Outdoors
National forests, parks, lakes and recreation areas with hiking trails near Sandy Springs, closest first.
Good to know: Carry more water than you think you need, check the managing agency’s page for trail closures and fire restrictions, and start early on hot days.
13 mi west · National Park Service
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,965 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. Opposing forces maneuvered and fought here from June 19, 1864 until July 2, 1864.
23 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains lies Lake Sidney Lanier, one of America?s favorite lakes. Over 7.5 million people a year choose to visit Lanier.
25 mi southeast · National Park Service
For millions of years, granite monadnocks have stood watch over the rivers and forests of Georgia.
Map of 19 places loads as you scroll.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,965 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. Opposing forces maneuvered and fought here from June 19, 1864 until July 2, 1864.
Nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains lies Lake Sidney Lanier, one of America?s favorite lakes. Over 7.5 million people a year choose to visit Lanier.
For millions of years, granite monadnocks have stood watch over the rivers and forests of Georgia.
Cooper's Furnace Day Use Area is situated on the Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River. This Day Use Area is downstream of the dam which impounds Allatoona Lake.
Allatoona Lake is one of the most frequently visited U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the nation.
Riverside Park Day Use Area is situated along the Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River. This Day Use Area is downstream of the dam which impounds Allatoona Lake.
Carters Lake Project is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. Carters Lake is one of the most scenic lakes in the Southeast.
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 as a "combination wildlife and game-management demonstration area" to demonstrate that wildlife could be restored on worn out, eroded lands. Today, through the efforts of the U.S.
Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama.
Fishing is probably the most popular activity on West Point Lake. A dozen creeks and more than 40 square miles of lake provide plenty of good fishing spots for the thousands of anglers who fish here regularly.
In 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought for control of Chattanooga - a gateway to the Confederacy. The Confederates were victorious at nearby Chickamauga in September.
Hartwell Lake is one of the most popular Corps lakes in the nation. Built by the U.S.
"Ole Dan Tucker was a grand ole man; He washed his face in a fryin' pan; Combed his hair with a wagon wheel; Died with a tooth ache in his heel!" During the 1700's, this famous folk song was sung by slaves in praise of the Reverend Dan…
Russell Cave National Monument is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast.
Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1981, consists of 199 acres of forested hillside underlain by a massive cave with many stalactite and stalagmite-filled rooms.
Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Thurmond Lake is the largest Corps of Engineers lake east of the Mississippi River. The lake encompasses 1,200 miles of shoreline, 70,000 acres of water and 80,000 acres of land.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Sandy Springs. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Elements Atlanta Real Estate.
Watch on YouTube ↗
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Kyra McKinney.
Watch on YouTube ↗Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (National Park Service), about 13 miles west of Sandy Springs as the crow flies. Next are Lake Sidney Lanier (23 mi) and Arabia Mountain National National Heritage Area (25 mi).
Based on Sandy Springs’s average highs, October–May. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including US Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.