Ira B Melton Park

(15 reviews)

0.4 mi

We enjoyed a relaxed stroll along the boardwalk in early spring and witnessed quite a bit of…read morewildlife -- hawks, ducks, turtles. The boardwalk itself is very well maintained and extremely accessible for most levels of mobility. Plenty of free parking.

Super cool group of paths and trails. The main trail is a wooden path and concrete trail that can…read morecome out in a number of paces depending on which path you take. The path starts in Medlock Park and you can take the path to either Mason Mill Park, Druid Hills Rd, Clairmont road/Lullwater Park. They are also many other little paths off the main trail - follow the creek, the railroad tracks - you can feel like you're not in the middle of the city. Great park and trails, love relaxing here!

Hawk watching us as we traveled the boardwalk

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Mason Mill Park

4.4

(62 reviews)

0.6 mi

Large park with so many things to do! The hiking paths are fantastic, paved or wood walkway. There…read moreis also off trail hiking for those inclined. The trail is very shaded and was perfect to walk dogs, would also be handy for strollers. The only downside for me is some repairs needed with holes in the wood - had to make sure dogs did not step into them. The trails are really accessible with ramps as alternates to stairs as needed. Lots of parking.

Love this park. Ample parking, tennis courts, but my favorite part are the walking trails around…read morethe park. You can walk to Emory, to N Druid Hills, Medlock Park or just traipse through the woods on the board walk and trails. There are great creeks, you can see the old Decatur Water Works (the ruins), tons of wildlife (I've seen deer, ducks, fox, coyotes, wild turkeys (yes), and more.

Boardwalk is pretty shaded

Paved trail, covered bridge

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Playground

Deepdene Park

4.3

(3 reviews)

2.3 mi

I was early for my brunch meetup so I stopped here and enjoyed my coffee for a bit and had a short…read morewalk. This is a beautiful and well grown space alongside a very busy artery that takes commuters to and from downtown Atlanta. Shade trees, benches, a creek-side trail and even a bridge. It's a beautiful spot. And remember, always hike with a friend! [Review 13633 overall, 952 of 2020, number 324 in Georgia.]

Deepdene forms the eastern end of the string of city park known as the Olmsted Linear Parks. It is…read morethe largest and the only one designed as a walking trail woodland. The other five are grassy 'pastoral' parks, and are fine parks in their own right. Along with Lake Claire Park, Deepdene is my 'home' park - I live very near. While Lake Claire hosts my go-to tennis court, Deepdene is where I go to pretend I'm not in the city but rather out hiking in the Georgia forests. It's pretty good at aiding in that deception with lots of very tall trees, interconnecting (if short) dirt paths and a creek running through the axis. Deepdene used to be a bit of an urban twilight zone - before it was developed, except for the traffic noise (which is considerable from Ponce), walking its undeveloped and sketchy trails really was like being in the woodlands. While I did enjoy that experience, I must say that the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance did a good job making Deepdene a little more neighborhood friendly. The paths are thankfully not paved but are easily walk-able without risking ankle turns. The several sturdy bridges are not only pleasing to the eye but carry you over the more hazardous parts of the terrain. And there are a lot of botanical and historical information signs scattered about. I like the development. On the eastern end you'll find a large, flat grassy area (the Meade) suitable for tossing a football or what have you. Kite flying? Does anyone do that anymore? You'll find many benches along the paths where you can stop and just enjoy the setting. No parking except along the streets, but, frankly, this is meant to be a neighborhood park for the local residents. Not that y'all aren't welcome. :)

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Bear Creek Nature Center

5.0

(3 reviews)

28.0 mi

This is a wonderful learning environment for kids. The staff were so attentive and helpful. It was…read morethe perfect activity for our 2 year old grandson and his grandparents!

Bear Creek Nature Center is a hidden gem in Chattahoochee Hills, GA. This is a small animal refuge…read more/ hiking location (with a waterfall nearby) / and conservation center. This non-profit organization is home to numerous reptiles, amphibians, and birds. They even have the only live bats at a nature center in all of Georgia. Admission is $5 per car/driver and $3 for each additional person in your group. This is a great spot for families. They even let my kids pet any small animal in the facility of their choosing. We were given a personal tour of the place and the hike was good for all members of the group. Since not too many people know about this place yet, there was no issue parking. The staff were friendly as well. You can also follow the latest updates of their animals on their FB page. I hope to go back again soon.

