Whether you’re an Atlanta resident or a visitor to the area, you can take advantage of an expanding trail system in the heart of our city. South Fork Conservancy (SFC) is installing and refurbishing a series of trails along the South and North Forks of Peachtree Creek that eventually will allow you to walk from the Atlanta BeltLine spur at Atlanta’s Lindbergh Drive all the way to Emory University under your own steam.

Start your adventure right now! Visit a new trail segment that begins on Lindbergh Drive at the I-85 overpass. This road borders several neighborhoods along its length and links the Lindbergh Marta Station to points east. Here, you can access the trailhead of SFC's Creek Walk Connector (CWC), a paved, 12-foot-wide path that opens onto a glorious meadow.

Across the way, you'll spy trail-building activity on the Meadow Loop, a soft-surface trail that, when completed, will wind its way along the creek banks and join the CWC just as it straightens to go under the highway. You can zip along the CWC trail on your bike, skateboard, or wheelchair. Push a stroller, go for a run, or saunter along until you reach a new pocket park that serves as a nexus for several other partner trails. From here you can go north at Adina Drive towards Path400, or in the not-too-distant future, go west to a spur of the Atlanta BeltLine.

Don’t miss the recently opened and spectacular Confluence Bridge, built by SFC, which spans the creek near the junction of the North and South Forks of Peachtree Creek!

The spectacular Corten steel structure is reminiscent of railroad bridges of the past, and, from above the trees, you'll gain a different perspective as the natural world opens up to you and the city spreads out in the near distance. The bridge sports a 175-foot long three-tiered ramp system leading to an overlook that is currently under construction. This spring, it will allow visitors a way to walk down and experience the creek up close.

The ramp system is also your entry point to the Confluence Trail. This soft-surface trail is three quarters of a mile long and currently boasts one rain garden that slows down and filters stormwater that runs off streets and rooftops. Construction on a second rain garden farther along the trail will begin soon.

*Volunteers help plant native plants near the rain garden at Armand Park to improve stormwater quality and attract butterflies.” Photo by Marcia Brandes*

At the end of the Confluence Trail, lies a sweet gem, Armand Park, which includes an additional rain garden, pergola, and a playground which marks the current culmination of the trail. This city park is heavily used by people living in the adjoining Lindridge/Martin-Manor neighborhood, and resulted from a collaboration among the community, the City of Atlanta, and SFC.

On a recent visit to one trail, we spotted a family of wood ducks gliding along the creek and a magnificent great blue heron, wings outstretched, riding the wind’s currents. Friends witnessed a pair of mating red-tailed hawks. People were out using the trail to walk their dogs and ride their bikes. Life going on in abundance.

*A Cedar Waxwing enjoys the healthy habitats along the South Fork Conservancy trail system. Photo by Steve Rushing*

In our busy lives, it’s easy to underestimate how much we need to encounter and care for the natural world, of which, we are a part. As we step confidently toward the future, we are mindful that we also need to stop and take notice: absorbing birdsong, a pop of color signifying a waxwing in search of a mid-morning snack, or a turtle sunning itself on a half-submerged log. All there if we can but see it.

Nature’s gifts are all there for us, all if we just take the time to experience them.