Georgia Hikes: Wild Turkey Trail
Hike to the Chattahoochee River at Georgia’s 5th largest state park. The Wild Turkey Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park is a 4.4 mile trail that gives you a great look at what the park has to offer.
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 has 12 miles of hiking trails, access to the Chattahoochee River, and plenty of campsites and cottages.
Wild Turkey Trail
You can access the Wild Turkey Trail from a few different areas: Trailhead 1 near the park entrance, the Visitor Center, Trailhead 2, Campsites 1 or 2, or the Day-Use Area.
We started our hike from the Visitor Center, turning left at the trailhead. This cut out over 1 mile of hike. From the Visitor Center, it’s about a 3 mile hike to the Chattahoochee River, and a 6 mile hike round trip.
The Wild Turkey Trail is well marked with bright blue rectangles that are easy to spot. You won’t likely lose your way on this trail!
Hiking the Wild Turkey Trail
The hike begins by dipping down to cross over a babbling stream before climbing slightly and crossing over Bobwhite Way. This is the first of a few times that the trail meets the road. Keep an eye out for cars when crossing.
The trail then follows along the forest for an easy hike, intersecting a couple times with the park’s Mountain Bike Trails.
If you’re hiking the trail after some rain, as we were, you’ll soon come to a boggy area. You can see the blue blazes across the water where the trail continues straight, but nobody really wants to walk through that.
Luckily, the park has created a water bypass that you can take, following the blue markings just to the left of the boggy area.
The trail then crosses a clearing under the powerlines before crossing Bobwhite Way again about halfway to the river.
After ambling through the forest and crossing paths with the Tower Trail, the Wild Turkey Trail then comes out again at Bobwhite Way but does not cross the road.
Instead, the trail follows along the road for a few feet, crossing the bridge, and turning back into the forest on the other side of Turkey Creek.
The Wild Turkey Trail continues through the forest, passing the access to Campsite 1, then following along Beaver Ponds, and passing Campsite 2 (take a sharp right after crossing the bridge here to follow back along the stream; going straight will just take you to the campsite).
The trail ends when it connects with the Riverside Trail. From here, you can take the Riverside Trail left to the Day-Use Area to picnic and sit by the river.
When you’re ready to head back, simply take the Riverside Trail until it connects to the Wild Turkey Trail and retrace your steps back to the Visitor Center for about a 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:
Final Thoughts on Hiking the Wild Turkey Trail
The 4.4 mile Wild Turkey Trail is a great way to enjoy Chattahoochee Bend State Park and look out over the Chattahoochee River.
While the hike is a moderate terrain, it is a manageable trail for beginner and experienced hikers alike. There are also plenty of places to stop along the way to take photos, picnic, and camp out.
Whether you are looking for a short nature hike or a weekend camping trip, Chattahoochee Bend State Park offers something for everyone.
More Georgia Hikes
Explore more of Georgia’s wilderness with these great hikes throughout the state:
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
Have you hiked the Wild Turkey Trail at Chattahoochee Bend State Park? Let me know in the comments!
