This park is deceptively huge. It spans 135 acres and dates back to 1954. There is a decent amount of parking available for visitors. The park is actually two sections, separated by a lake. The park is a nature park has has many picnic tables and shelters, with picnic tables under them scattered on both sides of the park. Some of the picnic tables and shelters are located along the river and provide some panoramic views. The park also features a nice nature trail that is in the wood and pretty well shaded. On one side of the park you will find a small, but newer playground area with percussion instruments, saucer swings, and a couple of slides. It is pretty basic. The other side has a much larger playground. It has a huge play structure that looks like a fort and has a rock climbing wall, slides, and bridges. There is also a pyramid net climber, saucer swings, and toddler swings. The equipment is pretty spread out and in pretty good shape. There is a smaller play structure for little ones which has tunnels, slides, and bridges. You will find rocking animals in that area as well. This side of the park also has a restroom facility. This park is certified as a wildlife habitat and you will see water fowl, geese, beavers and squirrels up close and personal to name just a few animals. Someone was fishing while I was there, but I do not know how good the fishing is, or even if it is allowed. I do not know if it is part of the park, but across the street you will find a huge and amazing baseball complex that looks like it is home to a junior college. It is nice and very well maintained. All in all, this park is decent. It is well maintained and the lake and views are awesome . I will admit that There is not much to offer outside of the trails, shelter, lake, and picnic tables. I like the park, but I was not wow'ed or overwhelmed. The playgrounds are somewhat basic and probably would not holds a kids attention too long. This park would be great for those looking for a nature park. read more

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While strolling along the park's loop, we noticed the drained lake. I got the wild idea to venture onto the seemingly solid lake bed, which turned out to be a massive blunder. Although the mud appeared dry on the surface, it was deceptively soft underneath, causing me to sink deep into it up to my knee. read more

We came here because well, we're on our path of trying to find places to walk and discovering new parks. I'm going to go ahead and first start off the review and say that the park isn't the best as far as being ADA friendly. Also the walking space was limited. However, if you're not limited to paved pathways there are plenty of trails for you to try. It's super busy as far as the weekend for little leagues and also softball leagues. There are a lot of baseball and softball fields on the other side. I think the big draw for this park is the big lake that trails are surrounded by. I can see how popular this place can be, and if you're looking for a body of water to immerse yourself with as far as nature, this would be a good park for you. There is a bike trail as I saw several go down, but I think a mountain/trail bike that can handle unpaved trails would be a more suitable bike. Overall, Murphey Candler Park isn't bad! I will come back for sure if I'm in the area, hopefully not during baseball/softball season though as parking was tough! read more

This park has some paved and unpaved trails. The serene areas of the park that most reviewers are talking about is properly about the unpaved trail. The paved trail is short and right by the baseball/softball fields. We needed paved trails when we were there, so I don't think we were able to enjoy the most of the park. On Saturdays, it can get packed as there are games going on. So parking may be an issue. We parked right be the pool parking. We will have to come back later on a non-baseball day. read more

One of my favorite parks. The lake is beautiful and I love the different hiking routes! Always a great time when I visit.

This Brookhaven park has lots to offer to people with varied interests who love to be outdoors. If you're looking for a well-paved, ADA-friendly, well-manicured park, you should stay on the south end of Murphey Candler Park. If you're looking for a park with trails, mostly dirt and mostly "level," then you should go to anywhere in the park north of West Nancy Creek Drive. The south end of the park that has the baseball/softball fields and multipurpose fields has a large parking lot. This area has lots of open green space. Parking specifically for the trails and playgrounds is off of W Nancy Creek Drive, on the east side of Murphey Candler Lake. More parking can be found on Candler Lake East which borders the east and north sides of the park. Another parking lot that has a lot of parking is off of Candler Lake West, and a swimming pool is nearby. Covered picnic shelters with metal picnic tables are scattered about the park. These are available for public use, but the signs state you need to reserve them. Various playground equipment are also scattered in the park, mainly on the north side, and two well maintained tennis courts are nearby. The main trail, a partly concrete but mostly dirt, loops through the woods in the north end of the park and around the lake. Most of the views of the lake and the wooded areas are beautiful. Many dog owners bring their fur babies here to rid them of their extra energy with tiring walks. I know my dog comes home so tired after walking the trail with me that she rests the remainder of the day. This is also a great place to let your kids run themselves tired! Even when there are a lot of cars parked in the parking lots, there is so much acreage in this park that it doesn't seem crowded with people. Enjoy! read more

