Carroll County announces the acquisition of 429 acres of undeveloped land, nearly doubling the size of its largest park, McIntosh Reserve, and creating a contiguous 3,000-acre greenspace at the southern terminus of the Chattahoochee RiverLands.

“We are excited the acquisition is completed and now we can focus on expanding access to the site and the river for all of our residents,” said Michelle Morgan, chair Carroll County Board of Commissioners. 

Current plans for McIntosh Reserve include building a comfort station, trails and environmental restoration. The acquisition area will protect about 2,000 feet of riverfront and riparian lands along a portion of the Chattahoochee River and about 8,000 feet of streambank and riparian lands along a portion of Acorn Creek, a tributary to the Chattahoochee River.

“We are grateful to collaborate with Carroll County on this project, which is a significant win for our Chattahoochee RiverLands program,” said George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director at Trust for Public Land. “McIntosh Reserve also will serve as the last take-out point for the 48-mile RiverLands Camp+Paddle Trail, which will open in 2024.”

The Camp+Paddle Trail will connect the City of Atlanta to Carroll County, with a three-night, four-day itinerary. McIntosh Reserve already features a boat ramp perfect for those canoeing or kayaking the river. 

Trust for Public Land, in collaboration with more than 80 organizations in metro Atlanta, has laid the groundwork for the expansive Chattahoochee RiverLands program, a 100-mile linear park through the heart of Atlanta, stretching across 19 cities and seven counties. The acquisition of the additional acreage was made possible by a $1.95 million grant from the State of Georgia, which has already invested more than $10 million in RiverLands projects. Carroll County provided an additional $300,000 from its most recent SPLOST referendum, a portion of which was dedicated to park facilities and greenspace acquisition.