Peachtree Creek Greenway: Atlanta's North-Side Trail Corridor in Progress
The Peachtree Creek Greenway follows one of Atlanta's main tributaries through Buckhead and north Atlanta, threading established floodplain forest between Bobby Jones Golf Course and the neighborhoods north of the BeltLine. Parts of the trail are complete; others are still in development.
Published June 30, 2026Peachtree Creek is one of the defining natural features of north Atlanta, draining roughly 83 square miles before joining the Chattahoochee River in Buckhead. For most of its urban reach, the creek is hemmed in by roads, utility corridors, and backyards, running unseen behind neighborhoods that barely acknowledge it. The Peachtree Creek Greenway project aims to change that — threading a continuous trail corridor along the creek's floodplain from the BeltLine in the south to Bobby Jones Golf Course and the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center corridor in the north.
The greenway is a work in progress. The northern built segment, running roughly 1.5 miles from the Bobby Jones Golf Course parking area off Northside Drive NW toward the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, is the most developed and accessible section today. Planning, design, and land acquisition for southern extensions remain underway. What exists is worth visiting; what is planned represents one of the more significant trail investments in north Atlanta's recent history.
Key Access Points
| Access Point | Location | What You Find |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Jones Golf Course Lot | 384 Woodward Way NW, Atlanta | Main trailhead parking, trail entrance near the course's south edge, creek views immediately |
| Bitsy Grant Tennis Center | 2125 Northside Dr NW, Atlanta | Northern terminus of built segment, street parking on Northside Drive, restrooms at tennis center |
| Frankie Allen Park | Intersection of Peachtree Hills Ave NE area | Small neighborhood park adjacent to creek corridor, informal access path down to creek bank |
| Peachtree Hills Pedestrian Bridge | Peachtree Hills area | Footbridge over creek, connection point between east and west bank trail sections |
Along the Creek: Ecology and Wildlife
The riparian forest along Peachtree Creek's floodplain is the trail's main ecological draw. Mature sycamores lean over the water, their mottled white bark unmistakable even in summer's green density. Tulip poplars rise straight and tall in the slightly higher sections of the floodplain, while river birch clusters at the water's edge. This is relatively intact riparian forest for an intown corridor, and the wildlife reflects it.
Great blue herons are present year-round and almost guaranteed to be spotted on any morning walk — they stand motionless in the shallows or lift off on their six-foot wingspans from the gravel bars that form on the creek's inside bends. Belted kingfishers are equally reliable, patrolling the same reach of creek repeatedly through the day, perching on overhanging branches and diving with an audible splash. In quieter sections you may hear the dry rattling call before you see the bird.
Wood ducks nest in tree cavities along the floodplain and use the creek as a foraging corridor. The best wood duck sightings come in early morning in spring, when pairs move along the creek between forested sections. The floodplain also supports a healthy population of barred owls — listen for their call at dawn and dusk, or scan the canopy for roosting birds in the big sycamores along the built segment.
Seasonal Guide
Spring is the prime season on the Peachtree Creek Greenway. From late February through April, spring ephemerals emerge along the floodplain margins: trout lilies in the leaf litter, patches of Virginia bluebells near seep areas, and trillium in the more undisturbed sections upslope from the creek. The canopy leafs out through April and into May, and by late May the trail is in nearly continuous shade.
Summer brings dense canopy and with it reliable shade that makes midday walks far more comfortable than on exposed greenways. The trade-off is mosquitoes, which are predictably bad near the water after rain. A light repellent is worth carrying from May through September. Kingfisher activity continues through summer, and herons can be found fishing the pools that deepen as late-summer flows drop.
Fall brings color to the sycamores and tulip poplars, typically peaking in late October. The understory opens up after leaf drop, improving visibility into the creek and making wildlife spotting easier. Winter is quiet but not without reward — the bare canopy reveals bird nests, barred owls are more visible, and the creek runs higher and faster after cold-season rains.
Planning a Visit
Park at the Bobby Jones Golf Course lot on Woodward Way NW. The lot is free, reasonably sized, and directly adjacent to the trail entrance. Weekday mornings are consistently uncrowded. The built trail surface is unpaved but well-graded in most sections; expect some mud after heavy rain, particularly in the floodplain sections nearest the creek. Sturdy walking shoes are a better choice than road running shoes after precipitation.
The Peachtree Creek Greenway's full potential as a trail corridor connecting intown neighborhoods to the north Atlanta network is still years from realization. But the existing segment along Bobby Jones Golf Course and toward Bitsy Grant delivers genuine riparian forest walking inside the city limits — something Atlanta has historically offered less of than its reputation as a green city might suggest. Follow the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. website or the Peachtree Creek Greenway project page for updates on southern extensions and construction timelines.