Take A Hike: East Palisades Trail and The Bamboo Forest

Have you heard about the bamboo forest in Atlanta, GA? It is one of the best-kept secrets of Atlanta! I recently had a wonderful hiking experience on East Palisades Trail and got a chance to see the bamboo forest I have seen others post about.

Since running the New York City Marathon last November I have been expanding my physical activity to more than running. I have a membership to Orange Theory and I love riding Peloton bikes. Now I can add hiking to the list!

Getting To The Bamboo Forest

The trail is beautiful and runs along the Chattahoochee River. At some of the highest points of the trail are beautiful views from an elevation so high, you can see for miles. For me, the highlight of the hike and the main reason I wanted to visit is the small bamboo forest located at the northern end of the trail. It was a little tricky to read the maps and hike the hills, but the 2-mile hike to get to the bamboo forest was totally worth it.

How I Dressed For The Hike

Summer months in Atlanta are hot. That may actually be one of the reasons Atlanta has the nickname “Hot-Lanta”. Side note: No one that lives here calls it that. LOL. Hike day was beautiful, sunny, and hot; so I dressed accordingly. I wore clothing that I would wear for an outdoor run to make sure that I was not only comfortable but capable of making it to the end of the hike. A hat and sunglasses for protection from the sun and moisture-wicking clothing (sports bra, tank, shorts and socks) were a must. I don’t own hiking shoes, so I wore my Asics Tri-Noosa sneakers. They are great for Tri-Athletes and pretty lightweight. My wallet, keys, etc. fit inside of a fanny pack that I wore around my waist.

The trail was not packed, but I did encounter several people along my hike. I would highly recommend bringing a face mask to wear when you do see people outside of your group.

Suggested Items to Bring

Getting to the bamboo forest requires an approximate two-mile hike. Of course, how fast you walk or run, will determine how long it takes for you to get there. A bottle of water is a must! It was so hot that I actually went through all of my water before I finished the hike.

Other suggested items to bring would be a small hand towel for sweat, hand sanitizer (because COVID-19), your camera to capture the awesome views and bamboo forest, and a portable charger for your phone in case you are there for a while.

My Vlog On the Experience

Hiking this trail and visiting the bamboo forest was an enjoyable experience. Even though I am an avid runner, the trail was positively challengiing and a great workout. There will definitely be more hiking for me in the future!

Check out my Vlog of the experience on my YouTube Channel.