Heading downhill, a side trail on the left will lead to the townhomes as well. The rest of the park has trail maps, so navigating shouldn’t be too difficult. Head downhill to another series of junctions. If you stay straight, the trail will lead to a townhome neighborhood. Once the trail levels off, it will slowly descend before coming to another junction.

The trails either stay around 800 feet in elevation along the river or around 1000 feet in elevation on the hilltop, so navigating this park requires several 200 foot climbs and descents.Ĭontinue uphill at the next junction turning left here will lead you back to the paved path. Taking a left at the junction will take you up a steep incline. As a rule of thumb, if the trail becomes overly difficult, hard to follow, or overgrown then you’ve taken a wrong turn. This is one of many unofficial trails in the park. If you take a right along the river, the trail eventually dead ends unless you ascend a steep, difficult unofficial side trail up the hill.

Along here will be the first junction, which at the time of writing this, does not have a trail map for guidance. Taking the first of the two entrances with the sign, the trail continues to follow along the river for the next. While on this paved path, you will cross under I-75, then over Rottenwood Creek before arriving at the start of the West Palisades unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Starting from the larger parking lot at Paces Mill, begin on the Rottenwood Creek Multi-Use trail for the first half mile. The park is complete with great river views, boat ramp, large picnic area, and access to a 4 mile paved multi-use trail, making it perfect for a variety of activities. Make sure to respect the park during your visit by picking up your trash to leave the area just as beautiful as you found it.One of the more challenging of the Chattahoochee River parks, the West Palisades trail system provides relaxing river-side trails along with several moderately steep inclines. One community member who was out for a morning walk with their dog expressed that instead of tearing down and building over the natural area, they, along with many others from the community, hope the beautiful ravines can be connected. Community members put up the ribbons and signs to spread the word about the project in hopes to save the small natural area in their backyard.Ĭolourful ribbons mark the trees that would be cut down due to the project. Over 250 trees will be cleared in order to build a retaining wall in the ravine. Local residents are responsible for the signs and ribbons in protest of the retaining wall that might be built in the area. A sign on a tree at either end of the park will tell you that these mark the trees that are at risk of being cut down due to a potential Metrolinx expansion that's said to begin in 2021. There are also colourful ribbons around a lot of the trees in the area. Just like at Williamson Park, a boardwalk leads into the forest trail. Here, you’ll find a good-sized dog park and pretty forest, as well as more creek views and wooden staircases and boardwalk. There's a large open dog park at the top of Merrill Bridge Park. You'll have to make your way over on the street as the two ravines are disconnected by train tracks. Just head up to Woodbine Avenue to get to the other side of the tracks. Merrill Bridge Park is a great add-on, located just a 10-minute walk away. The park is an environmentally significant area meaning it provides habitats for rare and vulnerable plants and animals. Since the hike through the ravine is a bit on the shorter side, it's a good idea to continue your hike through another park within the Small's Creek ravine system. The rustic pathway follows alongside the creek for the entire duration of the walk.

Wooden planks have been laid down between the ravine slopes beside the creek so that visitors can make their way through the area. The partially buried Small's Creek is covered in moss and snow around this time of year. Just be careful where you step while at Williamson Park as it can be tricky to tell where the river begins and ends, especially when covered in snow. It's visible at certain times of the year at the four ravines throughout this area, though. Wooden planks and makeshift boardwalks have been laid down throughout the ravine making it easier to navigate. The creek is one of many streams that once flowed through the city, but due to development was entirely or partially buried underground.

Rottenwood creek revine map