Cascade Springs offers a serene hike right in southwest Atlanta, featuring a waterfall, an old cave tunnel, and over 100 acres of forest to explore.
A quick and local getaway from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta city life, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve offers over 100 acres of forested trails that lead to Utoy Creek and Cascade Falls.
The trail starts at the parking area and leads to a boardwalk where old historical structures stand alongside the path. At the end of the boardwalk sits a stone structure surrounded and covered by moss. From here, there are two options.
Option 1: Traverse the trail towards the right for a nice long stroll through fairly dense forest before reaching Utoy Creek, Cascade Falls, and the old cave tunnel at the end of the trail loop.
Option 2: Traverse the trail towards the left to immediately go towards Utoy Creek, Cascade Falls, and the old cave tunnel.
Where Cascade Falls leads into Utoy Creek, there is this old cave tunnel above it. The tunnel has vines that drop from the top, creating a partial curtain over the tunnel. There are plenty of boulders around, which is great for walking around, sitting and enjoying nature, and splashing in the waters.
If you are feeling a bit adventurous, there is also a path that leads to the opening of the tunnel where you can walk into it, but be careful since the rocks can be slippery.