South River at Springdale Road

Standing quietly beneath the towering trees along the banks of the South River, you wouldn’t know it but you are looking at a vital lifeline for our city. The South River at Springdale Road is one of the only rivers in the country to start in a city, rather than high in the mountains. This unassuming river, called Weelaunee by the Muscogee Creek people, begins its journey in Atlanta and flows for 60 miles towards the Atlantic Ocean. The South River is a bit like an unsung hero, overlooked by its more famous neighbor the Chattahoochee River. However, don’t be fooled by its modest beginnings. The South River is the headwaters for Georgia’s largest watershed, a critical source of drinking water for millions of people. It’s a testament to the resilience of nature, a river that stubbornly persists despite the pressures of urban expansion, sewage spills, and the tragic history of the land surrounding it. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk along this path, you might spot a few signs of that history. Perhaps some remnant inscriptions of the past or remnants of a forgotten past. You may be able to see the delicate dance of nature, a place where urban sprawl meets quiet beauty.