Atlanta's location on the Atlantic Piedmont provides hills and a few mountains for a wide range of runs. The Chattahoochee River and the Beltline let you avoid traffic for long stretches, in the countryside or city.
Using data from fitness app Strava and other trail route sources, we found the most popular, interesting, and challenging routes in and around the city.
Piedmont Park
Midtown/Ansley Park/Virginia Highland
Atlanta's main park provides a series of looping trails for 3.1 miles of gradual incline, earning Strava's title of most popular running route in the city. The long-time home of expositions and other civic events, the park today is a main getaway from nearby downtown. The Active Oval Loop, surrounding a set of ball fields, provides a faster .55 mile area for sprints. On the eastern side of the park, the main existing portion of the Beltline multi-use trail heads south, while a newer portion heads north.
More details on the official site and Strava >>
The Eastside Beltline
Midtown/Old Fourth Ward/Virginia Highlands
An old section of a railway loop around the city has been transformed into one of Atlanta's main outdoor recreation and commuter routes. It's paved and multi-use for the main 3.8 miles between Piedmont Park in the north and Freedom Park in the south. An in-progress extension has started to provide an additional two miles to the north, with nearly half of it still dirt. Along the urban corridor, you'll get to enjoy city skyline views and occasional natural areas, plus conveniences like bathrooms and places to eat and drink.
More details on the official site and Strava >>
Cochran Shoals/Chattahoochee River
Cumberland/Northwest Atlanta
Flowing along a natural geological fault line, this National Recreation Area provides a scenic riverside run north of the city center. The Shoals dirt route is around 3.1 miles round-trip, with another 5.2 or so upriver along Columns Drive (which Strava runners frequent). The forests and marshes provide extra greenery, that you'll enjoy alongside crowds of other runners from far and wide.
More details on the official site and Strava >>
Stone Mountain Park
Stone Mountain
The unusual geological projection rising from the Atlantic Piedmont provides scenic views and a steep climb beloved by serious runners in the area, along with all sorts of other sightseers. The main route follows the base of the mountain and nearby lakes—and Confederate Civil War memorials—for most of the loop, then sends you on a one-mile ascent, for a total of 7.1 miles.
More details on the official site and Strava >>
Freedom Park
Old Fourth Ward/Little Five Points/Atkins Park
Developed through a series of compromises between local communities and freeway planners, the park today includes Jimmy Carter's presidential library and a wide variety of art installations, including dedications to local civil rights leaders. The laterally-situated park includes a popular 3.9-mile route that connects to the BeltLine on the eastern side and a 17-mile one-way to Stone Mountain on the west.
More details on the official site and Strava >>
