). This is also a very scenic trail through rolling hills & open fields. In addition to the Cheatham Hill lot there is parking & trail access from a lot on Cheatham Hill Road.
 

ALEXANDER PARK

The ninety-one acre Alexander Park, Gwinnett County’s newest park, had its grand opening June 13, 2009. Located adjacent to (and visible from) SR 124 between Lawrenceville & Snellville the park is located @ 800 Old Snellville Highway (this is the only access point). Funding for park construction was made possible through the county’s 2005 SPLOST program and totaled $ 3.8 million.  The park contains a one mile crushed stone soft surface trail and approximately 1.6 miles of 12’ wide paved multi-use trail. Other park amenities include a playground, lawn courts and horseshoe pit, three pavilions, fishing piers @ the two ponds, an 18-hole disc golf course, and restrooms. Almost all of Alexander Park is out in the open with virtually no shaded areas so take along good quality sun screen when running here.  Remember to run safe & smart – take along a friend and get out & see some of the great trails Georgia has to offer. You know what’s great about this park – there’s a Bruster’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop one mile away near the intersection of Sugar loaf Parkway & Five Forks Trickum Road! 

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. 

HARBINS PARK

Gwinnett County’s newest park – Harbins Park – which is located in the Dacula area on Luke Edwards Road approximately three miles from Tribble Mill Park. The first phase of the nearly 2,000 acre park, consisting of almost 1,200 acres, opened to the public on Saturday, March 2.  In addition to a separate parking area for those using the equestrian trails, the park has pervious asphalt parking for 230 cars, restroom facilities, tri-level playground, four acre turf open meadow, as well as an 1,800 square foot picnic pavilion. The park contains close to 7 miles of equestrian trails, 7 miles of mountain biking trails (additional 3 mi. under construction) and 4.5 miles of earthen hiking/walking/running trails including a boardwalk over the granite outcropping near the Alcovy River.  There’s also about 4.4 mi. of multi-purpose trails (12’ wide asphalt) in the park consisting of a 1 mi. Meadow Trail Loop and a 3.4 mile out & back trail known as the Cedar Creek Trail Loop.

WATSON MILL PARK

I’d like to introduce you to Watson Mill Bridge State Park which is located on Watson Mill Road off GA 22 in Comer, GA about 20 miles northeast of Athens. Known as one of the most picturesque parks in the state, Watson Mill Bridge State Park contains about 1,000 acres & lies within Madison & Oglethorpe Counties with the South Fork River being the dividing line between the counties. The park contains a beautifully preserved 115 yr. old 229’ covered bridge which is the longest original-site covered bridge in the state.

While not extensive, there are nearly 5 mi. of trails that meander through the park. There are two loop trails located on the west side of Covered Bridge Rd. – the Ridge Loop Trail is a short ¾ mi. trail that connects with Beaver Creek Loop Trail that runs about 1.5 mi. in length. The loop trail on the other side of the road runs about 2.5 mi. & has some of the most beautiful scenery in the park. All the trails are gently rolling & provide a great trail experience.

In Athens, The Grill on College Ave. or Schlotzsky’s on Baxter St. or Fresh Air Barbecue on Hull Road northeast of Athens.