Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Today the river valley attracts us for so many reasons. Take a solitary walk to enjoy nature’s display, raft leisurely through the rocky shoals with friends, fish the misty waters as the sun comes up, or have a picnic on a Sunday afternoon. Get Outdoors and experience your Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area as you have never done before.
About under an hour from Atlanta by car.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Per PersonRequired for visitors age 16+ entering on foot or by bicycle. Valid for one day. | $5 | |
| Private VehiclePrivate vehicle pass admits one private vehicle and its occupants for one day. | $5 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 1 day. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. | $5 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkFrequent visitors may save money with an annual entrance pass. The park annual pass admits the cardholder and the other persons in a private vehicle to the park. You may purchase the pass online or in person at the Island Ford Visitor Center. America the Beautiful passes are also accepted. | $40 | |
An entrance pass is required to enter Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Entrance passes are valid for one day.
Hours
| Park Hours | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
When to go
June draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Island Ford Visitor CenterPassport stamp
The Island Ford Visitor Center is located in the historic Hewlett Lodge. Here you will be able to purchase your Annual Park Pass as well as any of the passes in the America The Beautiful series.
Explore
Things to do
- Exploring Palisades East1-6 Hours
Welcome to the eastern half of the Palisades Unit. There are few places better than the Palisades visit a rock shelter, view the shoals, or enjoy the river first hand.
Opens on the Park Service site - Be A CHAT Junior Ranger1-3 Hours
by the Island Ford Visitor Center to pick up your Junior Ranger Booklet and get to work on becoming the next park's Junior Ranger.
Opens on the Park Service site - Exploring Palisades West1-6 Hours
Welcome to the western half of the Palisades Unit. There are few places better than the Palisades to visit a rock shelter, view the shoals, or enjoy the river first hand.
Opens on the Park Service site - Exploring Gold Branch1-6 Hours
Escape the crowds with a short drive to Gold Branch in east Cobb County. Hike down to Bull Sluice Lake to wet a line or have a picnic in the woods. If you wish, take a nice long hike to really get away from the crowds.
Opens on the Park Service site - Chattahoochee Cycling
What are you waiting for? Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area has bike trails to ride just outside the city. Some paved miles for people on their road bikes and some miles for the mountain bikers.
Opens on the Park Service site - Cochran Shoals Fitness Loop
The Cochran Shoals Fitness Loop is a true multi-use trail. You'll find mothers pushing strollers, joggers avoiding the afternoon traffic, and cyclist in their cool p-jays.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 06:00 PM · freePowers Island Unit, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 5450 Interstate N Parkway, Sandy Springs, GA, 3028
- Twilight Bat Walk10/1606:30 PM · free · registration requiredThis program will begin from the Cochran Shoals/Columns Dr. Parking area
- Critters of the Night10/1707:00 PM · free · registration requiredThis program will take place at the Chattahoochee River Environmental Educational Center.
- Blood Rock Ridge Loop Trail10/1812:30 PM · free · registration requiredThis program will begin near the restroom building at Paces Mill
- Create Your Own Zine Night: Write Out 202610/2206:00 PM · free · registration requiredThis program will take place on the patio of the Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center.
- Badge Up, Pup B.A.R.K. Ranger Program10/2412:00 PM · freeThis pop-up program will be held near the Cochran Shoals Parking Lot off of Interstate North.
Show all 9Hide
- Coffee With a Ranger: Write Where You Are10/2409:00 AM · free · registration requiredThis talk will be held on the back patio of the Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center
- Island Ford "River Ramble" Guided Hike10/2510:30 AM · freeThis hike will begin from the park's Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center
- Painting With a Ranger!10/2905:30 PM · free · registration requiredThis program will take place on the patio of the Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center
News
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Announces Reopening of Island Ford Trails ↗2026-07-01
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area today announced the reopening of the Island Ford trail system following maintenance and restoration work completed as part of the park’s Comprehensive Trails Management Plan.
