Building Community and Access on the Trail

At Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC), our mission is to build community, enrich lives, and catalyze support to ensure a sustainable national park for future generations. A core part of that work is helping increase access to Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), so that everyone feels welcome, represented, and connected to this incredible public space!


This Black History Month, we’re reflecting on the deep and often overlooked connections between Black history and the outdoors, while also uplifting local organizations that are actively expanding access, building community, and enriching lives through outdoor experiences today.


Exploring Access and Visibility: Who Gets to Feel Welcomed in Outdoor Spaces?

For generations, the outdoors has been a place of freedom, healing, resistance, and joy for all. Yet systemic barriers like segregation, exclusion from public lands, and ongoing inequities have limited access and visibility in outdoor spaces for people of color.


Today, Black-led and BIPOC-centered outdoor organizations are helping change that reality. Through intentional programming, shared experiences, and community-led leadership, these groups are creating entry points into nature that feel welcoming and safe. Their work aligns closely with CNPC’s belief that access to the outdoors strengthens not only individuals, but the community as a whole.

BLK Hiking Club

BLK Hiking Club is where Black hikers can explore, connect, and thrive in the great outdoors. Whether someone is new to hiking or a seasoned hiker, the club creates a welcoming space to hit the trail and feel at home. Through group hikes and shared outdoor experiences, BLK Hiking Club builds community while celebrating Black joy in nature. Their outings (with some taking place within CRNRA) center connection, movement, and belonging, helping make hiking more accessible and community-focused in Georgia and beyond.

By reinforcing that everyone belongs on the trail, BLK Hiking Club plays a powerful role in expanding access and enriching lives through experiences in the outdoors!


Learn more at blkhikingclub.com!

Black Women Adventures

Black Women Adventures Inc. is a nonprofit organization that creates inclusive, community-centered experiences supporting the mental, physial, and emotional well-being of Black women. Through guided hikes, wellness events, and intentional gatherings, participants can expect movement, connection, and restoration—rooted in joy, safety, and sisterhood—while building lasting relationships with nature and one another.


Learn more at blackwomenadventures.org!

Color My Outdoors

Who gets to feel at home in the outdoors? In the Southeast, history has long suggested it isn’t everyone, but Color My Outdoors is changing the narrative. This grassroots nonprofit helps People of Color see themselves, belong, and lead in nature. Through programs like their Wilderness Medicine Scholarship Certification, a multimedia storytelling program, a parent orientation program, and a directory of diverse-led outdoor organizations, CMO amplifies the outdoors as a welcoming and vibrant space in a region where Communities of Color are most present, yet often excluded.


Learn more at colormyoutdoors.org!


Why Access Matters at CRNRA
Increasing access to CRNRA isn’t just about trails, river access, or programming… it’s about people! When individuals feel welcome and represented in outdoor spaces, parks become places of connection and belonging.


By supporting equitable access and uplifting community partners, CNPC works to ensure that the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area reflects and serves the communities that surround it, enjoy it, and have yet to discover it.


Our Ongoing Commitment
As we honor Black History Month, we celebrate both the legacy of Black connection to the land and the ongoing work happening right now to make sure everyone feels they belong when exploring the outdoors. We’re grateful to the organizations leading this work and to the communities who continue to show up, build community, and enrich lives through shared experiences outside. With our community, we can continue creating a national park where everyone feels welcome and where the outdoors truly belongs to all.


Want to get involved? Support these organizations, explore CRNRA, and join us in building a more inclusive future for our national park!

Support Your Local National Park

If you enjoy CRNRA, consider supporting the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC). Your donation helps maintain and improve our beautiful trails and river, ensuring they remain a top destination and escape for metro Atlanta. Every contribution makes a difference in preserving this natural treasure for future generations.

Support CRNRA

Related Posts

World Wetlands Day: Why Wetlands Matter Along the Chattahoochee

January 28, 2026
Cover image by Sebastian Hagan Each year on World Wetlands Day (February 2), we pause to celebrate some of the hardest-working ecosystems on the planet. Wetlands may not always get the spotlight like mountaintops or waterfalls, but here at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), they quietly (and powerfully!) do it all. From filtering our water to protecting wildlife and people alike, wetlands are essential to the health of the river and the communities that surround it.

What Are Park Units in CRNRA?

January 8, 2026
Whitewater Creek, Island Ford, Gold Branch… why do they all have different names? Aren’t they all part of CRNRA? Yep, they are! It’s a common question! Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) is made up of 15 separate park "units," or individual greenspaces, scattered along 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River. Unlike many national parks that are one big, connected space, CRNRA is made up of individual pieces of land, like a string of pearls scattered along the river. Each unit is its own distinct park area, with its own trailheads, river access points, and natural features. So when someone says they visited “CRNRA,” that could mean they went to: Island Ford (home to the Visitor Center) Palisades (popular for hiking and views) Paces Mill, Vickery Creek, Bowmans Island, Cochran Shoals... and many more! This setup can be confusing because the park isn’t one continuous space — you might drive 10 or 20 minutes between units. But together, they make up the full and beautiful Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area! Want to explore them all? Check out our interactive map and full list of park units on our website to discover a new favorite spot along the river!

Chattahoochee River NRA and Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy Kick Off Trail Transformation Project at Island Ford Headquarters

January 8, 2026
Date: December 7, 2025 Contact: Patrick Gamman, Acting Superintendent , 678-538-1200 SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. – On Dec. 7, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area launches a trail system transformation at the Island Ford unit. Visitors should be prepared for trail closures at Island Ford from January 5 until Spring of 2026. CRNRA will post updates on closures and nearby trail alternatives on its website at nps.gov/chat , on social media @chattahoocheerivernps, and in the Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center at Island Ford, which will remain open to the public seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The National Park Service, in partnership with the CRNRA’s official friends’ group, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy, will begin this park-wide project at Island Ford, home to park headquarters and the Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center. The Island Ford project includes trail rehabilitation and an additional 2.2 miles of trails to improve long-term use, access, and park preservation. This project is the first step in implementing CRNRA’s Comprehensive Trails Management Plan, published in 2022. The plan calls for trail enhancements at every park unit with more durable paths, resource conservation, and a better experience for visitors. The plan further adds 33 miles of new trails throughout the park—a 50% increase—including pedestrian-only, bicycle/multi-use, and ADA accessible trail miles. The jointly planned and executed project will be funded and led by the Conservancy, with public support. Trail improvements will address issues of erosion, safety, navigability, access, and protection of park resources for ongoing visitor enjoyment. Trails will be stronger and better built to withstand the numbers of visitors enjoying them every year. Additional miles of hiking trails will expand recreation opportunities and chances for solitude in the woods. Named loop hikes and improved maps will create easy-to-navigate opportunities and breathe new life into hiking, walking, and running in this green oasis beside the Chattahoochee River. For more information on the Island Ford Trail Project, visit Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy website at: https://www.chattahoocheeparks.org/iftrails For more information on Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, visit https://www.nps.gov/chat/index.htm .