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Hike Along Sope Creek

Marietta, United States

4.3/5
based on 8 reviews

Details

Distance

1.97 miles

Elevation Gain

226 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Rob Giersch

A maze of trails running through a secluded forest and old Mill ruins just on the edge of Atlanta.

Sope Creek is a little slice of wild heaven squeezed into the hustle and bustle of Atlanta's metro madness. Bordering the Chattahoochee River, Interstate 285, and Suburbia sprawl, Sope Creek offers the city dweller an environmental escape that seems too good to be true.

From the parking lot off Sope Creek Rd ,Take the Sope Creek Trail (blue blazes) that drop down to Spoke Creek. Once you arrive to the water, explore the ruins of the 18th century mill that was destroyed during the civil war as Sherman made his way to Atlanta. You can continue throughout the Sope Creek Park in a number of directions. Stay in the forest, go sit by Sibley Pond and meditate, or drop down to the Chattahoochee River and see some of the amazing wild life that flourishes right in the city of Atlanta.

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Features

Hiking
Forest
River
Wildflowers

Hike Along Sope Creek Reviews

This can be either a simple walk in the woods or you can explore the ruins up close and personal! Great spot for photography and if you cross over the river there are more ruins that are large on the other side.

Really nice and quite hike along the creek around the ruins.

Its beautiful and there are several trails to explore. There are great mountain biking trails as well. After some hiking, trail running, mountain biking, or whatever you do here, you should have some food at Heirloom Market BBQ! It's off of Akers Mill Rd. It's a little hole in the wall connected to a small food store but it's so good. And if you'd like to lounge with some coffee or tea, the Chattahoochee Coffee Company is in the apartment complex right next to Heirloom. It's a coffee shop that's right off the Chattahoochee river.

This scenic and historic trail offers a getaway experience right in the middle of Atlanta's suburbs.

This is one of my favorite trails in the Metro Atlanta area along with the East Palisades trail. This trail is a loop trail with lots of forks that allow you to customize its length anywhere from 1.5-4 miles. Being one of the several trail systems in the Chattahoochee National Recreation area, the Sope Creek trail has very well maintained hiking-only and multipurpose (hiking and mountain biking) trails. The old civil war paper mill ruins are definitely super interesting and lends itself to some curious thought about what this area might have looked like 150+ years ago. Sope Creek itself is also a real beauty. Jagged rocks penetrate the creeks surface and can provide a photographer with unlimited possibilities for unique compositions. Hop your way from boulder to boulder to see what this creek has to offer. Not to be forgotten, there is a charming pond only .2 miles from the parking area. The pond has a platform on one end of it where you can fish for bass from. Along the bank of the pond there are also some awesome spots to set up a hammock and take a nice afternoon siesta. Enjoy this metro-area trail on a weekday to have it to yourself!

This is a really easy really fun hike. I think the trip is most about the paper mill ruins which have this cool and Erie feel to them. If you cross the river and go downstream, there is another set of semi-secret ruins where there will be less people

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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