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Easy almost 2 mile "hike." Park is open from 7:00 am to sunset. Lake with trails around it. Pretty flat. There are softball/baseball fields in the park, so it can get very crowded, especially on weekends. We went at 9:00 am on a Friday morning and there was plenty of parking at that time. Recommend for a nice, leisurely walk/hike. Great for dogs! read more

Murphey Candler Park - Park Ordinances - Parks Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Always looking for new trails with pretty views to take my dog on so I was really excited to come here. There's plenty of trails to take your dog on or just walk along the water. It's an easy walk if you're just walking around the water. read more

Murphey Candler Park - Parks Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I stumbled upon this beautiful spacious park in Brookhaven. What a surprise! The lake is peaceful. Quite a few pavilions with picnic tables under them. There's a trail, nice for walking. Peaceful and seren area. read more

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This park has a little bit of everything... paved sections, more nature-type trails, a lake, places to sit ranging from benches to picnic tables. We enjoyed a nice walk here with our dogs on a weekend morning. We had gotten there relatively early, and by the time we left around noon, the parking lot was completely full. The water in the lake didn't look particularly clean, but I saw people fishing and also some dog owners with their pups happily enjoying. read more

Lovely little slice of nature with a well-marked and easy loop trail that wraps around the lake and through a small patch of forest. There may be other trails around nearby, but as far as I could tell this was the only one. It's a serene walk until you get near the pool, and it feels just removed enough from the hustle and bustle. There are a few pavilions on either side of the lake near the parking lots that have charcoal grills and tables, which would be fun for group activities. I came during Memorial Day weekend and there weren't too many people using the pavilions, so I am guessing it's generally not too busy either. The park also has baseball fields and a community pool (lots of people at the pool!), which would be nice for those with kids. read more

Neato place for a short hike, and, presumably, taking in some local baseball or football. Murphey Candler Park comprises two distinct sections: the northern section with the lake, a trail around the lake and some picnic pavilions, and the southern section which s home to ball fields. The lake is part of the Nancy Creek watershed (specifically, North Fork Nancy Creek) The lake trail is a loop about 1 3/8 mile long around the lake, with mileage markers every 1/8 mile. That mileage doesn't include the road that forms the southern edge of the lake. So, a little longer if you do a true loop. As you round the top (north end), there are quite a few short trails taking you off into the wilderness, plus a few feeders coming in from the streets. It's not a lot of hiking trail - more like a pleasant way to kill a half hour or walk the dog. It's also kinda swampy at the north end. Stay on the main trail if you're allergic to mud. Several picnic pavilions are located on the west side, as well as one (or was there two?) on the east. The sign says they are reservable. I noticed a swimming pool complex, too. You'll find a small parking lot at the eastern trail-head, across the road from the bigger lot that serves the ball fields. And I believe a lot serves the picnic pavilions on the west side. Other side of the road is a huge public/Little League/AAA baseball complex and a couple of football fields. Home of the Atlanta Colts! Two restroom buildings, one near the Little League fields and one on the other side of the football area. read more

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Grill master's paradise! Indeed, that's a real thing and can be experienced right in the heart of Atlanta. There are many awesome grills by the small lake in the park as well as picnic pavilions. However, be warned that if you are grilling in the evening, things will get dark really fast and there is no lighting. So you might have to improvise and bring your own lighting or sit around a fire. After hiking for several hours, it is impressive how gorgeous the nature is in some parts of the park. The swampy area is particularly awesome. It will sadden anybody though to see how much trash there is...just unacceptable. Everywhere is some sort of a plastic cup or other fragments that tend to collect at the swampy shallow areas on the edges. The city should be investing much more of the tax dollars into park cleanup and educating people to clean up! It's a shameful demonstration of poor city government when parks are not well maintained. read more

