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The river

The Chattahoochee River in Roswell, GA: parks, Riverwalk and NPS units

The short answer

Roswell, Georgia sits on the north bank of the Chattahoochee River, and Visit Roswell counts a nine-mile stretch in the city. The City runs the Roswell Riverwalk and Azalea Park on Azalea Drive. The National Park Service runs the Vickery Creek Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, where a $5 day pass is required. Riverside Park is closed for renovation until summer 2027.

Last checked October 18, 2026

A perfectly still river at low sun in late autumn: wooded hills in orange, rust, gold and green reflect in deep-blue water that fills the lower two-thirds of the frame. A shadowed bank of bare and bronze trees runs along the right, and a faint power line crosses the hillside on the left. Cloudless pale-blue sky.
Photo: Scott Long, CC BY 3.0

Looking for a put-in?

Launches, rentals, fees and who runs each spot are on the river access page, with a matcher that finds the right place for what you want to do.

The river and the town

Roswell exists because of this water. The New Georgia Encyclopedia says Roswell King came to the Cherokee gold country after gold was found in 1828 and saw the waterpower where Vickery (Big) Creek meets the Chattahoochee. The mills he and his sons built stood on the creek, and their ruins are in Old Mill Park today. That story is on the history page and the Roswell Mill page.

Visit Roswell says the city has a nine-mile stretch of the river, with trails, water access, a riverwalk and playgrounds. Across the river are Cobb County and the City of Sandy Springs, so not every park you can see belongs to Roswell.

The Roswell Riverwalk

The City of Roswell’s Riverwalk is a greenway and boardwalk along the river. Visit Roswell says it crosses Bull Sluice Lake from Azalea Drive to Willeo Road. It links Azalea Park, Don White Memorial Park and Willeo Park. Visit Roswell tags it pet friendly; the City pages we read state no leash rule for it. While Riverside Park is rebuilt, the City says pedestrian routes will be kept open.

City river parks

  • Visit Roswell says Azalea Park, 203 Azalea Drive, is a riverfront park with a canoe and kayak launch, picnic area, playground and access to the Roswell Riverwalk, open dawn to dusk. Visit Roswell (Roswell CVB): Azalea Park
  • Azalea Park, 203 Azalea Drive (City of Roswell): canoe and kayak launch, fishing, picnic area, playground, restrooms and Riverwalk access, open dawn to dusk. Nantahala Outdoor Center runs its Roswell rental outpost here.
  • Don White Memorial Park, 925 Riverside Road (City of Roswell): canoe and kayak launch, fishing docks, picnic area and a Riverwalk link. NOC tube trips start here and float about 1.5 miles to Azalea Park.
  • Willeo Park, 8700 Willeo Road (City of Roswell): a small lot at one of the Riverwalk’s entry points. NPS parking data lists 10 spaces, 1 of them ADA.
  • Garrard Landing Park, 8000 Holcomb Bridge Road (City of Roswell, Alpharetta mailing address): upstream of downtown, with a launch for canoes, kayaks, rafts and tubes.

Riverside Park is closed until 2027

The City closed Riverside Park, 575 Riverside Road, on Feb. 1, 2026 for a bond-funded renovation and expects it to reopen in summer 2027. Council approved a $13.8 million total budget on Dec. 8, 2025. The Riverside Sounds concerts are on hold until further notice, and no 2027 dates are published. Older guides still send visitors there; the City’s Riverside Park page is the one to trust.

The national recreation area

Much of the riverbank and the Vickery Creek woods belong to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, run by the National Park Service. Its rules and fees are federal, not the City’s.

Vickery Creek Unit

The NPS lists five access points: Grimes Bridge Road trailhead, Oxbo Road, Covered Bridge, Allenbrook and Riverside Road. The unit has 7.4 miles of hiking trail and a picnic area, the Ivy Mill ruins near the mouth of Big Creek, and the Allenbrook house (built 1851 to 1856). The NPS Riverside and Allenbrook lots have 5 spaces each. The Covered Bridge entrance starts at the City’s Old Mill Park, 95 Mill Street, where parking is free. On Jan. 9, 2026 the NPS signed off on City trail, bridge and parking work in the unit; we found no construction date.

Island Ford, Gold Branch and Johnson Ferry

  • Island Ford Unit, 8800 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs: park headquarters and the Hewlett Lodge visitor center, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Dec. 25). It has 4.9 miles of trail and a canoe and raft launch.
  • Gold Branch Unit, Lower Roswell Road, Cobb County: woods on the west shore of Bull Sluice Lake above Morgan Falls Dam, with about 4.9 miles of trail and lake fishing.
  • Johnson Ferry Unit: below Morgan Falls Dam, with a launch for power boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts and tubes.

Fees and hours, as the NPS publishes them

  • “Standard Pass $5.00. Private Vehicle $5.00: “Private vehicle pass admits one private vehicle and its occupants for one day.” Per Person $5.00: “Required for visitors age 16+ entering on foot or by bicycle.” Annual Pass $40.00. “This park does not accept cash.” “Children under the age of 16 don’t need an entrance pass.””
  • “The park lands and waters are open for day-use only from dawn to dusk year round. Dawn is defined as 30 minutes before legal sunrise and dusk is defined as 30 minutes after legal sunset.”

