West Palisades Hike Map (click to enlarge)
Length: 4.25 miles
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Download the West Palisades Trail Map (PDF)
The hiking trails on the west side of the Palisades Unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area are not the paved, multi-use trails like the Rottenwood Creek Trail. If you plan to hike them, it is best to park at the Akers Drive parking lot (WP 13 on the above map). If you park at Paces Mill (WP 1) you have a 30-minute round trip walk on the Rottenwood Creek Trail just to get to the hiking trails. At Akers Drive, you are on the trails right from the start.
Trail maps are posted in stands at each intersection. Unlike maps on other trails within Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area where the intersection numbers are colored yellow on the map, making it easy to figure out where you are, the maps at West Palisades are not color coded (or are colored so lightly that they look the same as all other numbers). To find out where you are, look at the very bottom left of the trail map. The intersection number is given there.
Despite trail maps being posted, it is best to bring a copy of the map with you because you never know when some lowlife will vandalize the map stands. You might be wondering, “Who in the world would do that?” Believe me, it happens.
The hike starts at WP 13, which is located in the upper section of the parking lot, a section for handicap visitors only. The lower parking area, where anyone hiking the trail must park—this is not a handicap accessible trail—is just a short walk from the trailhead. Signs stating TRAIL REROUTE are posted at the start. This refers to the fact that the parking lot for the Akers Drive section of the Palisades Unit used to be at WP 12, and that’s where the hike used to start. The National Park Service has moved around some of the intersections, including WP 13 and 14, closed some of the trails, and now the hike starts at the new handicap parking area.
Start of the hike at the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Intersection WP 14 is just a few minutes down the trail, and it really isn’t even needed since there is no actual intersection any more. Just keep hiking straight, the only way to go. You’ll be heading downhill the entire time, and just before reaching the bottom at WP 15 is a section that is actually a little treacherous. The trail runs along a ridge and is filled with rocks and roots, making it easy to trip and fall down the hill if you aren’t careful.
Treacherous area along the West Palisades trail between intersections WP 14 and WP 15, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
At the bottom of the hill is a 4-way intersection where the hiking trail crosses a gravel road. It is marked as intersection WP 15 on the trail map. However, just across the road is another trail map stand, and that is WP 9. It makes no sense to have two maps marking the same intersection, but that’s the National Park Service. Anyway, to continue the hike, cross the road and take the trail at WP 9. This section has a gate that reads NO BIKES, so I guess bikes are allowed on the road. This will set you off hiking a short loop towards WP 7 on a trail that winds down to the Chattahoochee River.
Intersections WP 15 and WP 9 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area are just across the dirt road from each other
Most of the terrain on the loop trail is flat and easy to hike. There is a side trail here and there on the way to WP 7, but ignore these and stick to the main trail. You will cross a couple of footbridges over a small creek. When you get to WP 7, stay left. Depending on the time of year and the foliage on the tree, you might be able to get a good look at Thorton Shoals.
Chattahoochee River at Thornton Shoals
There are two canoe launches that are not on the park map at WP 10, and rightly so. To take-out or put-in your watercraft at either of these would require a long walk from the Akers Drive parking lot, which is why everyone uses the boat ramp at Paces Mill. I did see firemen who were part of a river rescue unit at the second launch. They were practicing rescue drills in their motorized raft, but of course they got to drive down the dirt road to the ramp.
Canoe launch near Thornton Shoals in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The trail eventually comes out of the woods, just across from a restroom building (WP 11). You have the choice to loop around back to WP 9 on the gravel road or stay straight along the river on an out-and-back trail that leads to a view of Devil’s Race Course Shoals. It’s an easy hike, so might as well take the detour if you aren’t in a hurry. About .2 mile down the trail is a large beach-like area that you can’t miss. You can continue a little ways farther over some rocks, but there are no additional views, so unless you are young and just want to see how far you can get, I suggest making the beach the end of the line. You can get some nice photos from there.
Devil’s Race Course Shoals on the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta
When you get back to the restroom building, continue on the trail to WP 9 and then on to WP 8. This part of the hike is along the gravel road, and it is quite steep. You’ll climb about 100 feet in elevation in a quarter mile along a grade that averages 9%. However, short stretches of the road reach up to a 20% grade. For reference, 5% is wheelchair accessible and 15% is where really strenuous hiking begins.
Gravel road between intersection WP 8 and WP 9 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
At WP 8, take the fork to the left to head to the southern end of the park. The bad news doesn’t end, because after a short downhill stretch of trail there is another climb similar to the road up to WP 8 that lasts all the way until about a tenth of a mile prior to WP 4, an approximately .4-mile uphill climb.
Trail between intersections WP 6 and WP 4 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The trail map does not show the WP 6 intersection correctly. It appears that you have no choice but to go to the left, but the intersection is actually a T-intersection, with a paved path running to the right. This is just a path that leads to a neighborhood, giving residents access to the park. Turn left to continue towards WP 4. As mentioned, this is uphill.
About a tenth of a mile prior to WP 4 and continuing all the way to WP 3, the trail runs sharply downhill on a trail surface that has so many loose rocks that it’s like hiking on the rubble of a bombed-out building. The grade averages 11%, with some sections as steep as 25%. I had to pick the least worst way to go the entire time, like I had one of those Terminator computers in my head that constantly analyzed the surroundings and then calculated exactly where my foot had to land so that I didn’t twist an ankle or break a leg.
Loose rocks and steep downhill stretch of trail near WP 4 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Intersection WP 4 marks the start of a loop around the southern portion of the park. Following in my footsteps, stay straight at WP 4 and continue downhill towards WP 3, hiking the loop in the counterclockwise direction. The trail ends at the paved Rottenwood Creek Trail within eye-site of the bridge that crosses the creek and leads back to the Paces Mill parking lot. Take a left on the trail to reach intersection WP 2, which is at the bridge.
Intersection WP 3 at the Rottenwood Creek Trail in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Once at the footbridge on the Rottenwood Creek Trail, you will see intersection WP 2 on your left. This is where the hiking trail darts back into the forest. You are now back to walking along the Chattahoochee River on a flat trail, though views of the river are almost always blocked by trees and other brush. You’ll come to a spot with a bunch of rocks, and it looks like the trail ends—keep going. There is a smooth rock that is sloped at a 45° angle that you can actually slide down, which is fun. Just past this rock is intersection WP 5.
Rock slide near intersection WP 5 on the trails in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The trail ends at a T-intersection at WP 5. Take a left and hike along the loop back to WP 4. There is nothing much to see if you take a right, and the trail comes to an obvious end at another large pile of rocks. The trail to WP 4 is once again filled with rubble, and despite being steeper in this direction than it is between WP 4 and WP 3, it’s not as dangerous since you are walking uphill and not downhill.
Trail from WP 5 to WP 4 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
At WP 4, take a right and hike all the way back to WP 8, and at WP 8 continue straight to WP 12. The maps you’ll find published along the trail make it look as if WP 12 just ends in the middle of nowhere, but that’s not the case. It ends next to the old parking lot on Akers Drive, and all you have to do is take a right on the road to get back to the new parking lot less than a quarter mile away. The only thing to remember is to take a right at WP 6, otherwise you’ll end up at some neighborhood. The final stretch from WP 8 to WP 12 is uphill along the gravel road.
Final leg of the hike from WP 8 to WP 12 in the West Palisades unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
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Last updated on May 27, 2024
