Join REI, CPC and Park Staff on National Trails Day!
On Saturday, June 1 (8:45-12), National Trails Day will be celebrated with a stewardship project at the Vickery Creek Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), organized by our partner REI. Volunteers will perform trail maintenance, remove invasive species and pick up trash. Food, drinks and a free t-shirt will be provided for a great day of helping our national park. Registration required here.
Bonus! While volunteering, you can also experience the new trail stairway at Vickery Creek that leads from Roswell’s covered bridge upslope to national park trails and downslope to the creek. Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy (CPC) raised matching funds to help build this much-needed stairway. Native vegetation is now being planted on the steep slope beside the stairway, thanks to a grant from IBM and assistance from Beech Hollow Farms.
How Clean is the River? Volunteer Needed
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Last year, CPC received funds related to the settlement of a successful lawsuit brought by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) against a company that polluted the river within the CRNRA. The settlement funds support the operation of a water quality monitoring station at Powers Island/Cochran Shoals.
The station is part of the BacteriAlert Program, a partnership between the US Geological Survey (USGS), National Park Service and CRK to determine how safe the river is for swimming, wading and boating. Each sample is tested by USGS and then correlated with turbidity levels to provide a real-time estimate of bacterial levels in the river. The news is good, except when the water is muddy from storm runoff!
We are seeking a committed volunteer to collect a water sample from the Chattahoochee River at Powers Island each Thursday and deliver it to the CRK office on Atlanta’s Westside (916 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd NW, Atlanta 30318) OR the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (1770 Corporate Dr. #500, Norcross, 30093) by 11:00am. For more information and to volunteer, contact Jessica Sterling at jsterling@chattahoochee.org or 404-352-9828.
Chattahoochee RiverLands Forum in the Park
A public forum will be held on Sunday, June 23 (1-4pm) at the Chattahoochee River Environmental Education Center (CREEC) in Johns Creek to learn more about the Chattahoochee RiverLands Project and share your vision. The Chattahoochee River Greenway Study, commissioned by Trust for Public Land, Atlanta Regional Commission, City of Atlanta and Cobb County, is an opportunity to “reconsider the region’s relationship to the river and create a new vision for its future.”
The study will result in a 100-mile greenway plan for the river corridor and a pilot project: a concept plan for a 1.5 mile trail segment along the river in Cobb County. We encourage you to attend this public meeting to provide the project management team and its consultant SCAPE with your thoughts, including how the greenway plan should interface with the national park. CREEC is located at 8615 Barnwell Rd, Johns Creek, GA.
NOC Opens Daily, Memorial Day Weekend
Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) will be open daily starting Memorial Day weekend. DON’T FORGET that current CPC members get a discount on boats during the week. Rent one and get the second one FREE! Not a member, yet? Join here.
THINGS TO DO IN THE PARK
Sope Creek: Two Adventures in One Day! – Fri, May 31.
Historic Paper Mill Walk (3-6pm) with Ranger Jerry Hightower.
Frog Frolics (8-10pm) with Ranger Hightower. Tadpoles, a campfire and night hike around the pond.
Reservations required for both events at 678-538-1200.
National Trails Day - Sat, June 1. Volunteer in the CRNRA – see details above.
Walk & Talk: Birds in the Park with Atlanta Audubon Society – Sun, June 2. SOLD OUT! Become a CPC member TODAY and you’ll receive first dibs on early registration for these FREE events in the future. Join here.
Lantern Parade and River Ramble - Sat, June 15 (7:30-10pm) at Morgan Falls Overlook Park in Sandy Springs. Details here.
Island Ford: Pond and Creek Walk to River Loop – Sat, June 15 (3-5:30pm) with Ranger Jerry Hightower. All ages welcome. Reservations required at 678-538-1200.
REI Chattahoochee River Kayak Series – May 19-Sept 1. Join REI on kayak tours in the CRNRA, designated the first National Water Trail in 2012. Details and registration here.
Become a member of Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy today!
As a member, you can help us achieve our vision of an inspired and thriving community of support for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Click here to join!
Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy Inc. is proud to support our Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, a unit of the national park system managed by the National Park Service.