About
Hike the Gold Branch Trail on the banks of the Chattahoochee River near Roswell, exploring a wildlife- filled forest, visiting Bull Sluice Lake, and catching exceptionally beautiful river views. Young hardwoods shade a forest floor that fills with mosses, ferns, and native Georgia wildflowers in warm-weather months. The tranquil lake and river are home to cattails, marsh grasses, and aquatic plants. And wildlife fills the banks, waters and air surrounding these lesser-traveled, often quiet trails: heron, geese, ducks, fish, turtles, and deer are frequent sights along the trail. Th is is not a beginners hike. If you are moved to the waitlist, it is because you did not meet the written qualifications or the hike is full. To qualify, you must have: 1. recently (last 2 weeks) kept pace with a D2 group doing 3.0 mph and be willing to keep pace at 3.0 mph with the group on this hike. 2. recently (last 2 weeks) kept pace with a D2 group doing a 600 foot elevation gain hike For this hike, we will accomplish -- Avg. Speed: 3.0mph (lowered to Moderate Pace if temps above 70 degrees) Elevation gain: 1100 feet (includes 5 climbs of 118-174 feet) Terrain: RUGGED; the riverside section is rocky and the treadway is slanted and slippery in places We will bear to the left to descend to the river, do the entire river stretch, and then start working our way to the parking lot but not without three final dips down from the ridge top to see the river again. The dips are part of the loops forming 3 lariots. There are no bathrooms at the park. You will need a Chatahoochee NRA or N(ational Parks parking pass for the park which is best to buy in advance.
PRACTICAL
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