Doggin Atlanta: Where To Hike With Your Dog In The Big Peach

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Doggin Atlanta: Where To Hike With Your Dog In The Big Peach

Grant Park, bounded by Atlanta Avenue, Sidney Street, Cherokee Street and the Boulevard, is named for Colonel Lemuel P. Grant, a civil engineer for the Georgia Railroad who helped bring the railroad to Atlanta and earned the name “Father of Atlanta.”

Grant Park is near the site of the battle for Atlanta in the Civil War and defensive
breastworks, constructed under the supervision of L.P. Grant, can still be seen in the
144-acre recreation area. The land for Grant Park was at one time part of Colonel
Grant’s extensive land holdings in young Atlanta. Dogs are welcome on the scenic
trails although they are not permitted around the two prime attractions of the park:
Zoo Atlanta or the Atlanta Cyclorama, the 360-degree painting of the Battle of
Atlanta.

Nearby to enjoy with your dog is Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
less than one hour north of Atlanta.

Most rivers meander and change course over time but the Chattahoochee River is
locked in place by the 320-mile Brevard Fault that divides the Appalachian
Mountains and the Piedmont Plateau. As such, it is one of the oldest rivers in
America.

President Jimmy Carter created the Chattahoochee River National Recreation
Area in his home state to protect 48 miles of the slow-moving waters south of Lake
Lanier. Today the 4,100-acre dog-friendly preserve – Chattahoochee means place
of flowered rocks – is one of the most popular destinations in the national park
system, attracting more than three million visitors each year.

Two visitor centers, Paces Mill at the southern access and Island Ford near the
center, service the Chattahoochee River NRA’s 14 land units and more than 50 miles
of trails. Much of the canine hiking on these day-use trails is easy, through
meadows and wooded gorges along the river. Expect a cool swim for your dog when
she plunges in – the water temperature rarely warms to more than 50 degrees.

The stability of the Chattahoochee River has enabled much of the history of
inhabitation on its banks to remain in place. Keep an eye out for archaeological
remants of the Indian tribes that lived here for hundreds of years. Among the 19th
century structures that can be seen are the ruins of antebellum textile mills.

One of the premier places to hike with your dog is the Jones Bridge Trail, a 2.6-mile
jaunt that hugs the Chattahoochee for most of its length before ascending a small
ridge.

To reach the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Paces Mill travel on
US 41, north of I-75. Admission to the recreation area is free but there is a
nominal parking fee.

copyright 2006

Doug Gelbert is the author of over 20 books, including The Canine Hiker’s Bible. To subscribe to his FREE Newsletter on hiking with your dog and receive a copy of Rules for Dogs in 100 of the Most Popular National Park Service Lands, visit hikewithyourdog.com In the warmer months he leads canine hikes for hikewithyourdog.com tours, guiding packs of dogs and humans on hiking adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit parks, historical sites and beaches.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Gelbert

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