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What a beautiful and quiet trail, located so unexpectedly close to my condo! I stumbled upon this park while searching for a new trail to explore for my daily run routine. Parking is a bit of a pain - I found some parking by the baseball fields where all the other parents parked and took their kids to practice. There's a beautiful circle that loops around the lake. At sunset, it really is beautiful, but as others have mentioned, a part of the trail is a little darker and doesn't get hit by much sunlight. However, I sprinted out of that area as fast as I could without tripping over any wayward tree roots. The lake is filled with wildlife, that they recommend not feeding for fear of overpopulation and not allowing them to grow naturally. As long as you don't bother them, they won't bother you either. Once summer hits and the pollen season comes to a close, I'll definitely be hitting up Murphey Candler park for some more late afternoon runs/walking. It's worth the stressful parking and occasional stubbing of the toe on a root. read more

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It's neat to explore Atlanta parks that you find by just scrolling around on Google Maps. Brookhaven's Murphey Candler was easy enough to find. The lot at the southwest corner of the park was pretty full, but there were a few spaces here and there. Murphey Candler was humming with activity, a significant chunk of it at the baseball fields where kids were either practicing or participating in a game. The fields looked pretty fancy too, with real seats and batting cages. Anyway, the centerpiece of Murphey Candler is the man-made lake. A trail encircles the lake, and it's a pleasant walk that's relatively flat the whole way. The lake is home to many waterfowl including noisy geese, ducks, and great blue herons. There are some pavilions along the path that you can rent, it looks like. Plus a few seats here and there so you can plop down and take in the surroundings. Fun facts: The groundbreaking ceremony for Murphey Candler Park was in 1954. It's named after Charles Murphey Candler, a politician and father of a DeKalb County commissioner. This park totals 135 acres. read more

Huge park located in Brookhaven. Lake, playground, picnic pavilions, baseball and other sports areas all in one giant park. There are small parking lots located throughout the park that are in proximity to the various activities. We spent most of our time at the playground and it was nice. The playground is located in a woody area so it was pretty shady and not too hot. There are three different playground structure areas that are geared towards different age groups (toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids). The equipment is older but still functional. There are also benches, swinging benches, and stone walls for parents to sit and watch the kids. Picnic pavilions are located nearby. Parking is available on the street right by the playground. There was no one else the playground on a Sunday afternoon. I'm glad that it wasn't crowded but it also makes me curious why. There is another small playground behind the baseball diamond. It is covered with wood chips on the ground and has one small plastic structure that is geared towards younger kids (5 and under). The canopy helps a lot with the heat. There seems to be a lot of baseball training areas - there are a couple of baseball diamonds and a covered batting cage. The lake area is also very pretty. Overall a great spot for a family outing! read more

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Great park for the scenery and just to relax, but there could be lots of improvements. For one, more benches/ places for people to sit and actually enjoy the park, more playground sets for kids or picnic tables for families to enjoy. The lake itself could use cleaning since the water is not clean. Otherwise, the fresh air is great and right across is the recreation center for everyone to enjoy. read more

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I would never know about this place if Jessica S didn't tell me. We both enjoy hiking and share with each other our experiences. I'm glad she told me. I prefer nature trails, so yes, no pavement, just dirt. The trail around the lake is around 1.5 miles. I went around 7 pm and knew I'll be done before sunset. There is not a lot of parking space by the lake. Many people are fishing off the pier. There is parking across the street where the baseball fields are. Once you walk towards the back of the lake, it gets shady and can be scary & creepy if you're solo or if gets darker. I thought that the full trail would be around the lake and the view would be the lake but it's not like that. I wish that they had markers to show how far you've come unless I'm really blind or something. I only saw the 1 mile mark so I assume it's around 1.5 miles and that's also what I was told. Overall, I enjoyed it. I will come earlier next time and enjoy the day. read more

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In an effort to beat the setting sun and still get my hiking in, I came across the Murphey Candler Park Trail which is not far from my office. It's an easy two mile loop with only one area of elevation. If a person is looking to begin trail running, this trail is a good place to start - fairly flat, but with enough variation in the terrain to keep you thinking about maintaining your pace. It's also a busy trail. I got there fairly early - around 5:30PM, and there were quite a few people and more people came as the evening went on. There wasn't a crush though and it was easy to maintain a steady walking pace; most people moved to the side to let runners pass. The only downside to this trail is the portion that runs along the street. It's busy with all the activity field traffic as well as commuters. Luckily, it's only about a quarter mile of the loop. Also, it has direct sun, so depending on the direction you're moving, you could get full on sun in your face when walking on the sidewalk. I did notice that this park has several huge pavilions which would be great places to have an outdoor meal. (I didn't notice if there were outdoor BBQs, so check on that.) There are also several park benches scattered throughout if a person just wanted to hang out around the pond and watch the ducks (which you are NOT supposed to feed.) Overall, the Murphey Candler Park trail is a great place to get in a quick walk after work and before heading home. And the park itself is a good place if you want to just chill out. Yelp 100 #52 (Yes, I know I'm behind.) read more