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Fernbank Forest

3.8

(4 reviews)

2.5 mi

Beautiful well maintained walking trails with nice seating areas near waterways. Signage could use…read moresome help here and there BUT it is an awesome place to visit. It is its own little world, you'll forget you're in the city entirely.

This is a review of WildWoods: AGLOW…read more The tickets are about $30 pp and include only admission to the woods. The exhibit is very well done. The designers created a magical wilderness trail. Unfortunately the ticket price doesn't include museum admission and for this price it really isn't worth it.

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Lullwater Conservation Park

2.5 mi

It's a cute little park if you'd like a quiet place to read. There were no visible parking areas…read moreexcept for the roadside or street parking. Some overgrown bushes and fallen trees were present. But, there are a couple of open areas with a well and benches provided. A small trail is found in the center. Only takes a few minutes to complete it.

Lullwater Conservation Garden (not be be confused with Lullwater Park, on the nearby Emory Campus)…read moreis one of Dekalb County's prettiest pockets of park greenery. My family has been visiting for years. It's a quiet place for a stroll along the wooded Lullwater Creek, and it's my favorite place for a picnic. Bring your lawn chairs. You'll definitely want to sit a spell, too. It's also in the neighborhood where "Driving Miss Daisy" was filmed. PS: Doggie likes it, too.

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Glenn Creek Nature Preserve

1.9 mi

A fine area for walking. It is safer not to walk with the distraction of headphones, of course.read more

Glenn Creek Nature Preserve is a woodsy, two acre retreat mere minutes from downtown Decatur,…read moreconcealed in a homey neighborhood. The entrance is located at the end of Fairview Street, and there's no parking lot but you can park for free on the road. The paths are pretty decently marked, and odds are good you won't encounter too many people. The titular Glenn Creek runs through the preserve which is filled with many tall trees. You do walk up against some backyards so you don't quite attain that perfect lost-in-the-woods feel, but you end up darn close. It's not too big or flashy, but it you want a simple dose of nature in the city, Glenn Creek's worth a stroll!

In the woods

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Entrance

Herbert Taylor Park

(1 review)

2.4 mi

I strained my calf (muscle) last week and have been slowly easing back to physical activity. I've…read morebeen avoiding running and walking long distances but since I had a free day and my leg was feeling good, I decided to explore Herbert Taylor Park for the first time. The entrance to the park is at Pasadena Ave NE & Beech Valley Rd NE. There's another entrance along Beech Valley that I saw. I basically wandered around for an hour which was pretty fun. I did end up at the same spot multiple times and had to backtrack, but that's the fun of wandering! There are creeks that run through the park that you can haphazardly cross and giant fallen tress you can jump from. (Yes, I did both these things. Can you see how I could have strained my calf muscle?) I also randomly came across a mini beach area with sand and all! From within the park, I could still hear the sounds of construction happening outside the park, but once I got a little deeper in, I could only hear the sound of the trickling creek and critters in the trees. It was quite nice. The paths were clearly defined but vary in width (0.5 - 5 feet wide) and some were covered in foliage which I imagine could get slippery, so be careful. The entire park was very flat once you pass the initial incline/decline coming into or going out of the park's entrance. I highly recommend coming at least 2 hours before sundown as there is a lot of tree coverage which obscures the sun a lot. I also recommend following random trails and allowing yourself to get lost in the park. The park isn't big at all so it's fun to walk down one path and backtrack and wander down another path. I do not recommend coming during or after a big rain. I read on a warning bulletin that the creeks kind of overflow and get super crazy during/after rains and dogs (it's a dog-friendly park) and humans can get swept away, which I am sure would not make for a very fun stroll! I'm sure it also gets very muddy and slippery. I did not notice any poison ivy or oak, but I will update my review in 24-48 hours if the status of my skin changes.

Bridge just past the "main" entrance to the park.

One of the creeks

Mini beach

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Zonolite Park

4.4

(5 reviews)

2.5 mi

Small / short trail in Morningside. There's a dog beach, so if you have a dog that's a plus. There…read moreare a few little nooks and crannies to explore here, but overall it's a short walk. Lots of dandelion fluff by the entrance, it looks very fanciful.

