Kennesaw Mountain rises from the rolling landscape just north of Atlanta, towering over the surrounding forest and suburban sprawl that surround it and its smaller, neighboring peak, Little Kennesaw. The mountains and their surrounding National Battlefield Park offer over twenty miles of trails that weave through forests, over mountaintops, and through grassy meadows, and make for a great run, hike or outdoor adventure near town.
The park’s now-beautiful landscape was once the site of a bloody, muddy Civil War battle. Entrenched Confederate soldiers fought approaching Union troops on the mountain during the war’s Atlanta campaign. Thousands lost their lives on Kennesaw’s mountains, hills, and fields during a grueling, 14-day battle.
Today, the mountain’s somber history cannons, earthen fortifications, trenches, and monuments are the few reminders of the mountain’s place in history. The mountain offers a lesson in history, as well as a great outdoor escape. The park’s many miles of trails explore mountain summits, grassy meadows, shady forests and meandering creeks, offering a great trail run, hike, or walk through beautiful, scenic terrain.
Note: Beginning November 13, 2019, the National Park Service will be charging a $5 per vehicle entrance fee with a $40 annual pass option at Kennesaw Mountain.
Kennesaw Mountain: our favorite hikes
These adventures vary in difficulty and in length. They’re all uniquely different and fully worthy of a day hike or trail run. Catch views of the Atlanta city skyline from the mountain’s summit, visit Civil War memorials and monuments, and trek through gently rolling, stream-filled forests. Wherever your adventures take you, please help preserve the history and beauty of the mountain’s trails, battlefields, and summits. Please pack out everything you pack in, remember to leave no trace, and don’t walk or climb on historic earthworks or cannons.
Battlefield Trail
11 MILE LOOP
Hike this epic eleven mile loop to stunning summit views from Kennesaw and Little Kennesaw, across grassy, open battlefields, and through rolling forest. From meadows to soaring summits, this 11-mile adventure explores the mountain’s beautiful, diverse terrain.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS
Cheatham Hill and Kolb Farm Loop Trail
5.8 MILE LOOP
This popular trail run departs Cheatham Hill, the site of a bloody battle, exploring beautiful meadows and a stream-filled forest and visiting the Kolb’s Farm battlefield before looping back to to the trailhead. It’s a great, scenic, just-under-10k run, or a mid-distance, beginner-friendly hike.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS
Environmental Trail
1.35 MILES
The Environmental Trail explores the mountain’s lower elevations on a kid-friendly loop. Nine illustrated signs explain the surrounding forest ecosystem as the trail explores a rocky slope, trickling creek, and diverse forest.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS
Kennesaw Mountain Trail
2.1 MILES
The park’s most popular hike climbs through sharp switchbacks to crest the mountain’s rocky, open summit. The mountain’s summit views are worth the effort, offering breathtaking views of the Atlanta skyline far on the horizon.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS
24 Gun Trail
3.5 MILES
Hike or run this two-trail duo on the mountain’s lower elevations. The 24 Gun Trail treks through a rocky, rolling forest to a grassy meadow bordered by earthworks, the site of a Union encampment. Then loop the boulder-dotted Environmental Trail, exploring beautiful forest ecosystems.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS
Our favorite hiking gear
What to pack?
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.