Nice trail inside 285. I would not go out of my way to hike the trail but well worth it if you are inside 285 and near Emory Hospital. Nice 2.2 mile loop around the lake that is accessed from 1551 W. Nancy Creek Dr., Atlanta. Noticed lots of fresh plantings of trees around the lake which will be a joy in another 10 to 15 years. Not many people on the trail for a gorgeous day. I saw about 5 people and it was around lunch time. I would say 3/4 of the trail was shaded. read more

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I came here just a couple of evenings ago, to get in a walk and take a few photos. Bf and I ended up spending more time trying to snap some shots, as the sun had already set and we were trying to make the most of the remaining rays of light. I stink at photography but did try to take into account some of the tips that bf and baby sis have provided me and I got lucky with some of the flicks that I took. I couldn't see much, as it was getting dark quickly, but we were at the lake and what we did see looked beautiful. It's great to have such a beautiful sanctuary even as we make our way closer to Atlanta proper. We will definitely be back and if I encounter anything new worthy of mention, I will be back to update my review for all you good folks! Let's try to be more active in 2014, Yelpers! Parks like Murphey Candler aid us all in this effort. (By the way, I saw a bunch of runners, even when there was no more natural light left, which gave me a sense that the area is relatively safe.) read more

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Great park in Dunwoody - Brookhaven just off Ashford Dunwoody Nice walking paths, baseball and football games play here all the time, limited parking, great neighborhood and very clean. Enjoyed the day here with a group of Yelp members and we had a great time. It is very family friendly! Go get in some fresh air! read more

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If you ever find yourself inside the perimeter and your looking for a place to relax this park's for you. I suppose it's mostly for area residents. However we have a gag of geese. Let's make sure we don't forget the ducks as well! So grab a bag of stale bread and come on by. Just make sure to respect our little paradise and keep it clean and have a lot of fun. Oh, don't tell to many people okay? read more

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Baseball, Baseball, and more Baseball. This park is known for its baseball fields and baseball leagues. In the spring time, you can find every inch of possible parking space covered in SUVs. Driven by obsessive Dunwoody moms, these caravans are filled with children dressed for the game. Don't expect this to be a peaceful park during the springtime. During the fall, you will find cross country runners circling the lake, which may or may not be filled depending on the city's mood, trying to get their miles in on these 135acres. However, you will always find locals walking their dogs in this park or sitting peacefully by the lake. And if you see a parked car in the back lot, you can bet it's two kids from high school either skipping class to make out or get high. read more

Very nice park with hiking, running trail around the lake and through the woods. The lake has ducks and geese to feed, plus we saw birds, fish and turtles. All that in addition to the baseball and football stadiums across the street. read more

My friend took me out here for a nice run along the trail. We were looking for something active to do. This hit the spot. The trail around the lake is covered for the most part. I never ran an off-road trail before so that was nice also. I believe the trip around the lake is maybe less than 1.5 miles. Even at 2pm in the blistering Atlanta heat, it wasn't too shabby of a run. Glad we were able to check out that trail. read more

I really like this park for walking my dog, and I know I'm not the only one! On nice days there are always a lot of folks here walking, sitting around/BBQ-ing on the many covered benches, and fishing too. Scattered throughout the trail are off-trail covered tabels and benches and grills (bring your own coal!). The trails are well-trodden (ha!) and the area is very well kept. My dog LOVES this place! The folks here are generally very nice (everyone else walking dogs keeps em on leash, and on a SHORT leash when passing other dogs). There are doggie poop-bags on the trail too (in case you run out!). LOVE this park. My only complaint? The shortage of parking whenever there is little league across the street-=o( read more

