Trust for Public Land announces the acquisition of 467 acres of undeveloped land along the Chattahoochee River at Carroll County’s McIntosh Reserve, building on a 2023 purchase and nearly tripling the park's size. The property, including nearly a mile of frontage along the Chattahoochee River, which is currently managed for timber harvesting, was purchased for $3.27 million from Muddy Waters Land and Timber. 

McIntosh Reserve is located across the river from Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County. The new acquisition will create a contiguous 4,000-acre greenspace at the southern terminus of the Chattahoochee RiverLands, a proposed 100-mile linear park through the heart of one of America’s largest metro regions. The reserve also will serve as the last take-out point for the 48-mile RiverLands Camp+Paddle Trail, set to open in June.

“Trust for Public Land has spent three decades preserving 18,000 acres and 80 miles of riverfront along the Chattahoochee River,” said George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director at Trust for Public Land. “This is another step in our bold vision to increase access to and use of the river through parks, trails and connected open spaces, and we’re excited to partner with Carroll County on this second expansion.”

A key component of the acquisition was a private philanthropic gift of $1.357 million, which played a pivotal role in making this project a reality. The gift will allow Trust for Public Land to sell the property to Carroll County at a discounted rate of $2 million, a sale approved by the county on Feb. 9. 

The first expansion of 429 acres, announced in May 2023, was made possible by a $1.95 million Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program and State Department of Natural Resources grant approved by the Senate and House Appropriation Committees. 

“We are thrilled to see additional acres added to McIntosh Reserve, and we look forward to seeing its impact on river access, the protection of critical habitats for protected species, and preserving historic Muscogee Creek lands,” said Walter Rabon, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “This expansion will provide additional safeguards to the ecological integrity of the Chattahoochee River and builds upon past investment from the state in expanding McIntosh Reserve and increasing access to the river.”

McIntosh Reserve will help protect a portion of the Chattahoochee River watershed that is home to 19 rare, high-priority plant and animal species, three of which are state-protected species: the bluestripe shiner, highscale shiner, and the bald eagle. In addition, the park preserves the historic home of Muskogee Creek Chief William McIntosh, who is noteworthy for signing the treaty that led to the displacemet of most Muskogee Creek citizens from their remaining homelands in Georgia. 

“This expansion will enhance public access to the river and provide even more recreation opportunities to our community for generations to come,” said Michelle Morgan, chair of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners. 

Trust for Public Land, in collaboration with more than 80 organizations in metro Atlanta, has laid the groundwork for the expansive Chattahoochee RiverLands initiative that will connect nearly one million nearby residents and visitors to the outdoors where they will be able to kayak, swim, bicycle, picnic, walk, camp and wheel along the river. Stretching across 19 cities and seven counties, this network of trails will bring people to the water’s edge, spark a lifelong love of the river, and reveal the magic of the Chattahoochee to all.