National Park Week: Favorite Hikes in Cobb County at Locations Managed by the US National Park Service

We're ending 2023 National Park Week with a recap of our favorite hikes around Cobb County parks managed by the National Park Service.

The summit trail at Kennesaw Mountain is a favorite with all ages. Posing at the top for photos always is encouraged.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCave.com

Wait, what -- National Parks in Cobb County? Well, not quite, but the National Park Service (NPS) does manage two park entities with five different sites in the county. That's because NPS is charged not only with managing our 63 official national parks, but also with more than 375 "other" park sites in18 additional naming categories. In Cobb County, that includes Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, the most visited national battlefield park in the US. And, NPS also manages the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, which has five different sites within Cobb County.

As owners of a bargain priced National Park senior pass, we visit these parks and other national parks around the country without paying admission or parking charges. So we're frequent guests at the local sites for our walking and hiking adventures. We share expanded description of all the following trails at our blog, OurTravelCafe.com, where advertising generated revenue for the site and author. We've included links below, too.

And while we haven't hiked all the trails at KeMo or The Hooch, here are our four favorites so far:

Palisades. Down in the corner of Cobb County, two locations of the Chattahoochee NRA span the river. West Palisades is in Cobb County, while East Palisades is in Fulton County on the other side. Both offer winding hikes along the riverside, offering great views of wildlife. Then, you can climb the high bluffs and get outstanding elevated views. If you choose East Palisades, don't miss the secret bamboo forest.

The river trails at either of the Palisades parks offer great views. Then you can climb the bluffs or find the bamboo forest.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

KeMo Summit. There's no better view in Cobb County that the summit of Kennesaw Mountain. With a prominence of more than 900 feet above the surrounding valley, you an see Stone Mountain, downtown Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains scanning the panorama. It's a hike-only route on weekends, but you can still drive up on weekdays. We always recommend a sunrise hike here, especially in the spring when humidity is low. For the more adventurous, a hike around KeMo's backside is longer and includes the summit, too.

The trail around KeMo's backside includes a climb up the Big Zig, then over the Saddle and finally the summit.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

Noses Creek. Located off Burnt Hickory Road, you'll find many of the remaining Union and Confederate trenches along this route. The wide trail at Noses Creek is great for walking, and horse riding also is allowed -- so watch where you step. We love following the side trails, and wetting our feet in the creek.

The main trail at Noses Creek includes a bridge. But taking the side trails involves a water crossing.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

Cheatham Hill. This trail is home to the Illinois and Texas monuments. It's also where we often spot wildlife deer, squirrels and even coyotes in the wooded areas. In the open meadows, we stop often to take shots of the wildflowers. Horses also are allowed on these trails, too.

At Cheatham Hill, we always stop for photos of the wildflowers in the meadows. And we often spot wildlife in the woods.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

More Local Hiking

If you enjoy a good hike, check out these other locations near Cobb County:

3 Favorite Cobb County Hikes

Great Dam Views at Cooper's Furnace

The View from Panoramic Pine Mountain

All Hiking Blogs by DeanLand

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