Zonolite is a small park and greenspace located between South Fork Peachtree Creek and the Zonolite…read moreBuilding (think Floataway Cafe). It's under development and plans are to connect the trails here with ones to the west and east. As of this review, there are a few hundred yards of improved path, some wetland development and some dirt paths. Scattered through the park are maps detailing the current and future walking paths. The paths as drawn on the maps are a bit schematic, though, so don't be surprised if the path that was supposed to curve left actually curves right, etc. It's a very small park so there's no worries about losing where you are. The dirt path parallels a very trashy South Fork Peachtree Creek and goes further than the improved path, perhaps outside the park boundary. I couldn't be sure but I ended up near someone's fenced backyard. I like the signs labeling some of the plants. The small wetland area has several of those. One improved path takes you to the back of the Zonalite Building, right where the Floataway Cafe is located. There's actually a short old rail line behind the building that's been converted to a walking path. I'm not sure if it's on park property or that of the building. There are a herd of picnic tables at the far west end. Zonolite has a small separate parking lot on the east end with space for half a dozen cars or so. As it's still got a ways to go until fully improved, Zonalite Park is not much more than a pleasant 20 minutes of walking. But I applaud these projects - they do a lot to keep the city healthy.

Entrance at the parking lot

Small parking lot.

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Old RR track behind the Zonalite building. Now a short walking path.

Piedmont Park Aquatic Center

4.1

(24 reviews)

4.5 mi

This is an incredible pool, especially if you have some younger kids to entertain. It's on $5 per…read moreperson to get in so it's a cheap way to spend several hours. They have a small snack bar with things like soda and chips. Except for the swim lanes the whole pool is at most maybe 4 feet deep, it has a small lazy river, a whirlpool area that spins kids around, a zero entry - it's just all great for kids from around 3 to probably 10 or 11. I'm sure older kids will have fun too but it's almost perfect for the younger ones.

one of the jewels inside the "preeminent jewel" of Atlanta, Piedmont Park. the aquatic center is…read morequite well-run and well-kept, particularly given all the events hosted there. one might assume this joint would show wear-and-tear, but you'd be wrong about that! I was super bummed with the attached restaurant closed, but apparently a new food place opened up in its place. I took my rugrats here for the "Splish Splash" event and really enjoyed it.

Our preferred park gate to get to the pool

The front entrance

Many lockers available

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The Painted Pin

To bowl or not to bowl lol…read more I don't know why I said that. This place feels like a cigar lounge mixed with a man cave mixed with a bowling alley. Just a really cool setup overall. Vibes are great here and there's so much to do. Bowling, games, food, drinks. The whole shabang. Went on a Saturday with a friend and honestly had a fantastic time. We ordered the pizza and fries. Classic bowling alley food. Good overall, not anything spectacular food wise, but with everything else going on it honestly doesn't even matter. Service was great too. We had a super sweet server who made the experience even better. Cost wise you'll definitely spend some money, but it feels worth it for the experience. Easy 5/5 for me. Will absolutely be back.

I had never been to a bowling alley like this before. A friend that lives in the area introduced me…read moreto it to me. This bowling alley only has valet parking. They have security once you first walk in. I like the fact it's adult only. They had like a live band performing when we went. They had an area to shoot hoops too. My friends ordered food. I got some fish tacos that were amazing while we bowled.

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Camp Scene Environmental Adventures

3.8

(4 reviews)

2.2 mi

Camp Scene is a summer camp program for children ages 8 to 12. Each one week session is full of…read moreadventures your child will never forget. Every day the Camp Scene bus (15 passenger vehicle) travels to different locations so that the kids experience the outdoors with an emphasis on environmental education. The camp director/owner Mr. Seitz is a middle school teacher. All staff members are certified teachers with first aid training. Last week my daughter attended their first week of camp. Among other events, she went canoeing, kayaking, rock-climbing and adventure swimming. She came home excited every day about the science lessons and gained a new interest in preserving the environment. In addition, she overcame a long-standing fear of being out on open water. This camp is a sure winner! I don't know if they are adding extra weeks this summer, but I know they are planning sessions all summer next year.

HANDS DOWN best summer camp all year long! If I could sign my daughter up (8 years old) every week…read moreI would. WELL WELL WELL worth the money. Their programming is amazing, and their staff is AWESOME! Run . . . don't walk to this camp!

