Pine Mountain Recreation Area has several trails, including an east loop, a west loop and one that goes off towards Allatoona Dam. I hiked the east loop trail plus the short Pine Mountain summit overlook spur. Almost three miles total. Trail is in good shape, easy footing but not ‘over-maintained’. Well marked and has a few mileage/elevation signposts. I like this trail. This is a typical north Georgia hike but with maybe more pine trees. You can a get a good workout with the elevation change. It’s comparable to the Kennesaw Mtn/Little Kennesaw Mtn trail loop although that one is a bit longer. Throw in the west loop or other trails here and it goes as long or longer. Pine Mountain overlook is nice. Good views of Allatoona Lake and the Georgia countryside to the west. And of Georgia Power’s somewhat notorious Plant Bowen. To get here, take I-75 north from Atlanta and get off at exit 290. Head right(east) on Hwy 20 and then take the first right(almost immediately) on Hwy 20 Spur, which is also County Rd 294N. Small dirt parking lot on the right, just past Bartow Beach road. It’s isn’t marked from the road. The west loop trail has a parking lot too or you can jump on at a couple of other points. Check the website map for those.
