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The Island Ford Park is located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
It is one of the parks near Atlanta that makes up a large group of parks and trails that are known as the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. This area spans over 48 miles along the Chattahoochee River.
The trails are sectioned into the Hewitt area, South Island Ford and North Island Ford. For the purpose of this post, we will call all of these sections, just the Island Ford Trail.
This trail has a lot to offer, and is one of the prettiest sections of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Honestly, I am surprised that is doesn’t get more traffic, given how enjoyable it is to hike this unit. In fact, it is one of the better trails to hike near Atlanta.
About The Park
The Island Ford Park serves as the headquarters for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. There is plenty of history to learn about at the visitor
Like all of the parks that are part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, there is a daily fee or you can buy an annual pass. Please refer to that post for more summary information about all of the units of the recreation area.
The amenities at Island Ford park include:
- National Park headquarters
- Visitor Center
- river access for fishing
- hiking trail
- plenty of wildlife
Island Ford Trail Map
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Type: Loop
- Trail Length: about 5 miles
- Dogs on leash
Hiking the Island Ford Trail
After driving all the way into the park along Island Ford Parkway, you will encounter a few parking lots. The first parking area will split the north and south section of the trail.
The second parking area is just above the small pond.
The main parking area is at the visitor center. This is where we parked and where we started the hike.
There is a small trailhead right in the parking lot, or you can walk around the visitor center. If you use the trail from the parking lot, you will quickly come to a picturesque pond, that also has a small loop trail extension around the pond.
After seeing the pond, head back to the main trail, walk towards the Chattahoochee.
This small section of the trail follows a small creek that flows into the river. The trail is elevated by a stone wall.
The main trail extends parallel to the river and provide many scenic lookouts.
This section of the Chattahoochee is very wide. There are many small sections of rapids. You will spot fisherman and even some fly fisherman on the river.
Following along this section of the trail, keep your eyes open and you will spot many rock formations. My kids loved exploring these small shelters.
These rock formations are very large. You really need to see them as these pictures do not give them justice.
As you continue on the trail away from the Chattahoochee River, you will notice some small elevation climbs. At the end of the South Island Ford trail is a parking lot and there is signage for the North Island Ford trail extension, which provides a more than a mile of trail.
After the parking lot, gollow the loop until you return back to the parking lot. Follow the trail on the inner side of the south loop until you make it back the parking lot.
The Island Ford Park Trail is located at 1978 Island Ford Pkwy, Sandy Springs, GA 30350. For more information, please refer to the National Recreation Area’s website.