The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Managed by The University of Georgia
359 acres5.9 mi of trail
White TrailBlack Gum LoopPurple TrailOrange Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Henry W. Grady House · Photo: Fred D. Nichols, Photographer · Public domainB+Outdoors
Outdoors in Athens
Athens has 101 miles of mapped trails, 0.8 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: The State Botanical Garden of Georgia (5.9 mi), Virginia Callaway-Cofer Walker Park (4.9 mi), Sandy Creek Nature Center (4.7 mi). 6% of Athens’ land is conserved, about 4,766 acres. 2,673 acres are parks and preserves, 21 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns · #30 of 264 in Georgia. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
4,766 acres · of 119.2 sq mi of land
Trails
101 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,673 ac
21 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
56%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
47 mi
20 mi lanes · 20 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
19
2 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Athens?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Athens have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Athens is ahead of 71% of U.S. towns, #30 of 264 in Georgia. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Athens’ overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical GA town 2% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (101 mi) · GA 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land21 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,673 acres) · GA 9 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home56% of residents within a half mile of a park · GA 56% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 71%
LessMore
Georgia towns of 2,500+ (264)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Athens ranks #267 on Outdoors.
Few Georgia towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Athens’ 6% is ahead of 87% of Georgia towns, while its trails per square mile lead 87% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, with 5.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Virginia Callaway-Cofer Walker Park
Park
119 acres4.9 mi of trail
Drive By TruckersOrange CrushGreen TrailPanic
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sandy Creek Nature Center
Nature preserve
223 acres4.7 mi of trail
Kestrel TrailScreech Owl TrailPine Ridge TrailLevee Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Sandy Creek Park
Park
509 acres4.3 mi of trail
Lakeside TrailCook's Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Southeast Clarke Park
Park
138 acres4.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Oconee Forest Park
Managed by Warnell School of Forest Management
97 acres3.8 mi of trail
Tranquility TrailLake TrailRopes Course TrailBoardwalk Trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailhead
Memorial Park
Park
70 acres2.5 mi of trail
Birchmore Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 34 parks & preserves
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia359 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · The University of Georgia
DirectionsVirginia Callaway-Cofer Walker Park119 acres · 4.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSandy Creek Nature Center223 acres · 4.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSandy Creek Park509 acres · 4.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSoutheast Clarke Park138 acres · 4.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOconee Forest Park97 acres · 3.8 mi of trail · Warnell School of Forest Management
DirectionsMemorial Park70 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBen Burton Park36 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBishop Park33 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDudley Park37 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWhitehall Shoals Heritage and Natural Area36 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Athens-Clarke County
Aaron Heard Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsD.W. Brooks Mall6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWorld of Wonder Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Boulevard Woods2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services
DirectionsHerty Field1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Oconee River Park24 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRocksprings Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services
DirectionsAthens Church Greenspace3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsYoung Harris Terraces1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWalker Complex1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Sandy Creek Nature Center
DirectionsAlan Jaworski Plant Science Amphitheater1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Oconee River Greenway27 acres
DirectionsErwin Tract25 acres
Satterfield Park17 acres · Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services
Pittard Park9 acres
Tillman Tract7 acres · Athens-Clarke County
Wesley Whitehead Park7 acres
Timothy Park7 acres · Timothy Estates Association
Five Acre Woods6 acres · Athens-Clarke County
Pittard Disc Golf Park2 acres
Reese & Pope Park1 acres
DirectionsBloomfield Historic District Park1 acres
DirectionsMary Kahrs Warnell Memorial Garden1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,766 conserved acres
6% of Athens’ land. Who manages Athens’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land3,238 ac
Town or city1,229 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,186 ac
County1,169 ac
State natural resources225 ac
Joint71 ac
Private owners62 ac
Local Park · 2,302 acUnknown Easement · 1,793 acState Conservation Area · 1,537 acConservation Easement · 561 acResearch or Educational Area · 383 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 553 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 21 of 101 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitehall Forest State Conservation Area | Other state land | 822 | Unknown |
