Summer’s oppressive heat and humidity retreat and a crispness fills the air as we enter one of the most magical seasons in the South. Autumn brings brilliant blue skies, crisp mornings, chilly breezes, and a dazzling display of vibrant, autumn-hued leaves. Fall’s perfect hiking temperatures beg us to grab a jacket and head out to find some fantastic fall scenery on the trail.
While many of our all-time favorite fall adventures find us chasing waterfalls and view-packed mountain summits in North Georgia, not every autumn weekend allows enough time for an epic road trip. These hikes score some serious seasonal beauty and leaf color in the metro Atlanta area, without a long drive to the mountains.
Fall hikes near Atlanta: our top 10 favorite trails
These are our favorite fall hikes in the metro Atlanta area. Follow these trails to some spectacular views of the changing leaf color and the beauty of the autumn season:
Arabia Mountain
Arabia Mountain View Trail
2.3 miles
Explore Arabia Mountain’s lower elevations and trek over wide granite outcrops, through golden, grassy meadows and take in the brilliant autumn colored leaves reflecting on the lake at the mountain’s base.
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Allatoona Lake
Pine Mountain Trail near Cartersville
4.5 miles
Hike the Pine Mountain Trail through stream-filled, evergreen forest and around immense granite outcrops. The summit views catch an autumn-dappled landscape across Lake Allatoona and distant views of the Atlanta skyline.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS![Top Atlanta autumn hikes: climb to the view-packed summit of Stone Mountain to catch beautiful views of fall leaf color and the ATL skyline]()
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain Walk-Up and Cherokee Trails
2-7 miles
Scale the towering monolith to catch stunning panoramic views of Atlanta and the rolling terrain below, bursting with fall color. if you’re not ready for the adventure to end, hike the Cherokee Trail around Stone Mountain’s base as views of the iconic dome reflect in the glassy waters of the park’s lake.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS![Top Atlanta fall leaf color hikes: explore the beautiful terrain at Sweetwater Creek State Park just west of the city]()
Sweetwater Creek State Park
Sweetwater Creek Yellow Trail
3.4 miles
Hike the popular Sweetwater Creek Yellow Trail and explore the creek’s eastern shore. The hike crosses Sweetwater Creek over an impressive steel bridge offering beautiful views of the creek’s banks peppered with dramatic fall leaf color.
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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield
Kennesaw Mountain Trail
2.4 miles
Grab stunning views of fall’s vibrant leaf color from Kennesaw Mountain’s summit, with views of Marietta, Atlanta and Stone Mountain in the distance. The hike to the summit is a workout, but worth it, for some exceptional fall photo-worthy views.
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Sawnee Mountain Preserve
Sawnee Mountain Indian Seats Trail
4 miles
Hike the Indian Seats Trail to summit Sawnee Mountain, an outstanding overlook with beautiful, long-range views of the North Georgia mountains peppered with red, orange and gold fall colors.
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North Allatoona Lake
Pine Log Creek Trail and Quarry
4.4 miles
Hike the Pine Log Creek Trail through rolling forest near Cartersville and take in the vibrant fall explosion as colors dance across the rippling waters of the historic water-filled quarry.
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Red Top Mountain State Park
Iron Hill Loop Trail
3.8 miles
Explore the shores of Allatoona Lake on the Iron Hill Trail at Red Top Mountain as it winds along the banks of a picturesque peninsula. Enjoy beautiful, continuous views of the lake’s blue-green water, framed in the brilliant colors of fall.
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Chattahoochee River
Gold Branch Trail at Bull Sluice Lake
3.5 miles
Hike the Gold Branch Trail along the wildlife-filled banks of Bull Sluice Lake and the Chattahoochee River near Roswell. The trail provides serene views of the river, and the vibrant fall colors reflecting on the Chattahoochee’s gentle current.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS![Top fall foliage hikes in North Georgia: our top ten favorite trails]()
North Georgia Adventures
Best fall foliage hikes in North Georgia
There’s nothing like a great autumn road trip to the ultra-scenic North Georgia mountains. Follow these ten top trails to lofty mountain summits and tumbling waterfalls framed in fall’s brilliant leaf color.
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What to pack?
Our favorite hiking gear
Ready to hit the trail, but wondering what to pack? Our hiking gear list features our favorite, trail-tested hiking gear for day hikes on local trails and in the Georgia backcountry. We print and stitch our Atlanta Trails shirts and hats locally in Atlanta and Asheville, and they’re our favorite for trail adventures all over the South. And no matter what you pack in, pack it all back out. Please leave no trace and help preserve Georgia’s beauty.
OUR HIKING GEAR LIST
Please Remember
Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.
Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you're going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials, and don't rely on a mobile phone to find your way. Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.
