Georgia Adventurers Group

Hiking_Kennesaw Mountain Trail

The Kennesaw Visitor Center- Kennesaw Mountain Trail to the Summit and then back down Kennesaw Mountain Trail. Total 2 miles. Depending on your fitness level, this may be easy/moderate/intense. Generally, 2-3 miles per hour/expect 1 hour.

Bring water
Wear hiking shoes/boots if you have them.

Dogs on leashes are welcome. We may have our 2 wiggle-butts.

We will meet at the Visitor Center Parking Lot at 900 Kennesaw Mtn Dr.

We will leave promptly at 6:30pm; please be on time. Allow additional 5-10 minutes if you need to park in the overflow lot and walk over.

Parking pass is required (per vehicle) for Kennesaw Mtn Parking Lots- more here: https://www.nps.gov/kemo/planyourvisit/fees.htm.

If you'd like to meet us ahead of time and car pool to the parking lot, coordinate at least 1 day beforehand please.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Please Support our Club with a Donation :
https://www.meetup.com/georgiaadventurersgroup/events/297772095/

Please read all info below if you are new to this hike. This week we'll do Bowman's Island which is about 4.8 miles with some hill climbing, so not an easy or beginner hike. There is a fee to park, payable at Kiosk at park entrance, if you don't have an annual pass. Restroom at lot. Optional lunch afterwards at our group favorite BBQ restaurant, Cue's:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cue+Barbecue/@34.1711953,-84.1448114,15.25z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x88f59aeaa220c50d:0x161585ab36218518!8m2!3d34.1679899!4d-84.1235961!16s%2Fg%2F1tf669tl?hl=en&entry=ttu

Key Hike info and Policies:

Prompt Departure Policy: Out of respect for the majority of people who arrive on time, we will leave promptly at the designated time, allowing 1-2 minutes of "grace period". If you arrive late, please text or call me at 770-875-4493 and I will let you know where we are on the trail so you can catch up to the group.

What: A moderate-pace hike of about 4 to 5.5 miles, in about 2 hours, with 2-4 short (2-3 mins) rest stops.

When: Every Wednesday at 11AM.

Where: We semi-rotate around to various locations within about 1 hour of Atlanta. Current venues include Red Top Mountain state park (Homestead and Iron Hill trails); Jones Bridge (Johns Creek); Bowman's Island (Buford), Laurel Ridge (Buford), Sawnee Preserve (Cumming), Vickery Creek (Roswell), and Kennesaw Mountain park (a couple of different trails) (Marietta). Additional venues may be added in the future.

Who: Usually about 15-20 people attend each hike, though we've had as many as 30+. We are a friendly group and do our best to make newcomers feel welcome.

Difficulty/Fitness-level: First of all, If you are looking for a fast-paced workout hike, THIS IS NOT THE HIKE FOR YOU. When hiking our pace is generally 2.7mph, though on some flat stretches we might be going as much as 2.9mph. Second, most of our hikes have at least some hill climbing involved, so these are NOT Easy or Beginner hikes.

Please be prepared to abide by these Polices:

1: You need to keep up with the group, meaning if you are hiking in the back you need to keep in sight of the main group. No individually stopping for 5 minutes to take pictures or sight see. We hike as a group.

2: If for any reason you have to leave the group, you need to let me know in advance (in person or via phone/text), and then message me when you are back to the parking lot so we know you are safe.

3: We leave on time (see policy details above)

4: Meetup is not a pickup dating site. Continually bothering/harassing people for dates, phone numbers, etc. will not be tolerated (it's also illegal).

5: This group is friendly and social, and lots of good conversations take place, which is great and encouraged. However, I would ask you to please be careful about sensitive subjects (politics, religion, etc) as not everyone agrees with you and wants to hear that stuff on the trail. Be considerate of people with whom you are conversing, and also those within earshot.

6: Dogs are welcome everywhere we hike except Sawnee Preserve and Laurel Ridge, but are required to be on a leash, and under control, at all times.

7: Please keep your event RSVP up to date. I do not have limits on attendee numbers, so you can add or remove your name from the attendee list as you wish without needing to be concerned about getting or keeping a spot. You can add your name at the last minute if necessary, or remove it the morning of the hike if your plans change. But please don't leave your name on the list and then be a no show - this is inconsiderate and unnecessary on this hike, and against GAG policy.

Please remember to contribute to the funding of GAG :
https://www.meetup.com/georgiaadventurersgroup/events/297772095/

Camp Merrill Open House 2026

One day a year, Camp Frank D. Merrill Ranger training facility at the end of a long mountain road near Dahlonega, opens its doors to welcome civilians.

That day is coming up on Saturday, April 25th, from 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. It promises to be a great event for those who want to see and experience first-hand what tough Ranger military training is like.

Fly-bys by Black Hawk helicopters will be part of the day’s activities.
At Camp Merrill, one of the three phases of Ranger training takes place—known as the toughest of all military leadership training.

Google : images, Camp Merrill Open House
That will show you images from past years

The Camp Merrill training is the mountain phase, following the Ft. Benning, Georgia phase and preceding the swamp phase at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Only about 50 percent of those who enter pass the 61-day training course. During Ranger training, the soldiers will face conditions tougher than those in active combat: sleep and food deprivation, cold, extreme fatigue, raids, attacks and worse. Rangers develop the skills and qualities which will be critical to their survival and to the strength of our military.

The Rangers will give civilians an up-close perspective of these skills during the Battalion Open House. Most of the Open House events will take place on the airfield at the Camp. Guests will be treated to a Rangers-in-action demonstration, as well as a hands-on display of U.S. military equipment and weapons.

In past years, visitors have been allowed to shoot the weapons themselves, using blanks. Get there early for shooting, as a long line will form later in the day.

Civilians will get to watch the night vision equipment being used, and then will be able to use the equipment themselves in a specially-setup facility.

Back on the airfield, exciting fly-bys and displays will showcase the Black Hawk helicopter; possibly Apache and Chinooks will be included as well.

Ranger will demonstrate their skills for civilians. A military free fall parachute jump will be part of the action. In a thrilling “spies and fries” demo, Rangers will do an extraction by helicopter.

Camp Merrill has a state-of-the-art mountaineering center, and mountaineering will also be demonstrated.