South Fork Conservancy Trails

The South Fork Conservancy Trails system was conceived as a way to connect communities, parks and natural areas around the South Fork of Peachtree Creek. Several additional trails and connectors are planned, but the Conservancy has made a good start to achieving its goals. Dog-friendly and paved with paw sparing pea gravel or mulch, the trails were bushwhacked by volunteers, and as a result much detailed natural terrain and features survived. A field guide describes the many plants you'll find along the trails, and interactive trail signs guide you through what you're passing and viewing. 

Views of the creek are frequent along the trails, and much of the creek bank is sandy like a beach. Waterfowl like ducks, geese and Great Blue Herons can be seen swimming or fishing in the creek, and other water-loving animals like frogs, deer, otters, fox and muskrat are spied mostly in the morning or at dusk. The fur-pup's ears and nose will be twitching with excitement at the wildlife smorgasbord!

All trailheads for currently existing trails lie at Lindbergh Drive where it passes under Highway 85. Street parking is available near the access points. While the total trail miles today are only about 6, the Conservancy's plans to extend the routes to Buckhead and Emory, along with forging connector paths, will amass enough additional miles to meet or exceed 31 miles, connecting many more green areas and communities.

The pupular North and South Confluence Trails are about 1.5 miles in length, with an ascent of about 115 feet. This gentle incline allows hikers and their pups to comfortably view the creek from bridges arching above it, or view the planned evolution from a tangled view of vines, hedges, weeds and underbrush to native shrubs, hardwoods and pines. Butterflies and bees flit here and there in the spring and summer, along with many songbirds above. Occasionally glimpses of the Atlanta skyline come into view as well.

Along with 4 other, shorter trails, the South Fork Conservancy has taken what was once an unusable part of the city and made it accessible and enjoyable for all humans and their fur-babies. Bring anything you may need for a pawrific afternoon stroll, including water and clean up bags.

If you're visiting or live nearby, bring Fido and check out the South Fork Conservancy Trails!