Chattahoochee NRRA: Cochran Shoals and Gunby Creek Trails (Blog Hike #267)

Trails: Cochran Shoals and Gunby Creek Trails

Hike Location: Chattahoochee National River and Recreation Area

Geographic Location: Sandy Springs, GA (33.92140, -84.43940)

Length: 3.7 miles

Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: May 2009, April 2014

Overview: A suburban hike through nice forest with good river views.

Area Information: https://www.nps.gov/chat/index.htm

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=722088
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the north side of Atlanta, take I-285 to Riverside Dr. (exit 24).  Exit and go north on Riverside Dr.  Take winding Riverside Dr. north 2.2 miles to Johnson Ferry Rd. and turn left on Johnson Ferry Rd.  Immediately after crossing the Chattahoochee River, turn left on Columns Drive; there is a traffic light at this intersection.  Columns Drive ends at the trailhead parking lot.

The hike: For my general comments on the Chattahoochee National River and Recreation Area, see the East Palisades hike.  The Gunby Creek Trails explore the steep but shallow ravines that feed into the Chattahoochee River near Cochran Shoals.  Unfortunately, the Gunby Creek Trails can only be accessed from a busy bike path.  On the bright side, since this is an urban trail used mostly by urban people, most of the traffic will remain on the bike path once you finally reach the trailhead.

Columns Drive trailhead

            From the trailhead at the rear of the parking area, the packed-gravel Cochran Shoals bike path heads both straight and left.  To get the ugliest part of the bike path over with first, I chose to go straight and use the left trail as the return route.  The bike path undulates gently as it follows the right edge of a natural gas pipeline clearing.  In the summer, this would be a hot, sunny walk.

            Ignore the first three dirt trails that exit right (they lead to the Soap Creek unit), and where the bike path forks, continue straight to cross a wooden bridge with iron support.  At 0.9 miles, just before the gas pipeline passes under the path and heads uphill, you reach the beginning of the Gunby Creek trail system.  This and all major intersections are marked by small signs that feature a map of the trail system.  Turn right to enter the Gunby Creek trail system.

Entering Gunby Creek trail system

            Ignore two trails that head right to private property as the trail passes over a small ridge.  After passing a small pond on the left, the trail curves right and begins following a sewer pipeline right-of-way, which is easily identified by the concrete sewer infrastructure.  Fortunately, this swath is narrower and more shady than the gas line swath used by the bike path. 

At 1.3 miles, you will reach another trail intersection and another sign.  The trail going straight continues to follow the sewer line and leads out of the recreation area, so you should turn left, cross Gunby Creek on a suspension bridge, and climb steeply to exit the Gunby Creek ravine.  0.2 miles later and 125 feet higher, you reach another signed trail intersection.  Turning left would provide a short-cut back to the bike path, but to see the best part of the Cochran Shoals unit, continue to follow the route described here by turning right.

Gunby Creek Trail

            In short order you will come to another intersection, where you should turn left (going straight will lead to an office building).  Descend moderately, and turn left at the next intersection.  Proceed one more intersection and turn right as you arrive at the base of another small ravine.  All of these intersections feature a sign with a trail map.

            The trail quickly enters a very small grotto with an equally small waterfall.  After stepping across the creek, climb steeply again to cross the gas pipeline right of way.  Looking downhill to the left, you can see the bike trail you hiked out on now some 150 feet below you.

            On the opposite side of the gas pipeline, where a side trail heads right and leads to an office building visible uphill through the pipeline clearing, turn left and soon reach another signed intersection.  Turn right here and leave the ugly pipeline clearing behind in favor of the nicest, oldest hardwood forest on this hike.  The forest combined with the gradual descent down the ridge makes this my favorite trail in the Cochran Shoals unit of the park.

Steep descent

            At 2.4 miles, a brief steep descent will return you to creek level and lead to a major trail intersection.  Turning left would take you back uphill toward the office building, so turn right as you head for the exit of the Gunby Creek trail system.  As you exit, you will cross a wooden boardwalk which takes you through the heart of a wetland that teems with life.  Walk the boardwalk slowly to see what you can see.

Boardwalk through wetland

            At 2.5 miles, the boardwalk ends at the bike path near Cochran Shoals, a small rapid in the Chattahoochee River.  The rapids are not large, but Lake Lanier located upstream ensures a steady flow of water over the rocks.

Turn left on the bike path to begin your journey back to the trailhead.  Just after starting the bike path, look for a wooden river observation deck with benches off to the right.  This deck is strategically positioned at a turn in the river so as to allow good views in either direction.  The bridge you see downriver to the right is the I-285 bridge.  When I stopped to have a trail snack at this deck, two ducks, one brown and one mallard, were watching me from a nearby log in the river.

Chattahoochee River, as seen from observation deck

            Continuing upstream along the bike path, ignore the bike path that leads left back to the gas pipeline, and continue straight, staying near the river.  You will soon pass an abandoned restroom building which upon my visit was succumbing to termites.  At 3 miles, you must choose between the bike path with stays left and a parallel dirt trail which angles right.  The bike path offers more shade, but it is also more crowded and further from the river.  The two come back together in 0.35 miles, so you can choose whichever you see fit.

At 3.6 miles and after rejoining the bike path (if you ever left it), the bike path forks.  The trail going straight leads to Columns Drive itself, while the one going left leads back to the trailhead.  Turn left, and after another 0.1 miles of level walking on the bike path, you will return to the trailhead to complete the hike.