Hit the trail

See the historic covered bridge and the remains of the old grist mill along the Nature Trail at Watson Mill Bridge State Park. The park is the closest state park to UGA, and is about a 30 minute drive from Athens. Cool off after your walk by splashing in the shoals of the Broad River.

Good to know: Watson Mill Bridge charges a $5 daily parking fee.

White Trail

State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Length: 3.2 miles

Difficulty: Hard

White Trail is different from the perfectly manicured gardens you’ll find elsewhere on the property, amd has more hills than others on our list, earning a hard difficulty rating.

Good to know: Dogs aren’t allowed at the State Botanical Garden, with the exception of service animals.

The fresh warmth of springtime in Athens brings out plenty of eager cyclists onto trails and pathways. Each year during the month of April, the city prepares for one of its biggest events of the year, Athens Twilight Criterium (see page 57). This downtown event takes place from April 21-23 and brings the spectacle of professional bicycle racing from across the city and onto the streets.

The event, which the city has hosted since 1980, put Athens on the national cycling map, bringing people and spectators from around the country each year to compete and enjoy the sights. Outside of this annual event, the Athens biking scene flourishes year-round, and is designated as a Bicycle-Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The Red & Black has compiled local trails and parks to bike in throughout the year.

• North Oconee River Trail

This wide concrete trail follows the North Oconee River east of downtown Athens and features 3.5 miles for hikers and bikers to share. The woody route is family-friendly and features scenic views of nature along the ride, from Sandy Creek Nature Center to Dudley Park on the east side.

• Walker Park

You might not expect to be able to go mountain biking in Athens, but Walker Park offers over 5 miles of hilly terrain designed for mountain biking for the adventurous rider. The trails vary in difficulty from beginners to advanced bikers.

• Firefly Trail

This Athens rails-to-trail project (planned for 39 miles, all the way to Union Point) is still in its early stages of construction, currently offering a one-mile segment of paved concrete to the east of Athens. This trail, which soars spectacularly over the North Oconee River on a 500-foot-long, 40-foot tall bridge, directly connects to the North Oconee River Greenway in Dudley Park and makes for easy access to east side restaurants like Mama’s Boy and Weaver D’s. It’s also a quick hop to Walker Park if you wanted to make a day of it on two wheels.

No bike? No problem.

For exploring campus and the environs, students and non-students can download the Spin app to rent a comfortable e-assist bike via Bulldog Bike Share, available from 22 hubs across campus, including the Tate Center, the Main Library, and the Intramural Fields. Bikes ($1 to unlock, 25 cents per minute) must be returned to one of the campus hubs and are not available on gamedays. The Hub Bicycles in Five Points offers rentals of commuter, mountain, and e-bikes, from $40 to $60 a day. Shops include Sunshine Cycles and Georgia Cycle Sport; find new and used gear at the Gear Attic. Both Hotel Indigo and The Graduate offer complimentary bike rentals with a stay.

Tip: Nonprofit BikeAthens offers cycling events, news, group rides and a digital map of biking routes in Athens at bikeathens.org. New bike lanes from Prince Avenue through downtown to Milledge make it a welcoming corridor to ride.