Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area | SETTLES BRIDGE HIKING TRAILS

Settles Bridge Trail runs right along the Chattahoochee River

Settles Bridge Trail runs right along the Chattahoochee River


Settles Bridge Unit Main Page


A .1-mile gravel path leads from the parking lot of the Settles Bridge Unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area to the ruins of Settles Bridge and a canoe launch. From there it is possible to hike north or south along a trail that follows closely to the river. However, the trail to the south (left at the bridge) ends after only a few minutes at a deep ravine, so don’t bother heading south. If you must see for yourself, the trail does not begin under the bridge, but instead begins where the steel support structures for the old road ramp are located. There is a path that begins under the bridge, but this only allows you to walk a short distance so you can get a view of the bridge from the south.

Path to Settles Bridge from the parking lot of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area's Settles Bridge unit

Path to Settles Bridge from the parking lot of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s Settles Bridge unit

Steel support structures for the road to ramp up to the old Settles Bridge in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Steel support structures for the road to ramp up to the old Settles Bridge in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

The northbound trail is much longer, running for a mile before hitting another deep ravine as well as private property. While the Settles Bridge Unit is not a place to come if you want to hike, if you do want to stretch your legs during a visit, north is the direction to head. 

Northbound Trail

Distance: 2 miles round trip
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: flat and easy

To get to the northbound trail, take the gravel path from the parking lot until you come to the ramp that leads down to the riverbank, allowing people to bypass the rather steep and uneven alternative trail. Instead of heading down to the water, take the trail to the right of the ramp. This will set you off hiking north for approximately one mile. This is an out-and-back hike, so you must retrace your steps to return. There is no official trail map for Settles Bridge, but the hike basically entails walking along the river until you can’t go any farther.

Start of the northbound trail at the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Start of the northbound trail at the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

The trail crosses a number of deep ravines cut by creeks that empty into the Chattahoochee River, and the first is within eyesight of the bridge. You can see the path taken by others, so scrabble down one side of the ravine and up the other. Hiking poles would certainly help, but most everyone makes it across unaided.

Less that two tenths of a mile from the start is another deep ravine, but this time there is no way to cross it without Lewis-and-Clarking-It.™ However, you can clearly see the trail on the other side, so hikers are somehow making it across.

Ravine blocking the northbound river trail in the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Ravine blocking the northbound river trail in the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

The secret to getting to the other side is to cut inland and follow the creek / ravine eastward, away from the Chattahoochee, along a clearly defined trail. The ravine gets shallower and shallower as you walk along the creek, and after about five minutes you can cross, even keeping your feet dry by walking on stepping stones. (During my most recent hike, trees were down across the trail, but hikers have cut a path to the right that goes up a small hill and around the downed trees.)

Five minutes from the Chattahoochee, the once impassable ravine on the northbound Settles Bridge trail can easily be crossed, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Five minutes from the Chattahoochee, the once impassable ravine on the northbound Settles Bridge trail can easily be crossed, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Regardless of when you cross, you definitely must do so before the creek branches left and right. At that point it is actually on private property, plus you’d have to cross twice—over both branches—in order to get to the trail on the other side.

Y-shaped fork in the creek that empties into the Chattahoochee River in the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Y-shaped fork in the creek that empties into the Chattahoochee River in the Settles Bridge unit of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Once across, just follow the creek back to the Chattahoochee. You may see some other trails, but stick to the one that runs right along the creek. Once you get back to the river, turn right and continue down the trail. For most of its length, the trail follows within jumping-in distance from the water, but it is very high up on a ridge.

Northbound trail in the Settles Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area follows a ridge above the river, typical terrain for this trail

Northbound trail in the Settles Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area follows a ridge above the river, typical terrain for this trail

When I first hiked this trail in 2014, I noticed there were a few places where a young-and-adventurous person might make it down to the riverbank. However, during my recent hike in November 2019, I didn’t see a single spot where a sensible person would try to make the climb down. The river is constantly eroding the banks, and now any path to the water is extremely steep, plus the soil is slick clay that would make getting back up very tough. When I took the photo below, even I might have tried to get down to the rocks. Now, the way down is a cliff.

Couple enjoying a break on a boulder along the Chattahoochee River in the Settles Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Couple enjoying a break on a boulder along the Chattahoochee River in the Settles Bridge unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

About five minutes past the large outcropping of rocks (photo above) is a marker that indicates river distance, in this case mile 344. At this point, the trail along the river is now treacherous and highly eroded, and I personally recommend turning around when you see the marker. However, if you want to continue, yet don’t want to remain on the riverside trail, look inland for what appears to be a ridge not too far up the hill to your right. There is actually an old road on this ridge, and you can take it all the way to the end of the trail, which is only five minutes or so farther ahead (another reason why I recommend turning around). The ridge is not readily apparent if you don’t know it’s there. I discovered it when I saw a lady and two dogs pass by above me.

Marker for mile 344 on the Chattahoochee River

Marker for mile 344 on the Chattahoochee River

Wide trail on the ridge above the northbound Settles Bridge unit trail in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Wide trail on the ridge above the northbound Settles Bridge unit trail in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

The trail ends at another deep ravine, but you can’t get to the other side by following the creek inland because the land is private property. At this point all you can do is turn around and hike back to Settles Bridge. All told, you get about two miles’ worth of exercise.

Back to the Top


With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.

Last updated on May 23, 2024
Share this article