Sope Creek Trail

Sope Creek is a real neat park. It is part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) federal parks along the Chattahoochee River. Sope Creek is used primarily for hiking and biking.

Today a group of 10 friends hiked 6 miles around the park. Trails are marked with maps at junctions. Highlights included mill ruins along the creek and an old graveyard in the middle of park. See pics. Medium size parking lot which gets busy on weekends and holidays. Parking fee is required here (currently $5).

Three CRNRA units connect together: Sope Creek, Cochran Shoals, and Powers Island. One of my friends said you can do a 17 mile hike if you combine all of them. Nice!

Great area and worth a stop. My favorite CRNRA unit is "Island Ford" . but all of them are worth a stop at least once if you are in the area.

My wife and I visited Sope Creek for the first time on Thursday. This trail is less crowded and offers a quiet, peaceful, relaxing experience. It contains over three miles of scenic hiking, mountain biking, and running trails. Our hike began at the Sope Creek trailhead. The trail is natural terrain; lots of tree roots and eroded terrain; some parts level, others steep; would not recommend if you have any type of knee problems. While completing the scenic loop we explored the stone ruins of a paper mill (ruins on both sides of the creek) destroyed by Union troops during the Civil War. We also spent an hour wading in the creek, having a snack, and soaking in the tranquil views. It was a beautiful fall day and we had a great experience and will definitely return. Located at 3760 Paper Mill Rd. Sope Creek is in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area so there is a $5.00 fee to park. There are picnic tables and a water fountain at the trail head. Dog friendly; open daily; I recommend wearing the proper hiking boots, bring trekking poles and water. For those of you training for a 5K, you will want to continue on to the Cochran Shoals Trail. It runs along the Chattahoochee River and is very popular among the locals.

Sope Creek (and the whole Cochran Shoals trail network) is a gem. It is a green oasis in the middle of the concrete ant hill that surrounds it. But a little planning will make your visit a lot more enjoyable. Start with the weather. If it is rainy, or if there has been any significant rain over the past day or two, expect the trails to be muddy and wear appropriate footwear. Many of the trails immediately around Sope Creek and Sibley Pond are open to mountain bikers, and they tend to tear up the trails and make them more prone to getting muddy. If the weather is sunny and warm, expect crowds. Parking at the Sope Creek lot off Paper Mill Road can fill up. Some people spill over and try to park along Paper Mill, which is unsafe. And parking in the neighborhood down the road can get you a parking ticket. An alternative is to park at the Columns Drive lot and then just take one of the connecting trails to Sibley Pond or Sope Creek (about a 30 min walk through the woods). If it is HOT, take plenty of water. There is no place to get anything to drink (including at the Sope Creek parking lot. This is especially important if you have children or a dog. They WILL overheat. Drinking out of the creek might be tempting, but the gastrointestinal consequences are not worth it. Speaking of children and dogs, Sope Creek is a great place for them to enjoy some time with you in the great outdoors. But keep them close to you. I came across two different Copperhead snakes in the middle of the trail this summer. The mountain bikers also have a tendency to fly down the trails, sometimes barely in control, so keep your eyes and ears open. Finally, don't bite off more than you can chew. From the Sope Creek parking lot, every direction is downhill. Folks start off and get into the walk for an hour or two before realizing that they are now 3-5 miles from their car and it's all up hill. The trails are very well marked. Just pay attention and enjoy the surroundings

This trail is an enjoyable hike that goes' to the ruins of a stacked-stone Civil War-era paper mill on the banks of a rocky creek, and then loop to a pond nat the Chattahoochee River park in Atlanta.

The old mill was built in 1855 and was destroyed by Union troops during the Civil War, targeted for its role in paper production used for Confederate currency. The remnants of the foundation and walls stand, cathedral-like, beside Sope Creek, and a small spillway waterfall runs beside the ruins.

As you follow the paths around the ruins, the hike reaches the creek’s banks and begins following the creek’s downstream flow. The creek provided a beautiful backdrop to the forested canopy and makes for a peaceful hike.

Come and enjoy the views!

This is a such a beautiful place.
The Sope Creek is stunning and the trail is nice.
I used to take our kids to play around the creek and they loved it.

Sope Creek has something for everyone. There are a lot of bikers biking through the trail that go on for miles. There is a little pond that dogs sometimes swim in and it is just great family fun.

We live in a subdivision which abuts the Sope Creek Trail and have visited it on foot. Once in the woods, you are in a wilderness that makes you forget you live in a 7-million-person metropolis that is Atlanta and its surrounding counties. Deer have been sighted in the woods. We used to have starving coyotes in the woods who preyed on neighborhood pets at night (we lost two cats to the coyotes over the years), but I believe they're all gone now--losing the battle to the deer. There is a large parking lot at the entrance. But you can also ride a bike to the Sope Creek woods, if you're close enough and athletic enough. The woods extend south almost all the way to the Chattahoochee River. Sope Creek flows along the east edge of the woods. And at the bridge which crosses Sope Creek, there are the ruins of an old paper mill which gave this busy road its name. Have fun.

Great place to walk with family or couples and enjoy nature. Being outside is invigorating there. One can enjoy the small lake and the entire loop is not too long.

Family fun but bring water to drink! Have sturdy boots to protect your ankles. Sun screen and bug repellant is also a good idea.

well-maintained walking trails. Shady and cool for lots of the trails. But plan ahead - not much parking, and zero bathroom facilities. There are trail maps at intersections, and the trails are blazed - but the ruins are not marked on the trail maps at the intersections. If you want to see the ruins, make sure you know how to find them before you set out. Poison ivy GALORE right beside the trail - large, healthy stands of lush glossy poison ivy. Very difficult to keep my dog from brushing against it - short leash and sharp eyes required to stay out of it.