Outside Atlanta Is A Georgia Gem With Unique Wildlife, Scenic Nature Walks, And A Rustic Cabin

Atlanta is a bustling metropolis known for having the busiest airport in the world. With its abundance of major attractions like the World of Coca-Cola museum and the Georgia Aquarium, opportunities to wind down as you move from place to place may be few and far between. However, just outside Atlanta, there's another attraction where you can be surrounded by forest and wildlife.

Roughly 30 to 40 minutes from the city center lies Bear Creek Nature Center, a 45-acre environmental education center located in the Chattahoochee Hills. You can reach it from downtown by taking I-85 to South Fulton Parkway. But since the center is in a rural area with limited public transportation, travelers arriving from out of town without a vehicle may want to rent a car or call for an Uber or Lyft.

Once there, visitors can view numerous "animal ambassadors" inside and surrounding its rustic wood cabin, which you'd never guess was "built from a magazine catalog order in the 80s," according to the Bear Creek Nature Center website. There, visitors can get an up-close look at the center's native bat as well as native raptors, including an Eastern screech owl named Owlbert Einstein. The wildlife exhibits are only part of the experience at Bear Creek Nature Center, though.

Bear Creek Nature Center's setting in the woods gives visitors much to explore. Start with the mile-long Blue Trail loop that passes through what the center calls "rare-to-see old-growth forest." One Google Maps reviewer described the trail as "not too intense" and also praised the beautiful scenery. Visitors can also access three other trails connecting to Cochran Mill Park, known for its serene atmosphere and stunning waterfalls.

The Blue and Green trails connect near the nature center. The Green Trail then extends toward Bear Creek through dense forest and granite outcrops. But be sure to keep an eye out for an unexpected landmark during your hike: A filming location from "The Walking Dead" on the loop's eastern section. If you're interested in seeing more of the TV show's filming locations in "the Hollywood of the South," check out Senoia, just over 40 minutes to the south of the nature center.

From the Green Trail's western section, visitors can cross a bridge over the creek and pick up the 1.6-mile Orange Trail. A Hiker on AllTrails who has completed this loop said that it was "not crowded at all," but also cautioned future visitors about potential overgrowth, writing, "Be mindful about where you step." From the Orange Trail, continue onto the shorter Red Trail, which leads past Cochran Mill Road.

If possible, travelers should time their trip around one of Bear Creek Nature Center's seasonal events. The yearly Bat Fest offers a full day of activities the whole family can enjoy, where visitors can see wildlife up close, enjoy science and art activities, dance to live music, and grab a meal at one of several locally owned food trucks. Each April, you can learn about pollinators and birds of prey at the Wild Earth Backyard Bash. In June, the center highlights its reptile animal ambassadors during the Reptile Rally.

Bear Creek keeps fairly limited hours, opening from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $3 per person, with an additional $2 for parking (as of publication). For two adults and two children, the total comes to $14. One Google Maps reviewer thought this was a bargain, writing, "It was super cheap to be able to see and learn about some really unique animals."

In terms of overnight accommodations, there aren't too many options in the immediate area. The closest ones you'll find are near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Travelers can always head to downtown Atlanta, which has an even larger selection of hotels, along with some of the city's best breakfast restaurants for the following morning.