Allatoona Pass Battlefield

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Historical Significance · Lake

This trail borders on Lake Allatoona and takes you through the Allatoona Pass Battlefield. Plenty of interpretive signs guide you through the Union encampment and battles here. The highlight of the trails is "the cut". A deep trench through the hillside that was made to allow the railroad to have a straight passage. However, other notable stops include the signal tree, the former burial site of the unknown hero, and the hilltop location of the star fort.

The trails wind and intersect, but they are all blazed the same. You can take a quick walk or log a couple of miles.

The trail is well-marked and generally not too strenuous. Climbs are relatively short. There are stairs in two places. The trees block most of the vistas, but you can make it down to the lake in a few places.

Parking fee or Georgia State Park pass required.
No restrooms.

The trail starts at the parking lot at an earthen dam for Lake Allatoona. Immediately on the right you'll see the memorial representing each state that had soldiers fight in the battle. You can follow the trail up the gravel road to the right, or you can go straight and enter "the cut" - a deep cut through the aarth to allow the train to pass straight.

At the top of the climb, there is a side loop on the right that takes you through some earthworks. You can opt to take a steep climb down to the lake. Head back up, finish the loop, and then head straight, and you'll end up at the top of "the cut". Head down the trail to enter "the cut".

Turning right for 1/10th mile will take you to the original burial site of the unknown soldier (now moved south on Old Allatoona Rd).
Turning left will take you through "the cut" and back to the parking lot. Stairs on the right lead to the top of the opposite side of "the cut" to see the location of the star fort.