Medlock Bridge Hiking Trails (click to enlarge)
Medlock Bridge Hike
Distance: 1.5 miles, round trip
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: the trail along the river is mainly flat, while the inland trails traverse moderately strenuous hills
Download the Medlock Bridge Trail Map (PDF)
The trail system at the Medlock Bridge Unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is not very complicated. There is a trail that follows the Chattahoochee River for the park’s length and a few side trails that lead away from the river and into the heart of the park. I took my daughter, Sasha, who was six-years-old at the time, and she did the hike without any complaints, which means that it is fairly easy. The only moderate sections are the inland trails and the river trail beyond intersection MB 5 (see the above map). If you want an easy hike, stick to the trail along the river between MB 3 and MB 5.
From the parking lot, look for a lone picnic table and grill situated on a concrete pad—the only table and grill on a concrete pad. A short connector trail that leads to the main trail along the river is located directly behind the table. This spot is intersection MB 3 on the trail map. You can also get to the main trail from the opposite end of the parking lot at the Medlock Bridge Boat Ramp, but regardless of how you get there, once at the main trail take a right. If you take a left, all you do is walk .2 mile to a dead-end at the modern Medlock Bridge, and there is no point to that.
Connector trail behind the picnic table at intersection MB 3 in the Medlock Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
While the Medlock Bridge Trail runs along the river between MB 2 and MB 4, in most areas you cannot get down to the water due to large drop-offs—you might even call them short cliffs. At the few places that you can get to the river and walk along the bank, it is quite muddy. If you are strolling in your Sunday best after church, I suggest just sticking to the trail.
View of the Chattahoochee from the river trail at the Medlock Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The first intersection that you come to once on the main trail is MB 4, a four-way intersection. The next destination is MB 5, so take a left. By this point the trail has worked its way inland, so you are no longer near the Chattahoochee River but are still on fairly level terrain.
Typical terrain on the inland trail near MB 4 at the Medlock Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
From MB 4 to MB 5, the trail makes a gradual ascent to the top of a small hill on a ridge high above the river.
Ridge overlooking the Chattahoochee River between intersections MB 4 and MB 5 on the Medlock Bridge unit trails
Take a left at MB 5—which comes at .3 mile into the hike—and head towards MB 10. The trail leads back to the Chattahoochee and remains close to it for the duration of the hike to MB 10. There are a couple of hills towards the end, each ascended and descended via a set of stairs made of railroad ties.
Staircase between intersection MB 5 and MB 10 helps hikers up and down a sizable hill in the Medlock Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The trail ends a few minutes beyond the bottom of the second hill—there is a large tree with a POSTED KEEP OUT sign attached to it. The trail map makes it look as if you can take a left and hike to the river, but there is no left turn. You can take a right, and less than a hundred yards away is the official end of the trail, which is marked with a trail sign. You are nearly in somebody’s back yard at this point, and the trail does continue farther, though I suspect it simply ends at a neighborhood. From the parking lot at MB 3, it is .6 mile to MB 10.
Private land near the MB 10 intersection on the Medlock Bridge Trail, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Intersection MB 10 on the Medlock Bridge unit trail is next to a residential neighborhood, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
To change things up a little when returning, hike inland by taking a left at MB 5. This sets you off climbing a moderate hill towards intersection MB 6. I normally use hiking poles when traversing hilly terrain, but I did not bring them with me on this hike—I sort of wish I had.
The MB 6 intersection is Y-shaped. I hiked this trail before and headed right towards MB 9 and then on to MB 4, but this route is extremely steep (downhill). This time around I opted to create a longer loop by hiking to MB 7 by staying left at MB 6. The terrain is hilly, though much easier than the MB 9 route. Unfortunately, the trail approaches Peachtree Parkway, so the tranquilly of the nature hike is temporarily interrupted by traffic noise.
Just before reaching MB 7, the trail heads down a fairly steep hill and ends at the park road. You can see the start of the parking area from here, but just twenty feet ahead is the MB 7 intersection where the trail darts back into the forest towards MB 8, which itself is just another minute away.
Hill above the park road near the MB 7 intersection on the Medlock Bridge unit trails in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The MB 7 intersection on the Medlock Bridge unit trails in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is at the park road
Continue straight at MB 8, and in a tenth of a mile you will be back at MB 4. This stretch of the hike is along a wide trail that covers completely flat terrain.
Level terrain between intersections MB 8 to MB 4 on the Medlock Bridge unit trails in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
When you reach MB 4, take a left and you’ll be back at the parking lot in less than ten minutes. If you parked near the picnic table at MB 3, don’t forget to turn left at MB 2 as well, otherwise you’ll continue on to the boat ramp at the far end of the parking lot.
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Last updated on May 18, 2024
