Gold Branch Trail (Cobb County, Georgia)

 

The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area consists of a number of detached land units in and around the river for which it is named. I've taken to explore them when I can, and when the opportunity came up to visit a new one with one of the local hiking groups, I signed up.

Arriving at the Gold Branch Unit to meet up with the group, I find that parking is quite an issue. All of the spots are taken, and driving back out to survey the surrounding streets for an option, also yields no results. I drive back down to the trailhead and while chatting with the group members from my jeep, note a parking spot open up, which I quickly claim.

After some quick introductions, the nine of us head into the woods. The trail is well maintained and parallels the river for some length. The woods here looks very much luck other wooded areas I have explored in Georgia, since moving here, but the shallow and muddy river does add some unique character. Wherever a fallen tree or branch has made its way to the river, small turtles have climbed up onto the protruding limbs to sun themselves in the July heat. 

As we make our way around one small cove, someone notes a snake curled around a fallen tree branch near the shore (just a few feet from us). One hiker says it is a copperhead, but after getting a good look, I note the head does not have the common viper appearance and inform the group that while I'm unsure of the species, I am confident that it is not a copperhead. We take a few pictures and continue on around.

The next section requires a bit of rock scrambling, but nothing too difficult. This trail was rated as an easy hike and it offers a lot of time to chat with my fellow adventurers, which is always part of the fun. It's also a great source of information for areas that I may want to explore in the future. One such tidbit concerns a sunset hike in Acadia National Park, which I plan to visit this fall.

After weaving a number of loops in the hike, we finally arrive back at the trailhead, having logged about 5.7 miles. It was hot and humid, but perhaps my body is starting to adjust a bit, as I didn't sweat as much as I have on previous adventures. Still though, I'm trying to get in the habit of drinking more water while living here in the south.