Herbert Greene Park is one of our favorite natural areas in Atlanta, located near the Boulder Park neighborhood just outside I-285. Boulder Park is indeed named for the ancient, rounded rock formations found along the west side of Atlanta and extending through Palmetto, GA, and we’ll see some of these in Herbert Greene. Herbert Greene Park was recently inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network, so we’ll talk about the high quality forest and the species we find in the park.
A rustic nature trail takes us along the banks of Utoy Creek, which offers a beautiful “morning light” view of the creek as it enters the park from the adjacent neighborhood. The creek takes a deep bend with a sandbar, then flows on through a diverse native forest.
Majestic Beech trees show a forest well on the way to recovery, and Sycamore and River Birch, which have distinctive, artful bark patterns, adorn the banks of Utoy Creek, which at this point has attained river status, just before joining the Chattahoochee River. Scarlet Oak and Sourwood contribute a range of autumn reds, and Basket Oak (Swamp Chestnut Oak), unusual for our area, can also be found here. More wildlife than is usual for an urban zone call this natural area home, from deer to otter to migratory birds.
We’ll walk approximately 1.5-2 miles at a slow, easy pace on flat terrain. At this time of year we should be seeing some great fall color, and we’ll stop in several locations giving folks time to take photographs.