Carroll County Expands McIntosh Reserve by 327 Acres

A partnership with Trust for Public Land adds riverfront land to the Chattahoochee River park, bringing its total size to 1,750 acres.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in National Parks

Wide photograph of a calm river bordered by red clay banks, cypress knees, and hardwood trees under soft morning mist. — Carroll County added 327 acres to McIntosh Reserve through a partnership with Trust for Public Land, bringing the Chattahoochee River park to 1,750 acres. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local governments spend public money to expand parks and riverfront access?

Carroll County has expanded McIntosh Reserve by 327 acres through a partnership with Trust for Public Land. The expansion is the third to the park in five years and brings its total size to 1,750 acres.

Why it matters

The added land adds nearly two-thirds of a mile of Chattahoochee River frontage and provides habitat for 19 rare and priority species. It also makes a future eight-mile trail connection to Moore's Bridge Park possible.

The expansion adds 327 acres and nearly two-thirds of a mile of Chattahoochee River frontage to McIntosh Reserve, which now totals 1,750 acres. A $1.462 million grant from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program helped fund the purchase, and the timeline for the planned trail connection remains unspecified.

The players

Carroll County

Carroll County is a county in west Georgia that owns and operates McIntosh Reserve, the Chattahoochee River park that was expanded.

Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit founded in 1972 that has protected more than 4 million acres of land across the United States.

The details

McIntosh Reserve is the southernmost campsite and take-out point on the 48-mile Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail. The property contains archaeological evidence of human presence dating to 8,000 B.C. and is home to state-protected bluestripe shiner, highscale shiner and bald eagle.

Past five years: McIntosh Reserve's third expansion occurred.
November 9, 2026: The expansion of McIntosh Reserve was announced.

Season Trajectory

The McIntosh Reserve expansion extends the Chattahoochee RiverLands project, which aims to connect 20 metro Atlanta cities and seven counties to the river along a planned 100-mile greenway trail. The three McIntosh parcels account for 8% of the planned RiverLands trail.

Visitors planning trips along the Chattahoochee River can use McIntosh Reserve as a campsite and take-out point on the 48-mile Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail. The expanded acreage and added river frontage give paddlers and hikers more space to explore.

The takeaway

Expanding public river land in phases, backed by partnerships and state grants, is one way communities connect residents to the Chattahoochee corridor over time. Readers interested in riverfront outdoor recreation can follow the RiverLands trail as it develops.