The trail is very wide and gives each direction of traffic about 6 feet of space. This makes it easy for people on a bike or rollerblades to pass those walking or jogging.  The path is very flat which makes it an idea location for rollerblading. The sidewalk type design runs through the woods of Alpharetta and Roswell which makes for some picturesque locations. This path really feels like you’re in the middle of the woods as you will frequently see deer, squirrels, and other animals.

Today I walked the Big Creek Greenway for about 3.5 miles  after work with one of my co-workers and burned about 600 calories. I got on the Greenway at Mansell Rd and walked all the way down the Greenway to Northpoint Parkway (behind the North Point Dinner), then I walked out to where the bike path starts on the Big Creek  path. This path eventually connects to Riverside Park which is near my Apartment Complex so it would be very convenient if I had a bike.

Considering that I opted for the steamed rice and steam veggies with my Teriyaki chicken at lunch I think I had a very healthy day. I’m hoping to make after work exercise a regular part of my routine. Last year I went rollerblading on the Greenway after work often, so I’d like to pick that up again and possibly purchase a bike so I can go further down the Big Creek biking trail.

Address: 1699 Riveredge Ln Atlanta GA
Directions: Take GA 400 to I-285 West, then take I-285 to exit 22 (Powers Ferry Rd), then bear right off of the exit ramp and take Interstate Parkway North for .8 miles, then turn right on Riveredge Ln which turns into the parking area for Powers Island Hiking Trail.
Google Street View | Powers Island Hiking Map

The Powers Island hiking trail explores the Chattahoochee River on the opposite side of the Cochran Shoals Trail in Smyrna, GA. With the exception of one loop this trail is very level and makes for an easy hike. The path is well maintained and has light foot traffic. This trail is much less popular than the neighboring Cochran Shoals Walking Path, which makes for a more private hike. There are easy to read trail maps at each intersection.

Most of the hike is spent in close proximity to the Chattahoochee River, since this area is secluded it attracts a good deal of aquatic wildlife. When I hiked the Powers Island path in late February I came across an egrette and a pair of ducks. There were also a number of fishermen fly fishing in the river, attempting to hook a large rainbow trout or shoal bass.

The level, well maintained path makes it easy to hike at a brisk pace since there are few obstacles. The path includes several well maintained wooden bridges and a larger steel bridge that crosses the Chattahoochee River to Powers Island. The island itself has a lightly worn path which allows you to hike to the end of the island. This path is less traveled than the rest of the trail and there are several fallen trees along the way. If you’re a little bit more adventurous this makes for a beautiful area with several excellent locations to take photographs of the river.

It took about an hour and a half or so to make it all the say up the mountain. This was with a number of stops in between. I know everyone always tells you to bring lots of water for hot days, but yesterday was so hot it didn’t even seem to help. I’ve been in Atlanta for almost two years now, so I’ve grown accostom to the heat, however my mother isn’t. She was very out of breath the whole hike up the mountain and her face was beat red. I was getting pretty worried for her.

She is in pretty good shape, and walks on a regular basis so I didn’t anticipate a problem. After the hike at Vickery Creek I didn’t anticipate any problems. Now I know that hiking Stone Mountain is a much more difficult task than one might expect. I think the worst part was that once we made it halfway up the mountain the trees started to fade and it was difficult to hide from the dirrect sunlight.

We endured though and made the long hike up Stone Mountain. At the time we relaxed and enjoyed the view for 30 minutes or so while we filled up our water bottles and ate some itiallian ice. We did plan ahead and bought tickets for the Skyride down the mountain. This felt a lot like a big ski lift, and it gave us a beautiful view of the park.

We wrapped up the hike around 7:30pm or so, just in time to relax and get settled in for the  lazer light show that night. It was a great experience, both my mother and I felt very accomplished afterwards. It was nice to see that all of my excercise lately has helped get me into shape.

I really believe that this has been the push I needed to restart my weight loss plans. It has motivated my to get back out and be active. I’ve rollerbladed frequently for the past week, and have been on a few hikes. If I keep this up I’ll be thin for my family reunion at the end of July. The hike today was pretty spectacular. I knew Stone Mountain was a lot of rocks, but I didn’t realize we would basically be hiking up one big rock.

As we got higher up the mountain there was an amazing view of Atlanta. It is so different to look at the city from this perspective; it is a stark remind of how small we all are. As we got higher and higher the wind really picked up. By the time we reached the top of the mountain we were having difficulty walking. I felt like if I jumped in the air I would be blown off the mountain.

After living in the Atlanta area for a year and a half I’ve finally made it to stone mountain for a hike. I’m very proud of myself, and can’t wait to go back. Maybe when my mother comes to visit in June I’ll take her to see it.

The parking area was easy to find, located right off of Route 9. The entrance to the hiking path was slightly less clear. After parking, the first path I notice was actually more of a driveway than a hiking trail. I followed that up a hill and to another road. Right across the street was a mini-park with a monument in it. This was a memorial to the 400 mill workers who were deported during the civil war for invading the federal forces.

Civil War Monument

After spending a few minutes reading the monument, and pondering the correct location of the hiking trail, I decided to head back down the hill to the parking lot. Once I made it back to the parking lot the real trail was much more clear. Instead of going up the hill I should have gone the other direction. This time the path took me around a bend and onto a gravel walkway. This path looked to be ideal for joggers, bikers, and walkers.

I walked along a stream for about two miles when I found a surprise my hiking book didn’t mention; there was a waterfall and the end of this trail. Right where the Oxbo Trail met with the Vickery Creek trail was what looked to be an old dam. The resulting waterfall was beautiful, so of course I stayed for a while and listened to the rumble of of the water and took a few pictures.

Oxbo Trail Waterfall

The hike back was as relaxing as the hike in. This path was an out-and-back style trail, so there was no loop to walk around. There were a few small animals along the way; squirrels and birds mostly. I used this hike, along with the nice weather to motivate myself to start losing weight again. I made a deal with my girlfriend to encourage me to lose weight; if I could lose 10 pounds by the time she makes it back from her Florida vacation she would make a picture compilation with images that motivate me.

So the challenge is on, I have until May 20th to lose 10 pounds. Hopefully this will force me into a pattern of exercise and healthy eating again. I had taken a break from weight loss for the winter and just maintained my weight, but I’m ready to start burning the fat again!