| Sandy Creek Park Local Park | County | 469 | Open |
| Cook'S Trail Local Park | Town or city | 427 | Open |
| Uga Dairy Farm Research or Educational Area | Other state land | 380 | Restricted |
| Tallassee Forest Local Park | County | 316 | Open |
| 2013043 Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 310 | Open |
| State Botanical Gardens Of Georgia State Conservation Area | Other state land | 296 | Open |
| Sandy Creek Nature Center Local Conservation Area | County | 194 | Open |
| Trail Creek Park Local Park | Town or city | 124 | Open |
| Southeast Clarke Park Local Park | Town or city | 122 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
112 places to go in Athens
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Athens
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Swimming spots in Athens
1 swimming spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Athens
Memorial Park Public PoolIn Memorial Park
DirectionsRocksprings Park PoolIn Rocksprings Park
DirectionsScarborough Place
DirectionsPlus 2 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Athens
Athens Christian School
Directions84 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Athens
1In Sandy Creek Park
Directions2In Sandy Creek Park
Directions3In Sandy Creek Park
DirectionsPIn Sandy Creek Park
DirectionsWiggley Field Dog ParkIn Southeast Clarke Park
DirectionsPlus 6 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Athens
Boat RampIn Sandy Creek Park
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Athens
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Athens
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Athens
West Broad Community Garden
DirectionsWinterville Community GardenWinterville
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 19 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.7 miUnpaved · 18.1 mi
Cook's Trail2.9 mi
Lakeside Trail2.7 mi
Drive By Truckers1.9 mi
Green Trail0.9 mi
Orange Crush0.9 mi
White Trail0.8 mi
Kestrel Trail0.8 mi
Screech Owl Trail0.6 mi
Pine Ridge Trail0.5 mi
Black Gum Loop0.5 mi
15 more trails
Tranquility Trail
0.5 miPurple Trail
0.5 miLevee Trail
0.5 miOrange Trail
0.5 miBlue Trail
0.5 miLake Trail
0.4 miClaypit Pond Trail
0.4 miKingfisher Pond Trail
0.3 miPanic
0.3 miLog House & Brick Factory Loop
0.3 miOconee Trail
0.2 miHooded Warbler Trail
0.2 miRed Trail
0.2 miCoal Pile Loop Trail
0.2 miCrossridge Trail
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Athens Country Club LakeAthens Waterworks PondreservoirBullocks LakelakeBurke LakeChristian LakereservoirClaypit PondpondColes LakeDekle LakelakeDupont LakereservoirKingfisher PondpondLake ChapmanLake HerricklakePettit LakeSandy Creek O Trail Creek LakeThompson LakereservoirTurtle PondpondBear CreekMcNutt CreekMiddle Oconee River
Biking & sports
47 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
20 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
20 mi
off-road bike paths
7.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
116Tennis
52Basketball
33Baseball
32Pickleball
26Beach volleyball
14Soccer
8Football
5Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →60 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 62 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Wilkins HouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itBishop HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itGov. Wilson Lumpkin HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itLucy Cobb Institute CampusBuilding · listed 1972
About itPresident's HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itOld North Campus, University of GeorgiaDistrict · listed 1972
About itGarden Club of Georgia Museum-Headquarters House,Founder's Memorial GardenDistrict · listed 1972
About itUpson HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itJames A. Sledge HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itAlbon Chase HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itFranklin HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About it48 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Athens: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 54 | 58 | 66 | 74 | 81 | 87 | 90 | 89 | 83 | 74 | 64 | 56 |
| Rain (in) | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.7 |
October is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 90 °F). 4.9 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 90 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Athens →
Next door
Athens and its neighbors
Athens has the most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | 6% | 0.8 | 21 | 56% | B+ |
| Winterville | 1% | under 0.1 | 10 | 89% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Athens
Where can I hike in Athens?
The longest trail networks: The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 5.9 miles; Virginia Callaway-Cofer Walker Park, 4.9 miles; Sandy Creek Nature Center, 4.7 miles; Sandy Creek Park, 4.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Athens is conserved land?
6% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Georgia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Athens’ trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Oconee Forest Park, Memorial Park (on leash) and Ben Burton Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Athens?
47 miles of bike routes are on the map: 20 of painted or protected lanes, 20 of off-road paths and 7.0 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Athens?
12,869 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Athens or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,673 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Athens have?
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #30 of 264 in Georgia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Athens neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →