Aerotropolis Nature Park

This property is located in the aerotropolis zone of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in the City of South Fulton off Camp Creek Parkway. SE Trust collaborated with Bearings Bike Works, the Georgia Cycling Association, and MTB Atlanta to create and activate this 48-acre wooded forest into a nature park. The park includes infrastructure targeted at engaging youth and new mountain bikers, but also to advance SE Trust’s values of natural land conservation, environmental stewardship, science education and research, and public recreation. The four-way partnership approach focuses on facilitating the entry of traditionally underrepresented youth into cycling while also providing opportunities for the larger community to engage with those efforts and to recreate outdoors, independently, and close to home.

While there is significant local energy and momentum for youth mountain biking, having safe, risk-appropriate trail systems optimized for instruction and close to the targeted community is a challenge. The tract of land owned by Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land provided a unique “blank slate” for a collaborative project such as this to take place. The park serves as expansion and access to the sport of mountain biking to areas of the state where until recently have been inaccessible; and will be a catalyst for what access to mountain biking looks like near urban areas.

The park includes a 2.5-mile figure 8 layout natural surface multi-use hiking & biking trail system and mtb skills development area biased towards use for Bearings Bike Works and Georgia Cycling Association for youth development and Coach certification programming. The loop trail and purpose-built skills area serve as a team practice and afterschool programming location for student athletes of all abilities and experience levels. Bike skills training and coach instruction elements are also used as a purpose-built Georgia Cycling Coach certification platform. Other park elements include natural surface bike park elements and courses, a walking only fitness loop, community picnic area, nature-based interpretive signage, native plants, and wildlife supportive items.