Atlanta Area Running Routes

In the last year or so, I have taken up running. Growing up, i enjoyed competitive team and individual sports, but never really enjoyed running. It was a means to and end, something we did in practice, but never something i did purely for enjoyment. Since having kids, and being in my 30s, I don’t have the time for team sports any more, and so I have started running. At first it was just something I did on the treadmill at the East Lake YMCA (free child care!), but that gets sooooo boring, and I have started running outside occasionally on weekends while my husband watches the kids. Now that my eldest has started a preschool program three mornings a week, I would like to start running outside during those hours, with my daughter in the jogging stroller.

My son’s school is in the Lavista/Briarcliff/North Druid Hills area, and I would love to run over there. I started looking at some of the running sites on the web where people can map their favorite running routes, but the problem with them is that most don’t mention whether it would be doable with a stroller in tow. I know of some stroller-suitable paths (The PATH, Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta, local parks, the paths near the Chattahoochee, Kennesaw Mountain, etc.) but would like to find something closer to where I drop off and pick up my son.

Atlanta Track Club has a nice site with Atlanta Area Running Routes, but nothing definitively suited to running with a stroller that is also in my desired area. USA Track and Field also has a cool running routes site here.

Does anyone have a good stroller-friendly running route in the North Druid/Briarcliff/Lavista area? Or even better, is there a website out there aimed at the stroller-jogging set? I cannot be the only one who would totally dig a site like that.

13 Comments so far

  1. ATL (unregistered) on September 28th, 2006 @ 5:38 pm

    Try Lullwater Park on the Emory campus.


  2. Annie (unregistered) on September 28th, 2006 @ 6:09 pm

    What is the parking like? Is it difficult to park? Or do you have to pay to park?

    I guess I should have also included that I need to be able to walk there from my son’s school, or be able to drive an park there.


  3. robin (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 9:54 am

    I just found this site: http://www.mapmyrun.com/ and love it. In addition to mapping your own runs (it shows how far the run is, etc.) you can see runs other people have saved.

    I don’t know if there will be any “stroller friendly” specific runs but, if there aren’t, once you find some you could always them to help (the interface allows you to add comments about the run) future “stroller friendly” run seekers. ;)


  4. Annie (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 10:41 am

    Thanks, Robin. I will check it out!


  5. Jonathan (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 11:30 am

    I used to live in the highlands and loved the neighborhood runs through druid hills. The traffic should be light so the stroller should work on the roads. Also, on the south end of Druid Hills hood is the PATH trail that will lead you through Candler to Freedom Parkway. Check out http://www.pathfoundation.org/

    Re. Lullwater, you can’t park directly in the park but should be able to find parking on a side street or at a deck for Emory Hospital or Children’s Healthcare, both w/in 1 block.

    Good luck and happy running.


  6. annie (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 3:35 pm

    Thanks, Jonathon! I appreciate the pointers.


  7. james (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 4:03 pm

    i use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com for my routes.

    here’s mine for tomorrow morning – http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=465830.

    it’s probably not stroller friendly tho’ ;)


  8. Annie (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 4:27 pm

    Great, maybe my stroller and I will stalk you. JK. thanks for the link!


  9. Bill (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 4:49 pm

    There’s a book on Atlanta running routes at Phidipides (Ansley Mall). Not sure what the title is.


  10. Cletus McNirtny (unregistered) on September 29th, 2006 @ 5:09 pm

    The Lenox Park development has some nice paths around a lake and park for running. It’s located between Roxboro and N. Druid Hills just west of Buford Hwy.


  11. Annie (unregistered) on September 30th, 2006 @ 5:56 am

    Awesome. Thanks to Bill and cletus!


  12. Mike (unregistered) on October 2nd, 2006 @ 10:07 pm
  13. Annie (unregistered) on October 3rd, 2006 @ 9:37 am

    Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!



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