Olmsted Linear Park (above) consists of five connected urban parks: Springdale, Virgilee, Shady Side, Dellwood, and Deepdene.

Historic Fourth Ward Park's Clear Creek Basin at night.

Community Resources - Parks and Walking Trails

Lions Gates sits at the literal crossroads of two of Atlanta's most notable parks -- Freedom Park, the largest in the city, and the Olmsted Linear Park, designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead, the architect of New York City's Central Park. Additionally, there are a myriad other parks within walking or biking distance, offering some of the best and most diverse parkland in the city.

WITHIN A MILE OR LESS:

Freedom Park
At 210 acres, the largest in the city, Freedom Park offers six miles of PATH Foundation bike and walking trails. The terminus of the Freedom Park Trail ends across the street from Lions Gate. For more info, go to https://candlerpark.org/freedom-park/

Olmsted Linear Park
First laid out in 1893 Joel Hurt, developer of Druid Hills, and designed by master landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the 50 acres of Olmsted Linear Park feature 2 miles of paved and natural walking paths running parallel to Ponce de Leon through a variety of public park and woodland settings. For more info go to: http://www.atlantaolmstedpark.org/

R.L. Stanton Rose Garden
1744 Ponce De Leon Avenue
Nearly an acre of roses, 900 in all, at the corner of Clifton Rd. and Ponce de Leon Ave.
Simply stunning. Operated by Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Lullwater Conservation Garden
Less than a quarter-mile from Lions Gate is real woodland retreat in the midst of the city - a carefully-tended woodland area maintained by the Lullwater Garden Club. Founded in 1928, the Garden occupies both banks of Lullwater creek as it meanders along Lullwater Road. 
http://www.lullwaterconservationgarden.com/

Peavine Creek Trail
Within a mile of Lions Gate, along the western edge of the Emory Campus, Peavine Creek offers a secluded one-mile walk along the rocky eddies of the creek. Great for walking or mountain biking. Feeds into the South Fork Peachtree Creek trail system. For more info: http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/peavine-creek.html

Candler Park
A five-minute walk along the end of the Freedom Park trail takes you to the 55-acre Candler Park, complete with a very excellent playground, swimming pool, and 9-hole golf course.
https://candlerpark.org/
​
Cator Woolford Gardens - at the eastern end of Dellwood Park
Nestled on 39 acres of mature hardwoods, the Cator Woolford Gardens are situated on one of the few remaining intact historic estates in Metropolitan Atlanta. The Gardens were originally created for Cator Woolford, one of the principle founders of Retail Credit Company (now Equifax, Inc.) Changing with the seasons, the gardens and forest are filled with dogwoods, roses, narcissi, rhododendrons, laurel, daffodils and azaleas, some of which are original to the estate. Run by the Frazier Center as an event venue (fabulous for spring weddings), it is open to the public year round. For more info: https://www.catorwoolfordgardens.org/

Walking Tour of Druid Hills
Sponsored by the Atlanta Preservation Center, is offered on select Saturdays at 10 AM, usually from Spring through Fall. View Druid Hills' stunning legacy of historic homes and architecture; tour led by knowledgeable docents. Tickets, $10. Check for scheduling <here>

Maid's Walks of Druid Hills 
One of intown Atlanta's best-kept secrets. They're called "Maid's Walks" or "Twittens" or sometimes just "cut-throughs." They're public-access, mostly paved, pedestrian walkways connecting the mid-block sections of many of Druid Hills's avenues. For a map, <click here>.

FURTHER AFIELD:

Historic Fourth Ward Park
One of Atlanta's newest parks. the H4WP sits next to Atlanta's new Beltline and features the 2-acre Clear Creek Basin, playgrounds, a splashpad, and a skatepark designed by Tony Hawk. For more info: www.h4wpc.org

Atlanta Beltline 
Although the 22-mile light rail transit component of the Beltline has yet to be constructed, good sections of the accompanying walk-and-bike trail are open. You can reach the Beltline from The Path, which begins in the southeast corner of Ponce de Leon and Lullwater Road/Fairfield Road. The route provides a traffic-free way to get to Candler, Freedom, and Piedmont parks. For more info click https://www.beltline.org/

Piedmont Park
Probably Atlanta's best-known and most-visited park, a 165-acre wonderland of lakes, biking/walking trails, event venues, forest trails, dog parks and much more. Not to be missed: Piedmont Park's newly opened Northwoods.  For more info: http://www.piedmontpark.org/

The Lake Claire Community Land Trust
The Land Trust is a quirky and wonderful hodge-podge of New Age and Old Hippie. There are hand painted signs pointing the way to the drum circle, the compost toilets, and "the exact center of the known universe." A giant pile of wood chips greets visitors as they enter the site. A very handsome stage and gazebo give the upper area some structure, and there are gardens as well as naturalistic areas throughout the maze-like paths. Located at the end of Arizona Avenue in the Lake Claire neighborhood, the Land Trust is a privately owned park that is shared with neighborhood residents -- please respect this generous gift. For more info: http://lcclt.org/

Fernbank Forest
Fernbank Forest is a 65-acre tract of relatively undisturbed mature mixed hardwood forest. It is a small remnant of the type of forest vegetation that originally covered the Piedmont region of Georgia, including the Atlanta metropolitan area. The forest includes some of the world tallest specimens in the world of several tree species.  It features 1.5 miles of walking trails, includes a pond, a bird-watching perch, and plant-ID signage. For more info: https://www.fernbankmuseum.org/explore/permanent-features/fernbank-forest/

South Fork Conservancy.
The conservancy works to conserve the south fork of Peachtree Creek, to rest ore native flora and fauna along its banks, and   connect neighborhoods with a series of trails and parks. The two closest of its trails are Peavine Trail, a soft-surface adventure in woods that include the Peavine Confluence Rain Garden, and Zonolite Partk,1.5 miles of gravel trails through 13 acres. For more information, go to www.southforkconservancy.org

For a Google map of these and other nearby parks, click here. 

​

A cathedral of trees in the Fernbank Forest.

The Lake Claire Land Trust features the "Exact Center of the Known Universe," as well a maze of community gardens.