Sandy Springs could nearly double the length of its Morgan Falls trail loop under an expansion now 60% through design.
The Sandy Springs Conservancy, Atlanta-based nonprofit PATH Foundation and design firm Kaizen Collaborative are shaping Segment 2C, a 1.6-mile trail that would extend east from Morgan Falls Overlook Park along a Chattahoochee River tributary, according to the Conservancy's project page. The route would pass through mature forest, rock outcroppings and waterfalls before connecting to Roswell Road.
The addition would grow the existing 1.8-mile Morgan Falls loop to roughly 3.4 miles.
It is also a key piece of a planned 5.6-mile continuous loop around Morgan Falls. The Conservancy said in its August 2026 newsletter that geotechnical preparation and stakeholder coordination for right-of-way agreements are underway, and that the overall design has reached 60% completion.
Council vote set for Oct. 6
Sandy Springs City Council is scheduled to consider approving a grant application for the segment on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The city has already set aside $5 million in its capital budget as a local match, Rough Draft Atlanta first reported. The full construction cost is estimated at $13.9 million, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
That earlier reporting is significant context. In early 2025, Sandy Springs applied for a Georgia Department of Natural Resources grant to cover half the cost. The grant was later rescinded amid federal budget cuts.
Route draws neighborhood concern
As the trail turns east, it would run through buffer and setback areas near several apartment complexes and close to Grogan's Bluff, a 126-acre protected neighborhood. Leaders of the Grogan's Bluff Homeowners Association have raised concerns about the trail's terminus, Rough Draft Atlanta reported, though they have expressed support for other nearby sidewalk projects.
Conservancy Executive Director John Maximuk pitched the project at the Aug. 29 Farmers Market Family Fun Day at City Springs. The Conservancy is also offering guided tours of the proposed corridor.
Building on the first segment
Segment 2C follows the 1.88-mile Segment 2A, which opened with a ribbon-cutting on May 2, 2025. That first stretch connects Morgan Falls Overlook Park to Cimarron Parkway and Roswell Road. It cost $8.5 million and was built in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, PATH Foundation and the Conservancy.
In his July 2026 newsletter message, Conservancy board chair Jack Misiura wrote that the organization "has been focused like a laser on two things," naming the Segment 2C design and the city's Next Chapter planning process.
The full Morgan Falls Park Connector envisions five segments totaling 5.4 miles, part of a larger 31-mile Springway Trail Plan spanning Sandy Springs. No construction timeline for Segment 2C has been announced beyond the Oct. 6 grant vote.
What's ahead
- Tuesday, Oct. 6: City Council considers the Segment 2C grant application.
- Guided tours: The Conservancy is offering walks along the proposed trail corridor. Contact John Maximuk at [email protected] to schedule.