Lullwater Park

(86 reviews)

0.9 mi

What a great place to go for a walk, run, bike ride, fishing or just sitting and relaxing. Great…read morepond in the middle with all sorts of wildlife like turtles, cranes, deer and all sorts of other things. It's behind Emory and the President of tue university's home is in the park. Very. Pretty. Plenty of trials to explore - follow the creek all the way down Houston Mill and Hahn woods. In fact if you're driving Hahn woods is a good place to park as parking is not great anywhere around Lullwater. There is a deck that you can pay to park in at the Emory Clifton campus - that is the closest parking I believe.

Beautiful & relaxing space! Visited twice, & didn't see the restriction sign until I was leaving…read moreafter my second visit. Take care if you "attempt" to visit. It's private property.

The Mansion on park grounds

On the suspension bridge

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Ira B Melton Park - hiking - Updated August 2026

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Freedom Park

(32 reviews)

We walked over 6 miles meandering throughout some of Atlanta's chain of connected beautiful parks…read moresystem. We admired the flora and the fauna, as well as the generous art installations scattered throughout. The city's citizens should be very proud of their stewardship of such a phenomenal collection of green spaces which are so easily accessible.

Cut and pasted from their website: "Atlanta's largest linear…read morepark." Quality/Quantity - Another cool park with cool art; see pictures. Sorry, missing quite a few pictures... Atmosphere - I can not write this better than their website. Cut and pasted again: "Freedom Park has become Atlanta's most connected park, linking together seven of the city's most historic and desirable neighborhoods--Candler Park, Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, Poncey-Highland, Virginia Highland, Druid Hills, and Lake Claire. Little Five Points, an off-beat and thriving business district is nestled between the park's western and southern legs. Located a few miles east of Downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Freedom Park's 130+ acres boast eight miles of gently curving paths for walking, jogging, and bicycling." Service - Self service Price - Free. Owner Comment - Thanks again Atlanta for another cool park.

Peachtree Creek Greenway

4.8

(10 reviews)

It's been three years since the last review of this neighborhood gem and many of the great things…read morementioned about this greenway still ring true. PCG is full of amenities that you wouldn't expect scattered throughout the trail. There's a soccer field (open green space), slides for kids, hammocks, swinging benches, regular benches, and easy access to the emergency services if necessary. I was there for a morning walk and there really wasn't much foot traffic. It's generally very peaceful and full of pleasant pedestrians, some who live in the apartments along the trail and others who drove into the three main trailheads. The design of the trail was really well-done and thoughtful of all potential pedestrians, pups included. Be mindful that there isn't a public bathroom available as of yet.

I had no idea this greenway existed until recently. This walk way is really nice and clean. Great…read moreplace to walk your dogs! PROS: - Spacious parking lot - Multiple poop bag receptacles along the trail - Paved trails - Clean - Multiple trail heads CONS: - Not much traffic - A couple blind spots along the trail Both cons make the trail potentially dangerous for nighttime walks. I believe there was a recent stabbing that took place in June 2021.... Just be aware and don't go alone! Otherwise, this greenway is a great addition to the neighborhood and I'm excited to see this connection to the Beltline!

Iverson Park

I first came her with Coach Michael from Crossfit Rx. He taught a class here about falling safely…read moreand rolling. The park has been quiet every time I've visited. It has a small playground for the kids, and dogs seem to love it here. I come here mostly to shift gears from work mode to gym mode.

We would walk through this park or along the sidewalk many times when we were living in Candler…read morePark and it's pretty easy to miss if you're not looking closely. It's a bit raised off of the road and sidewalk, but there is a fantastic field for all types of sports or fun and a pretty fantastic playground. Lots of fun playground equipment that I haven't seen at any other neighborhood park. Note: The field portion of the park is pretty prone to flooding and staying pretty soggy after a full day of rain. I'm sure the drainage of this park is a bit poor due to the location, but just take note that your shoes may get pretty muddy. I love this little park, though. It's a fantastic asset to the neighborhood and I'm sure the rest of the residents enjoy it on a daily basis as well.

