Parks in Atlanta

Piedmont Park

Main article: Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park, site of the 1895 Cotton States Expo, is Atlanta's iconic green space. The Midtown park, which underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2010, attracts visitors from across the region and hosts various cultural events throughout the year. Piedmont Park also features a large 3-acre dog park with sections for large and small dogs.

Downtown parks

Centennial Olympic Park forms a centerpoint for downtown visitors in and around which key visitor attractions are located; nearby Woodruff Park, Georgia International Plaza, and Hurt Park cater to the downtown lunch crowd.

Other prominent parks

Grant Park, located on the east side, is home to the city zoo, Chastain Park, the primary recreational center for the northern Buckhead district, contains an amphitheater for live music concerts. Atlanta's largest park, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park, was constructed on the site of a former gravel quarry and is connected by the Beltline. Before it was built, the Southside Park was the largest park in Atlanta. Also, Perkerson Park in Southwest Atlanta is home to the city's only permanent Disc Golf course.

Nature preserves

Several nature preserves line the south fork of Peachtree Creek in the Morningside neighborhood, including the Morningside Nature Preserve, while part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area lies in the city's northwest corner.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Main article: Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is home to the Canopy Walk, a 600-foot elevated walkway ambling 40 feet from the ground through a 15-acre forest of mature hardwoods, and the only canopy-level pathway of its kind in the United States.

Trails

Beltline

Main article: Atlanta Beltline

The Beltline, a former rail corridor that forms a 22 mi loop around Atlanta's central neighborhoods, has been acquired and transformed into public space. Most of the corridor opened in the late-2000s as a walking path, with plans for development of multi-use trails and, eventually, public transit. A trail has already been constructed near the West End neighborhood, while another one, under construction as of 2012, will connect Piedmont Park to Inman Park. Beltline projects will increase Atlanta's park space by 40%, including two new parks: Historic Fourth Ward Park and Shirley Clarke Franklin Park.

PATH

In addition to Beltline trails, PATH maintains a network of biking and walking trails in Metro Atlanta, including one that traverses Atlanta's east side, traveling past the Carter Center and through Freedom Park.

PATH400 will be a major addition to the PATH network through Buckhead.

The Cheshire Farm Trail lines the South Fork of Peachtree Creek from Lindbergh Ave. to Cheshire Bridge Road, and Maiden Trail parallels Ponce de Leon Avenue in Virginia-Highland.

References

References

1. "Piedmont Park Conservancy - Inspiring Life In The Heart of Atlanta".
2. "BEST DOG PARKS IN METRO ATLANTA".
3. [http://www.atlantaga.gov/Government/Parks.aspx Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs] {{webarchive. link. (2011-12-23)
4. ""Freedom Park Designated as an Atlanta Public Art Park"".
5. "Atlanta Botanical Garden".
6. "Atlanta BeltLine". Beltline.org.