Best OTP Park

The name Kennesaw comes from the Cherokee word “gah-nee-sah,” which means burial ground. Fitting, since the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain ended the lives of an estimated 4,000 men in the summer of 1864, with 62,000 others either captured or injured. Nowadays, the site of some of the heaviest fighting of the Civil War’s Atlanta Campaign has become the 2,888-acre KENNESAW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK. Trek to this well-preserved site for a first-hand history lesson more interesting than anything they told you in class. There are more than 17 miles of trails for walking, and a 1.4-mile hike to the summit. Just don’t try to make off with any historical mementos of your own. Doing so could cost you $100,000 or even land you in jail. Plus, it’s just plain disrespectful. less...

Shiloh and Gettysburg may be more famous, but the Civil War carnage that took place where the KENNESAW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK now stands is nothing to sneeze at: Over a span of two weeks in 1864, more than 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought. At the end, 67,000 were dead, wounded or captured. Today, the national park that stands here covers almost 3,000 acres. Seventeen miles of interpretive trails crisscross the park; perhaps the most impressive winds up the mountain, where cannon emplacements point menacingly toward the horizon. If you go, leave your bike at home, unless you’re prepared to stay only on the paved roads. And definitely leave your metal detector at home; possession of one, because of the Civil War trinkets they’re still digging up, could land you in jail for up to a year, plus a $100,000 fine. To get there, take I-75 to exit 269 (Barrett Parkway). At the light, turn west onto Barrett Parkway. After three miles, turn left at the light, onto Old Hwy 41. Turn right at the next light, Stilesboro Road. The visitor center will be immediately on your left. “900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive. 770-427-4686. www.nps.gov/kemo” less...