Hiking the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park

If you’re looking for an easy hike near Newnan, the paved Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park is a great place to start.

On my relaxing weekend in Chatt Bend State Park, I was looking for an easy, short trail to stretch my legs, and the park’s paved, partially ADA-accessible Boulder Trail seemed like perfect choice — well, it was nice and easy until you get past the accessible section, but we’ll talk about that below!

This flat trail adds a more accessible hiking option to the park, and I’ll show you exactly what you can expect from your hike (and where it gets a little more intense).

Paved trail curves gently through a wooded park with tall pines, spreading tree branches, and patches of green grass along the edges. The yellow center line and smooth path stand out against the natural forest setting, showing an easy walking or biking route along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

Post Contents

Boulder Trail Hike

The Boulder Trail departs from Trailhead 1 near the park entrance, the same parking lot you can use for the Wild Turkey Trail.

The trail is about 1.3 miles one-way, or about 2.6 miles round-trip. The trail is ADA accessible for about the first mile of the hike; don’t worry, there are signs that alert you when the accessible part of the trail is ending.

The entire trail is paved, so it’s a nice flat walk for the first mile as the trail winds through a young forest. The trail can also be used by cyclists or roller skaters; having a paved trail opens up a whole world of possibilities beyond your standard hiking trail.

Hiking the Boulder Trail

Paved path curves downhill through a wooded area beside a brown sign that reads "Boulder Trail" with a right pointing arrow and an accessibility symbol below it. Trees, a split rail fence, and a road at the bottom of the hill place the trail entrance in a quiet park setting at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

The trail departs from the gravel parking lot and immediately crosses a paved service road. From there, the trail makes gentle curves through the forest and remains flat for 1 mile.

This part of the park contains a very different terrain than what you see in the rest of the park. The trail is so-named for the boulders and barren rocky spots you’ll pass along the way.

Rocky granite outcropping partially hidden behind tall grass and spring green trees, with a wide flat stone surface with small pools of water in the middle of the woods. The view feels tucked away and natural, with dense branches framing the rock along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

In fact, some of those rocky spots look a lot like the monadnock terrain at places like Arabia Mountain, Panola Mountain, and Stone Mountain. These rock outcrops form pools of water that are home to fragile diamorpha succulents. In the spring, the diamorpha turn bright red and then flower with white blooms. Chatt Bend can be a great place to see the spring bloom with less of a crowd than at Arabia Mountain.

At about 1 mile in, posted signs warn of a 12% grade, noting that the ADA trail ends and recommending cyclists walk their bikes.

Paved trail curves through tall dry grass and pine trees beside a cluster of warning signs. The signs read "12% GRADE", "ADA Trail Ends Here", and "CAUTION WALK YOUR BIKE", showing the path continues into a steeper wooded section along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

Paved trail winds uphill through a sparse wooded area with bare trees, dry leaves, and patches of tall grass on either side. The curving path disappears into the trees, with a few roadside signs and scattered rocks visible along the slope along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

I did consider turning back here and keeping it to an easy 2-mile hike. But then I thought, oh it’s only 0.3 miles more to the end, an extra 0.6 miles isn’t that bad.

Y’all. It gets rough after that first mile.

This is the area where you really get to see the boulders the trail is named for. But it’s also where you get multiple hills with steep grades of up to 20%. There are only about 3 hills (I didn’t really count, I was focused on just making it through), but considering you have to traverse them twice, it does add up.

Paved trail curves through a wooded area beside a large pale boulder and clusters of young pine trees in the foreground. Bare branches and taller pines rise behind the bend, giving the path a quiet, natural park setting along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

Paved trail splits into a loop around a grassy island, creating a wide fork in the middle of a wooded area. Tall bare trees and a few pines surround the junction, with yellow center lines guiding each branch of the path of the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia.

The trail then comes to a small lollypop loop to turn you around so you can retrace your steps back to the trailhead to end your 2.6-mile hike.

Hiking Essentials

Come prepared for your hike by making sure you pack the essentials. Check out this must-have hiking gear before you set off on the trails:

Boulder Trail Info

Sunlit paved trail curves gently through tall dry grass and a dense stand of trees, with the low sun glowing through the branches overhead along the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Newnan, Georgia. The winding path and warm light give the wooded scene a calm, late afternoon feel.

Hike length: 2.6 miles out-and-back

Difficulty: Easy for the first mile, then moderate to strenuous

Is it pet-friendly?: Yes.

Location: 425 Bobwhite Way, Newnan, GA 30263

Parking: Parking is available at Trailhead 1 at Chattahoochee Bend State Park with a $10 parking fee.

Fees: $10 parking fee per vehicle at Chattahoochee Bend State Park.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

Accessibility: The trail is paved and ADA accessible for 1 mile. Posted signs tell you when the ADA trail ends so you can turn back. The trail is open to bikers as well.

About Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Chattahoochee Bend State Park is 2,910 acres of wilderness in Newnan, Georgia just an hour southwest of Atlanta. The park was created to protect this section of the Chattahoochee River.

The park has 12 miles of hiking trails; access to the Chattahoochee River for fishing, paddling, and boating; mountain biking trails; and plenty of campsites and cottages.

More Georgia Hiking Trails

Where to Stay in Newnan

Where I Stayed: Chattahoochee Bend State Park Cottages
Top Hotel: Home2 Suites by Hilton Atlanta Newnan
Great Value: Best Western Shenandoah Inn
Unique Stay: Luxe Historic Private Family Retreat in Newnan

Laptop and tablet showing a travel itinerary for Atlanta. The laptop displays a day schedule, while the tablet shows a cityscape with "Atlanta" text.

Ultimate Atlanta 5 Day Itinerary

Your Atlanta vacation — planned for you.

Don’t spend any more time stressing about planning your Atlanta getaway. Get this done-for-you, fully planned itinerary!

Learn more here

More South Atlanta Travel Tips

Find more fun things to do in South Atlanta with these posts:

Ready to visit Newnan, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.

Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Newnan using Booking.com.
Start Packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.

Cheers!

Paige

Hiking the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Have you hiked the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park? Let me know in the comments!

Hiking the Boulder Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park