Sandy Springs residents can explore their backyard national park for free on Tuesday, Aug. 25, and join volunteer trail crews throughout the week as the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) celebrates National Park Week, Aug. 22–30.
The nine-day celebration highlights a park that drew more than 3.1 million visitors in 2023 and generated $237 million in economic benefits for the north metro Atlanta region in 2024, according to data compiled by the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC). CRNRA consistently ranks among the 30 most-visited national parks in the country.
The Tuesday, Aug. 25, fee-free day marks the 110th birthday of the National Park Service. On other days during the week, daily parking passes cost $5, annual passes run $40 and senior annual passes are $20. Eighty percent of that fee revenue stays at CRNRA to fund trail improvements, maintenance and visitor services, according to the park's fee information page.
What's planned
CNPC, the park's official nonprofit partner, has scheduled paddling trips, tree species identification walks, yoga and Pilates sessions, guided hikes to historic ruins and volunteer cleanup days throughout the week, the conservancy posted on Instagram. Full schedules and RSVPs are available at chattahoocheeparks.org/events.
The conservancy is also pushing its "Heroes of the 'Hooch" membership program, which starts at $35 per year or $10 per month. Members fund trail work and conservation projects and receive discounts with outdoor retailers, behind-the-scenes updates and invitations to special events, according to CNPC's website.
Why the push matters
CRNRA stretches across more than 7,000 acres, 66 miles of hiking trails and 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River, making up 20% of metro Atlanta's total greenspace. But the park faces chronic federal funding shortfalls and staffing gaps.
"This park has been chronically underfunded, but is now facing an even more significant strain," CNPC Executive Director Brittany Jones said in a June 29, 2025, joint statement with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper about proposed federal budget cuts. "If the budget falls shorter, it will only get worse."
That urgency is part of what drives the conservancy's community fundraising model. CNPC raised more than $400,000 to complete the Island Ford Trail Project, which reopened in July with nearly 2 miles of new trail, expanding that unit's system from 4.8 miles to about 7 miles. As we reported Aug. 10, volunteers also turned out for the park's 48th birthday celebration on Aug. 15.
Over the past year, CNPC has hosted 185 community events, logged 3,365 hours of volunteer trail work and welcomed 319 Title I fourth graders for Discovery Days at Sibley Pond.
Coming up
The next monthly volunteer day after National Park Week is Sept. 5, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Johnson Ferry North unit. No experience is required. Questions can go to [email protected].
