Trail Planning
Mountain to River (M2R) Trail
The Mountain to River (M2R) Trail is a regionally important, multimodal trail that spans 13.5 miles from the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to the Chattahoochee River National Recreational Area. Within the city limits of Marietta, the trail traverses 3.5 miles from Kennesaw Mountain south to the Kennestone Hospital area, continues to the Historic Downtown Square and then to Brown Park and the City Cemetery. The full trail passes through multiple jurisdictions, connecting to the Noonday Creek Trail system north of Kennesaw Mountain, and to the Silver Comet by way of Smyrna.
M2R Trail Map
M2R Trail Activation Study
In 2023, the City of Marietta partnered with the Georgia Conservancy, a non-profit environmental conservation organization, to develop the Mountain to River (M2R) Trail Activation Study. The purpose of the study was to understand how to further invigorate the 3.5-mile portion of the M2R Trail located within the city limits of Marietta, encouraging greater usage and access. The study addressed the key components of placemaking, wayfinding, and integration of the trail with its surrounding neighborhoods.
The Study was honored as the Georgia Planning Association's 2025 Outstanding Planning Document which recognizes planning deliverables that go above and beyond the traditional planning process in terms of communication, graphics, storytelling, and overall quality of thought and delivery.
Rottenwood Creek Trail
Rottenwood Creek Trail is part of a larger effort by the City of Marietta and its partners to expand the current trail network by developing a connection piece between the Mountain to River Trail and the Bob Callan Trail. This trail will create an east-west connection between Kennesaw Mountain and the Chattahoochee River.
The project is currently divided into two phases. Phase I begins at Alumni Drive on the Kennesaw State University-Marietta campus and travels east to Franklin Gateway at the Franklin Gateway Sports Complex. Construction is estimated to begin next year in 2026. Phase II begins on Franklin Gateway and travels south and east across I-75, terminating at the intersection of Delk and Bentley Roads, and ultimately tying into the Bob Callan trailhead at Terrell Mill Road. A concept report has been approved by GDOT for this phase. The next step for Phase II is engineering and design.