Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park

A New 260 Acre Park for the Region

In an area dominated by agricultural land and private property, the Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park represents an opportunity to add a large recreational asset to the region that can serve as a model for other park spaces throughout the RiverLands.

The current site of the Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park is a recent Trust for Public Land acquisition in Chattahoochee Hills. The majority of the site is a low-lying wetland that experiences occasional flooding and is best suited for conservation and protection of habitat. However, given the size of the site and its extensive river frontage, many stakeholders felt that there were also significant opportunities for water access points, camping and event spaces.

The design goals for the Chattahoochee RiverLands Park reflect a desire to create a large public gathering space with a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities. After extensive discussion with a committee of stakeholders, opportunities for camping, play, and community events were identified as priorities for the site. An area that prioritized River access was also considered a necessity.

The RiverLands is more than just a land-based trail; it also includes also includes 100 miles of River, 8 proposed camp sites, and 42 water access points along the way that together form a Blueway trail. Chattahoochee Hills Park will be a critical stop along the Blueway, with multiple amenities geared toward water-based recreation. This includes not only boat and kayak launches, but also ADA-specific water access points, ensuring people of all abilities have access to the River.

The Project Team met with stakeholders to discuss the programming potential of the Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park Demonstration site. Based on those conversations, the programmatic amenities reflected in the design for this site include:

• A Water Hub at the confluence of White Oak Creek and the Chattahoochee River with a boat ramp, outfitter and parking lot dedicated to boat access.
• A Beacon (elevated structure providing vistas to the river) and overlooks that allow visitors to get up high and view the river from above.
• An area for potential commercial development, namely food and beverage vendors.
• Primitive campsites that visitors can hike or backpack to, including tent platforms, fire pits, and dry toilets.
• An event space and Nature Center that bring people together and highlight the ecology of the region.