Chattahoochee River - Gold Branch - Member Hike

Hike Name: Chattahoochee River - Gold Branch
Country: United States
State: Georgia
Nearby Town: Marietta
Rating: 4 stars
Directions: From northbound US 19 and GA 400

Take exit 6 - Northridge Road.
Stay in right lane merging onto Dunwoody Place, go 1.3 miles.
Turn right at Roswell Road, go 0.6 miles.
Turn left at Azalea Drive, go 1.7 miles.
Turn left at Willeo Road, go 1.4 miles.
Turn left at Lower Roswell Road, go 0.7 mile to park entrance on the left.
Total Hike Distance: 1.60 miles
Hike Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Permit Required: No
Hike Type: Roundtrip, Loop Hike
Hike Starts/Ends: Gold Branch Parking Area
Trails Used: Gold Branch Trail
Backcountry Campsites: No
Backcountry Water Sources: Streams, Rivers
Management: National Park Service
Contact Information: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
1978 Island Ford Parkway
Sandy Springs, GA 30350
678-538-1273 Non-emergency Number
Best Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users: Hikers, Dogs
Road Conditions: Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads, High Clearance Vehicle Recommended
Hike Summary: This hike to the Chattahoochee River is from the Gold Branch parking area off Lower Roswell Road near Marietta, GA. The route starts in the northwestern corner of the park and descends down to a small stream in a hardwood forest. From here, you can hike either in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to reach the river. Either way you will eventually walk along Bull Sluice Lake - which is a body of water on the northern end of the park. It is almost entirely cut off from the main flow of river with only a narrow passage connecting Bull Sluice Lake with the Chattahoochee. Hiking clockwise takes you to the lake in under 30 minutes.

The entire Gold Branch loop is around five miles, but if you are short on time or energy there are a number of smaller loops in the park (see map). This gives you a number of options ranging from 1-5+ miles in the Gold Branch area. The trail is close to the cities of Marietta and Roswell - so don't expect much privacy here - but for being so close to the city, this is a really nice and scenic hike.

Map:

Hiker:

BirdShooter


47,200 points


Recommended


Trip Reports

  Date Rating Duration Hiker
Chattahoochee River - Gold Branch - December 19, 2020 December 19, 2020 4 stars 1 hour BirdShooter
Chattahoochee River - Gold Branch - February 20, 2017 February 20, 2017 5 stars 1 hour BirdShooter

Comments

One reply on “Chattahoochee River - Gold Branch - Member Hike”

There’s been a few changes at the trailhead since I last hiked here. There is still a fee to hike here ($5), but you now must scan a code at the trailhead with your smartphone and pay electronically – after you set up an account. Also, the national park service had numerous signs restricting parking to the designated lot – which isn’t very big. If you come here on a weekend, you may have to wait for someone to leave before you find parking.

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