NPS Website
WHAT IS IT?Sixteen small sections of land and water along a 48 mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River.
BEAUTY (4/10)
Jimmy Carter said that the Chattahoochee was “one of the most beautiful places in our country” when he designated it a Unit of the National Park System in 1978. Our rating gives him the benefit of the doubt. We found the area not unlike most of the rivers we have encountered in the entire eastern half of the United States. In fact, it looked a lot like the Conodoguinet Creek near our hometown in Cumberland County; a gentle flowing river perfect for tubing and fishing, its shallow banks lined with an eastern hardwood forest and large houses.
HISTORICAL INTEREST (1/10)
If you look hard enough, we are sure something Civil War-related happened here.
CROWDS (6/10)
There were several cars in the parking lot; we were not there long enough to encounter any of their occupants.
EASE OF USE/ACCESS (2/5)
Even armed with five different maps of the Atlanta area, we had a bear of a time finding the Visitor Contact Station. The VCS was not marked on any map. The National Parks Book’s directions are to take Rte. 400 North and follow signs. We were not coming from that angle so we tried to sort it out ourselves. Bad choice. We ended up across the River at the Girl Scout-run Chattahoochee Nature Center. (They charge $3 for parking too!) Luckily, they had an even more specific map.
The numerous unconnected sections of the Park all have their own parking facilities so you do not have to go the Visitor Contact Station. But if you are using the Recreation Area you probably live nearby and do not need directions anyway.
CONCESSIONS/BOOKSTORE (1/5)
There are a few birding books for sale at the Visitor Contact Station. There is no reason to come here for your nature book needs.
COSTS (2/5)
The Site claims to be free for public use but yes, there is a catch. Parking costs $3 per day to use any of the Site’s hiking trails. This is not a lot of money but it is just the principle. How can a publicly funded National Park area with no discernable appeal charge money? This Park is more of a recreation area for the wealthy residents that live on its borders than one for tourists driving through wishing to get a good hike.
RANGER/GUIDE TO TOURIST RATIO (2/5)There was one Ranger at the Visitor Contact Station.
TOURS/CLASSES (1/10)
Nothing.
FUN (1/10)
Three dollars to park in order to see houses along a river? We will do that for free somewhere else. We laughed when our friend referred to the river as the Chata-POLLUTE-chee but it seems he was not wrong. The Park’s website references the Chattahoochee Riverway Project that monitors the River’s bacteria count on a daily basis. Before you go in the water, check the E. coli count. We will pass.
WOULD WE RECOMMEND? (1/10)
When we asked the volunteer at the nearby Kennesaw Mountain NBP about hiking at the Chattahoochee River NRA she said that even though she lived near it, she had never been there and did not see any reason for us to go; the hikes at Kennesaw are much better. She was right. It is great that the land is protected and offers relaxing water activities in the summer but there is no reason whatsoever to choose the Chattahoochee River NRA as tourist destination.
TOTAL 21/80
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