Southeast
Ringgold Elsie Holmes Park
This is a good choice for a short drive and short hiking distance. The system of trails criss-crosses a hillside on multiple levels down to South Chickamauga Creek.
http://www.catoosa.com/depts/recreation/elsie-holmes/elsie-holmes-nature-park.htm
http://www.catoosarec.com/elsie-a-holmes-nature-park.html
Chatsworth Fort Mtn St Park
Here we like to do the Gahuti Loop, a rugged but very scenic trek around the mountain top and sometimes just down from the top. Sometime we will use the option of a short cut down by a small lake.
http://www.gastateparks.org/info/fortmt/
Cohutta Wilderness
Lots of choices here, but the Forest Service Roads are challenging. We do Beech Bottom trail to Jack's River Falls on the upper part of the river, we wade the Jack's River 16 times on an out-and-back hike along the lower part of the river, we also do a little hiking and wading along the Conasauga River. Good way to hike and still stay cool during hot weather. There are other trails that are quite steep and rugged.
Amicalola Falls/Len Foote Hike Inn/Springer Mtn
We love to overnight at Len Foote Hike Inn, for most a one-nighter from Amicalola Falls State Park. But several choose to stay a second night and hike to Springer Mountain and back on the in-between day. The hike from Amicalola to Len Foote is gentle enough that non-hiking spouses sometimes join us.
http://hike-inn.com/
http://www.gastateparks.org/HikeInn
Ringgold Elsie Holmes Park
This is a good choice for a short drive and short hiking distance. The system of trails criss-crosses a hillside on multiple levels down to South Chickamauga Creek.
http://www.catoosa.com/depts/recreation/elsie-holmes/elsie-holmes-nature-park.htm
http://www.catoosarec.com/elsie-a-holmes-nature-park.html
Chatsworth Fort Mtn St Park
Here we like to do the Gahuti Loop, a rugged but very scenic trek around the mountain top and sometimes just down from the top. Sometime we will use the option of a short cut down by a small lake.
http://www.gastateparks.org/info/fortmt/
Cohutta Wilderness
Lots of choices here, but the Forest Service Roads are challenging. We do Beech Bottom trail to Jack's River Falls on the upper part of the river, we wade the Jack's River 16 times on an out-and-back hike along the lower part of the river, we also do a little hiking and wading along the Conasauga River. Good way to hike and still stay cool during hot weather. There are other trails that are quite steep and rugged.
Amicalola Falls/Len Foote Hike Inn/Springer Mtn
We love to overnight at Len Foote Hike Inn, for most a one-nighter from Amicalola Falls State Park. But several choose to stay a second night and hike to Springer Mountain and back on the in-between day. The hike from Amicalola to Len Foote is gentle enough that non-hiking spouses sometimes join us.
http://hike-inn.com/
http://www.gastateparks.org/HikeInn