Half an hour due west of downtown Atlanta, the two-mile roundtrip Red Trail beside gushing Sweetwater Creek is a hiker’s delight this time of year. It passes the beautiful, five-story ruins of the New Manchester mill, named for the town wiped out here during the Civil War.

Elsewhere, hikers can traipse across river rocks (mind the rapids) and behold a kaleidoscope of autumn foliage along the creek valley walls. Parking is $5.

The Big Kahuna of Georgia peaks is surprisingly easy to summit—and the spectacular, 360-degree views from the top encompass four states (Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina) on clear days.

Visitors will find a large parking lot not far from the crest of 4,784-foot-tall Brasstown Bald, and the rest of the half-mile route is paved (and often crowed), but it certainly feels otherworldly for city folk. Admission is $3 per person.

For an uplifting experience in nature that doesn’t require much driving, head to Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, where you’ll find the relatively unsung, prehistoric sibling to Stone Mountain just south of Interstate 20 in Lithonia.

Explore a wandering PATH trail or hike up two granite outcrops that are moderate compared to that famous other rock. This rolling landscape took 400 million years to form, and it’s a quick getaway for idyllic autumn weather. On a clear day, you’ll spot Atlanta sky-rises in the distance. (Pro tip: A good place to begin is the nature center, 3787 Klondike Road).

The urban environment of southwest Atlanta yields a surprising natural treasure that spans 120 acres on Cascade Road and is dotted with remnants of Civil War battles (plus a historic springhouse and wee waterfall).

Not far from downtown, the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve Trail might be ITP’s most tranquil walking/running/hiking destination, with three trail options one TripAdvisor reviewer describes as “all great for even beginners.” Parking on site, but the lot can be locked early in late fall and winter.

Fancy Civil War-era ruins and short drives? Journey over to the Sope Creek Trail in Marietta, which has three miles of options that bring visitors to the stone remnants of a paper mill (destroyed by Union troops during the war) on the banks of a creek. Other highlights include a calming pond in a park near the Chattahoochee River. It’s rated “easy” and dog-friendly by Atlanta Trails.

This hike is more serious (and somewhat harder to find), but it’s a chance to escape to absolute wilderness within a couple hours of Atlanta. On a windless day, the trek to Rabun Bald—Georgia’s second highest peak at 4,696 feet—is gloriously silent. At points, the trail can be steep and somewhat difficult to follow, but the payout that is the summit’s observation deck is worth it. For advice on getting there (and parking etiquette), head over here.