Passes can be bought in person at the Island Ford visitor center by credit or debit card. Full details are on the NPS fees page.

Chattahoochee Nature Center

The Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, is a nonprofit, not part of the NPS or the City. It covers 127 acres with about 2.5 miles of trails, including the ADA-accessible River Boardwalk Trail. General admission is $20 for adults; parking is free. Pets are not allowed, except service animals. See its visit page.

River events

Oct23Fri

Halloween Hikes at Chattahoochee Nature Center

Organiser date for 2026
  • Oct 23 – Oct 25
  • Oct. 23 and 24, 6 to 10 PM; Oct. 25, 5 to 9 PM (event text). The listing's time field says 7 to 11 PM.
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center

A self-guided trick-or-treat hike around the nature center near the river, with themed houses, crafts, face painting and food trucks. Tickets are needed.

Oct. 23 to 25, 2026 on Roswell365 and Visit Roswell. The two listings give different hours, so check the nature center's tickets page.

Add to calendar: Google Apple / Outlook (.ics)

Advance: $20 members, $25 general public; $30 day-of Source: Roswell365: Halloween Hikes, checked 2026-10-18

Jan—TBA

Riverside Sounds concert series

No dates published. The City closed Riverside Park on Feb. 1, 2026 and put Riverside Sounds on hold; do not promise a 2027 season.
  • No 2026 or 2027 concerts announced
  • Riverside Park (closed for renovation)

The City's free outdoor concert series at Riverside Park on the Chattahoochee. The City says the series is on hold until further notice while the park is rebuilt; the park is expected to reopen in summer 2027.

Source: Roswell Connections (City of Roswell news): Riverside Park renovation, checked 2026-10-18

Every downtown date is on the events calendar. To pair the river with Canton Street or the mill, use the day planner. Thinking of living near the water? See living in Roswell.

Every river place, with its source

Questions

Can you see the old Roswell mill ruins?

Yes. Visit Roswell says the ruins of the Roswell Manufacturing Company mills lie along the Old Mill Trail on Vickery Creek, near a 30-foot dam and millrace. An interpretive trail beside the Machine Shop at Old Mill Park, 95 Mill Street, leads to the ruins and the waterfall. The National Park Service also protects the Ivy Mill ruins near the mouth of Big Creek.

Source: Visit Roswell (Roswell CVB): Historic Sites

What is the covered bridge at Vickery Creek?

Visit Roswell says the Vickery Creek Covered Pedestrian Bridge, in Old Mill Park, is a footbridge linking the historic district with the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. It says the bridge was built in 2005, spans 161 feet and is the newest covered bridge in Georgia. The National Park Service lists a Covered Bridge entrance for its Vickery Creek unit.

Source: Visit Roswell (Roswell CVB): Historic Sites

Do I need to pay to hike at Vickery Creek?

The Vickery Creek trails are part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, and the National Park Service says an entrance pass is required there. The standard pass costs $5 and is valid for one day; an annual pass is $40. The park lists five Vickery Creek access points, including the Covered Bridge, Riverside Road and Oxbo Road entrances.

Source: National Park Service, Chattahoochee River NRA: Fees & Passes

Is Riverside Park open?

No. The City says Riverside Park, 575 Riverside Road, closed on February 1, 2026 for a bond-funded renovation and is expected to reopen in summer 2027. The Riverside Sounds concert series, usually held there, is on hold until further notice. The park covers about 21 acres on the river and, the City says, gets more than 130,000 visitors a year.

Source: Roswell Connections (City of Roswell news): Roswell Approves Major Bond-Funded Renovation of Riverside Park

Where can I get to the Chattahoochee River in Roswell?

Visit Roswell says the city has a nine-mile stretch of the river. Azalea Park, 203 Azalea Drive, has a canoe and kayak launch, picnic area, playground and Riverwalk access, open dawn to dusk. The Roswell Riverwalk boardwalk runs along Bull Sluice Lake from Azalea Drive to Willeo Road. Riverside Park is closed for renovation until summer 2027.

Source: Visit Roswell (Roswell CVB): Azalea Park

What is the Historic Gateway project on Atlanta Street?

The City says the Historic Gateway covers SR 9/South Atlanta Street between Marietta Highway (SR 120) and the Chattahoochee River bridge, replacing the reversible lanes with a four-lane street. Council approved the design in 2012 and GDOT began buying right of way in April 2018. In January 2026 the National Park Service approved related Vickery Creek work.

Source: Roswell Connections (City of Roswell news): Historic Gateway Project (Apr. 4, 2025)

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Roswell

Living here

Like an evening on Canton Street? See what living near it looks like.

Gold Peach Realty is the Georgia brokerage behind this guide. If a day in historic Roswell has you thinking about a house near the river, a walk to Canton Street or an easier drive to the mountains, our agents will show you what is actually for sale.

Visit Gold Peach Realty Call Gold Peach Realty (770) 283-1223

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