- K. Lynn Berry Selected as Superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area ↗2026-05-14
The National Park Service has selected K. Lynn Berry as the next superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Berry will begin her new role in June.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBarred Owl 13× · Belted Kingfisher 3× · Great Horned Owl 2× · Red Fox 2× · Bald Eagle 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 191 birds, 41 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · BALD EAGLE · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Eastern Screech Owl · Great Horned Owl · MERLIN · NORTHERN HARRIER · Osprey · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · TURKEY VULTURE
Waterfowl & wadersAMERICAN BITTERN · American Coot · American Wigeon · BLUE-WINGED TEAL · CANADA GOOSE · Cattle Egret · Common Loon · DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT · GREAT BLUE HERON · GREAT EGRET · GREEN HERON · Greater Scaup · Greater White-fronted Goose · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · KING RAIL · Northern Pintail · PIED-BILLED GREBE · Red-breasted Merganser · Sandhill Crane · WHITE IBIS · WOOD DUCK · Yellow Crowned Night Heron
Shorebirds & seabirdsAMERICAN WOODCOCK · Bonaparte's Gull · Common Snipe · Greater Yellowlegs · HERRING GULL · Killdeer · LEAST SANDPIPER · LESSER YELLOWLEGS · Pectoral Sandpiper · RING-BILLED GULL · SPOTTED SANDPIPER · Solitary Sandpiper · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesEurasian Collared Dove · Mourning Dove · Rock Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDOWNY WOODPECKER · HAIRY WOODPECKER · NORTHERN FLICKER · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
Also on the checklistAMERICAN CROW · AMERICAN GOLDFINCH · Acadian Flycatcher · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · BALTIMORE ORIOLE · BARN SWALLOW · BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO · BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER · BLUE JAY · BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER · BLUE-HEADED VIREO · BLUE-WINGED WARBLER · BOBOLINK · BROWN CREEPER · BROWN THRASHER · BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD · Bay-breasted Warbler · Belted Kingfisher · Black Throated Green Warbler · Black and White Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Brown Headed Nuthatch · CANADA WARBLER · CAPE MAY WARBLER · CAROLINA CHICKADEE · CAROLINA WREN · CEDAR WAXWING · CERULEAN WARBLER · CLIFF SWALLOW · COMMON GRACKLE · CONNECTICUT WARBLER · Cardinal · Chestnut Sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Chuck-will's-Widow · Common Yellowthroat · DARK-EYED JUNCO · EASTERN KINGBIRD · EASTERN PHOEBE · EASTERN TOWHEE · EUROPEAN STARLING · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Pewee · FOX SPARROW · Field Sparrow · Fish Crow · GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET · GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER · GRASSHOPPER SPARROW · GRAY CATBIRD · GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH · Gadwall · Great Crested Flycatcher · HOODED WARBLER · HOUSE SPARROW · Henlow's Sparrow · Hermit Thrush · House Finch · House Wren · INDIGO BUNTING · KENTUCKY WARBLER · LINCOLN'S SPARROW · Le Conte's Sparrow · Louisiana Waterthrush · MOURNING WARBLER · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD · NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH · Nashville Warbler · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER · ORCHARD ORIOLE · Orange-crowned Warbler · OvenBird · PALM WARBLER · PINE WARBLER · PROTHONOTARY WARBLER · PURPLE FINCH · PURPLE MARTIN · Palm Warbler (eastern) · Palm Warbler (western) · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Siskin · Prairie Warbler · RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD · RUSTY BLACKBIRD · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby Crowned Kinglet · SAVANNAH SPARROW · SCARLET TANAGER · SEDGE WREN · SUMMER TANAGER · SWAINSON'S THRUSH · Song Sparrow · Sora · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Titmouse · Tree Swallow · VESPER SPARROW · Veery · WILSON'S WARBLER · WINTER WREN · White throated Sparrow · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating warbler · YELLOW WARBLER · YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER · YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER · Yellow breasted chat · Yellow rumped warbler · Yellow throated warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Small mammalsAMERICAN BEAVER · EASTERN CHIPMUNK · EASTERN COTTONTAIL · EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL · EASTERN HARVEST MOUSE · EASTERN MOLE · GOLDEN MOUSE · HISPID COTTON RAT · LEAST SHREW · MEADOW JUMPING MOUSE · MUSKRAT · NORTHERN SHORT-TAILED SHREW · SOUTHEASTERN SHREW · SWAMP RABBIT · Southern short-tailed shrew · WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE · WOODLAND VOLE
PredatorsBOBCAT · COMMON GRAY FOX · COMMON RACCOON · COYOTE · Common Otter · MINK · RED FOX · STRIPED SKUNK
Hoofed mammalsDomestic Horse · WHITE-TAILED DEER
BatsBIG BROWN BAT · EASTERN PIPISTRELLE · EASTERN RED BAT · EVENING BAT · Hoary bat · Little Brown Bat · Silver-haired bat
Also on the checklistDomestic Goat · Domestic cat · Feral hog · Ground hog · Marsh Oryzomys · VIRGINIA OPOSSUM · domestic dog
Activities
Activity guides for this park Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 15 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Summers typically consist of long spells of warm, humid weather. Average highs are in the lower 90's and overnight lows range from the upper 60's to lower 70's. Winters are more variable with highs averaging from the mid 50's to lower 60's while the lows average in the mid 30's. Oftentimes, stretches of mild weather will alternate with cold spells. Spring and Autumn seasons are characterized by much variability from day to day and from year to year.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Chattahoochee River?
Entrance is $5 per private vehicle, $5 per motorcycle, and $5 per person on foot or bike. Private vehicle pass admits one private vehicle and its occupants for one day.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Chattahoochee River?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Chattahoochee River-only annual pass is $40.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Chattahoochee River takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Chattahoochee River free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Chattahoochee River?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Chattahoochee River. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Chattahoochee River?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Chattahoochee River?
2,901,903 recreation visits in 2025, number 32 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Chattahoochee River?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 5G. No reported coverage for T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Chattahoochee River established?
1978.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Chattahoochee River?
Summers typically consist of long spells of warm, humid weather. Average highs are in the lower 90's and overnight lows range from the upper 60's to lower 70's.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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