Briarlake Forest Park

5.0

(1 review)

What a GEM! I drive by often and saw the sign for the park but always mistook the entrance as a…read moredriveway. Well, it is a driveway of sorts.. The park is actually a lovely 1863 homestead and 15 acres of lovely woods with some mighty centuries old trees standing tall and beautiful. The trails are kept by a devoted community of supporters, as well as the home and yard at the entrance. The forest provides plenty of shade where you can still manage a comfortable stroll even on hot days. It feels more like a nature hike than a park trail. I'm glad I found this park, it is my new favorite! The history of the homestead and property adds to the charm!

WD Thomson Park

(7 reviews)

This is a cute little neighborhood park with trails in the woods. There was ample marking on trees…read moreso you wouldn't get lost. It's quiet and barely little traffic noise. So pretty amazing to have this within a busy part of town. They also have tennis courts (some cracks) picnic and kids play areas. That said, parking lot had broken glass so be careful with your cars.

The most deserted looking park , I'm seen in a long time . I wanted a outdoor space to walk and…read morerelax. It's not here. I'm afraid to leave my vehicle.

Rodney Cook Sr Park in Historic Vine City

Pretty calm & settling. The activity within the park is moderate. Me being a freelance…read morephotographer,I found this park to be very useful for shooting some great outdoor photography. Great recommendation for a nice walk or family outing

Rodney Cook Sr. Park, is a new 16-acre park in the Vine City neighborhood of Atlanta, adjacent to…read morethe Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It is named after the politician Rodney Mims Cook Sr. This park boasts a breathtaking lake view with intertwining pedestrian bridges. There's plenty of trail way for walking and jogging- a welcomed addition to the community. Urban renewal projects underway with lots of homes being rehabbed in the area. This park is a good sign of things to come. For help finding the home of your dream go here: https://homefinder.georgiamls.com https://remine.com/re/agentatl

forest park walking trail on main street

I love going here to walk and complete my running for the day. It's clean and peaceful at times it…read moremaybe a few families up there with their kids riding bikes but if your in Forest Park and looking for some where to walk.

This track is a nice place to spend your break if you want time to yourself or a piece full place…read moreto relax. Not much activity at this track besides the occasional walkers going around the track. It is close to a railroad track so sometimes there is the occasional train passing that maybe a little disorienting at first.

Atlanta Memorial Park

(10 reviews)

This is a nice nature park that encompasses wooded trails, and a lot of green space that can serve…read moreas a multi use field. There is an ample amount of free street parking available. The park is managed by the Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy who main focus of the parks conservation. At 199-acres, the park is Atlanta's 3rd largest park and is located among Buckhead's Memorial Park neighborhood. The park somehow claims the Bobby Jones Golf Course and Bitsy Grant Tennis Center. It runs along the Peachtree Creek and is a memorial to those who died in the Battle of Peachtree Creek You will see a small memorial called Debbie's Place, in the front of the park, that honors Debbie Felker. This is a nice low key park that sits low in a ravine. As I mentioned, the park is not short on green space that could be used to play field sports such as soccer, football, and baseball. You could also fly a kite, have a picnic or play catch there as well. The park has a lot of shade. You will find an outdoor seating area with tree stumps that looks like it it used for learning. There are also a few picnic tables and benches to sit as well. It should be noted that the park is in a floodplain, so it floods during heavy rains. The park has a playground area, that is on a bed of wood chips. There are toddler swings, a large net climber structure, a play structure with slides, tunnels, and bridges, a saucer swing, and ADA/traditional swing, a 4-person see-saw, and a a large play structure with a bunch of tall slides, monkey bars, bridges and a canopy. There is also a small slide structure for the littles. The equipment is a bit older, but still in decent shape. The park hosts events such as Sunday Sweets in the park!, Memorial in Motion, and free tree tours. This is a nice park with a paved path that is popular among walkers/joggers and those walking their dogs. There are also wooded/nature trails to trek as well. I like this park even though it is lacking amenities such as a restroom, basketball courts and is not modernized. Definitely worth a visit.

I've visited Atlanta Memorial Park with my kids while in the area twice. It's got street parking…read moreand the spots near the playground can get pretty full, but the playground has a ROLLY SLIDE, so it's totally worth looking for a spot! I really like the playground structures here. There are things for little-littles (toddlers) and older kids. There are nature walks near a creek. There are picnic benches and kid swings. The shade + sunshine combo feels relaxed and welcoming. This is just a great place for a picnic with the kiddos.

Town Green

5.0