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East Palisades Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 905 Google reviews · Running trail in Atlanta, Georgia · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from East Palisades Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Forest, dog-friendly area featuring a river and hiking trails, plus kayaking.
What runners say about East Palisades Trailhead
“The river is the best part, clear and clean water that you can walk through!”
“Beautiful river views transition into rocky uphill slopes (but my two dogs made it up the rocks with no problem!”
“The area offers a peaceful, scenic escape with a mix of forest, river views, and moderate elevation changes.”
“Very dog friendly, great river access for the dog and great hiking trails!”
I love this trail! Parking is easy and plentiful. There is a clear map at the trailhead plus marked spots at most intersections to guide you. You get to travel along the river with many rocky spots and access areas to play in the water or launch a kayak. The bamboo forest is unique and gorgeous in the sunshine!
This was a great trail. Pretty easy great to hike with a group. It is mostly shaded which was great with the heat. The bamboo forest was cool to see and you can get into the water. We probably were here for about 2-3 hours but can definitely hike it quicker than that. We took breaks a long the way.
Love this place! You'll see the dog beach area and at least 3 directions of hiking trails from the parking lot. This place is easy to get to and park, but I'd recommend not coming at a peak time like the weekend or holiday. The river is the best part, clear and clean water that you can walk through!
We love this place! Very dog friendly, great river access for the dog and great hiking trails! It’s always clean and everyone that visits is always so friendly. I will say parking can be tough, limited parking spaces, but worth it if you can get there early to get a spot or be there in the afternoon in the middle of…
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful river views transition into rocky uphill slopes (but my two dogs made it up the rocks with no problem!”
“Beautiful river views transition into rocky uphill slopes (but my two dogs made it up the rocks with no problem!”
“I will say parking can be tough, limited parking spaces, but worth it if you can get there early to get a spot or be there in the afternoon in the middle of the week.”
“You can just do an easy walk along the river or expand and do some serious hiking with a number of short but steep sections (over 15%).”
“The trails can be tremendous amount of climb up hill with rocks and tree roots expose especially from the EP 23 to EP 14.”
“The area offers a peaceful, scenic escape with a mix of forest, river views, and moderate elevation changes.”
“Did the whole loop from the parking lot (free parking with gov shut down SCORE!”
“The trail has many different level options, but I definitely recommend making it all the way down the bamboo forest!”
Plan your run at East Palisades Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Sunday | 9 AM–5 PM |
Running trails near Atlanta
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Bamboo Forest
4.6 ★★★★★ 137 reviews
Hiking spot with woods featuring dense groves of bamboo and scenic river views.
East Palisades Unit - Indian Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 764 reviews
Popular hiking area with a scenic, 3.4-mile trail through a dense woodland, plus a bamboo forest.
Palisades West Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 224 reviews
Forested loop trail featuring a boardwalk section & scenic views of the river & rock outcrops.
Bob Callan Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 77 reviews
Paved hiking trail along a creek with opportunities to rent bikes and fish.
Cochran Shoals Unit - Interstate North
4.7 ★★★★★ 455 reviews
Easy, wide trail following the Chattahoochee River, plus ponds.