Southside Park is, at , one of the largest parks in the
City of Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 520,070 (2024 estimate) living within the city limits, Atlan ...
.
[List of parks, alphabetical; City of Atlanta GA Parks & Recreation]
/ref> It is located along Jonesboro Road in the southern part of the city just north of the Perimeter (I-285). Although it once ranked as the city's largest park, the new Westside Park
Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (formerly Westside Park) is a park in the City of Atlanta located on the site of the former Bellwood Quarry. The park is between Johnson Road and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and between the neighborhoods of Bankhe ...
at now holds that claim. Southside Park includes 4 baseball diamonds, concession stand, 6 pickleball courts, approximately 7 miles of mountain bike and trail-running/hiking trails,[https://www.trailforks.com/] and parking lot. In 2007, the city completed a study for the development of the park. The study called out the lack of facilities in the park and the difficulty of access on foot, by bike, and by public transportation.
In 2013, the City of Atlanta funded a study by the trail consulting arm of the International Mountain Bicycling Association
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a non-profit educational association that aims to create and preserve trails for mountain bikers worldwide. The IMBA promotes mountain biking, trail building, and trail maintenance. The IM ...
(IMBA) which was completed in December 2013. The resulting Conceptual Design Report describes a potential for 6.5 miles of natural surface trail (known in mountain biking circles as "singletrack") suitable for bicyclists, runners, and hikers.
The report includes detailed trail design information and cost estimates. The planned trails are situated in a "stacked loop" system, guiding visitors through progressively more challenging terrain as they move deeper into the forest. The planned trail system features a beginner loop, intermediate loop, and advanced loop, as well as a wooden boardwalk and bridge over Poole Creek.
In 2016, the 1.2-mile beginner loop was constructed using funds donated by Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI
Recreational Equipment, Inc., doing business as REI, is an American retail and outdoor recreation services corporation. It was formerly governed, and continues to brand itself, as a consumers' co-operative. REI sells camping gear, hiking, clim ...
) under direction of the Atlanta Chapter of the Southern Offroad Bicycling Association
SORBA Atlanta.
In October 2016, the City of Atlanta and representatives of affiliated organizations and the local community officially opened the "Evergreen Trail."
Additional trail construction will proceed as SORBA Atlanta raises the necessary funds.
References
City of Atlanta, ''Southside Park Master Plan''
Parks in Atlanta
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