This is one of the city's best parks! I absolutely love going here. It is quiet, woodsy, and has a great lake! The trails are easy to run, and more challenging than the monotonous sidewalk running I used to do! Not to mention, my dog loves swimming in the lake to cool her off, which makes me feel better about her running in 90 degree weather! The one downfall is the parking when there is any sporting event going on, but it's worth the little walk to get to the trails! read more

What a nice park. Ever since the advent of Pokemon Go, you can always find some people playing. In The Beginning Days, it was close to 50-100 every weekend, though I haven't been back in a couple of days. I guess this is largely due to the 5 pokestops, and an abundance of lures that people will often continuously set up. There used to be a bunch of charmanders, but since they reset the pokemon, they haven't been back since. Before you ask, yes, I visited this park before Pokemon Go came out. I'm just now getting to writing a review because I had to finish up two trips to NYC and a trip to Orlando. I've gone here for their hiking trails, which are easy to traverse, as well as a cookout on one of their tables with some friends. They have a lake, beautiful trails that have varied elevation, a pool (costs money to swim, of course), and a bunch of current construction going on at the moment. It's been going on for a while, so I'm not sure when they'll end up finishing it, but I wouldn't imagine it'll be done by the end of the summer. With the wind rushing out over the lake, it really is rather beautiful. TIPS: Parking can be a bit difficult if kids are playing sports in the several adjacent fields, but there is some "overflow" parking if you take the three way stop to the right. read more

This is a great hiking trail. It's in the "woods" and easy to navigate. The trail isn't super challenging, but the pretty scenery and lake make it a nice walk. I will be running my first 5K in October and I am hoping the ease of this trail will be a good place to transition from the treadmill to outdoor running. read more

A pretty good place to bring the kids, however bathroom facilities are a little old!

Great park for running! I'm a lake junkie, so I'm naturally drawn to any park that has a lake. Convenient location for a quick 1.6 mile loop (or longer if you opt to run the trail more than once) through maintained dirt trails through the woods and around the small lake. The park also has pavilions for picnics, a playground, and courts for various sports, but I have yet to utilize those. read more

This is a great neighborhood park. Beautiful stocked lake and a great trail that loops around the park. If you walk the entire loop, it's about 2 miles. There are a few benches along the way as well as picnic pavilions too (except for the north side of the park - that is all a wooded area). If you are new to walking or hiking, this is a great trail to get you started. The only drawback is that during baseball season, finding parking can be difficult but other than that, I'm very happy this is my neighborhood park. read more

Murphey Candler Park - View of the lake from the trail. - Parks Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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This is a really nice park thick with high school memories in the 60's. I've fished here, played tennis here, gone swimming here, and watched midnight submarine races here, too. It went through a period of decline in the 80's-90's, but has become very good again. Only complaint is that people here are really lax about picking up their dog poo. read more

I recently moved to the area and have been trying out all of the paths/trails/parks for running and walking my dog. The Nancy Creek Trail and the Park are excellent. It's a nice amount of mileage for an easy run and the trail around the lake is safe, full of nature and fun. Lots of other dogs for my dog to sniff. The one drawback is that on weekends the little league games keep the parking and roads really busy. But on weekdays it hasn't been bad at all. Definitely a great place to go and run or walk! read more

Beautiful, large park in Brookhaven. We saw a few playgrounds, many baseball diamonds, and picnic areas, but stuck to the trail around the lake. Quiet, shaded forests make for a nice walk that wasn't too hot even on a pretty warm June day. The lake has ducks and geese, tons of birds and butterflies; we also saw a turtle on the trail. Park seemed very quiet on a Saturday. Parking is easy and convenient. We'll be back. read more

This park is great. Last time I went I walked the trail around the lake. You can also fish the lake or bring your dogs down for a swim. There are ducks and geese, and bat houses on a couple of trees if you look up. Plenty of other birds and fields for sport. I know there are fields for football and baseball. Can't remember if there were any tennis or basketball courts, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were. Also noticed some grills for cooking food @ the beginning of the trail. The only complaint I have is the trash that was washing up on the shore of the lake. Why people would litter is beyond me. There are plenty of barrels around for your trash. read more

so many great before and after school memories. that i won't recount here :). this is really a beautiful park right outside the atlanta perimeter. read more

What a neighborhood gem! Two times around the lake is equivalent to a 5K. Its a terrific way to relax and take a walk/run around the lake on the well-marked trail. I wouldn't recommend biking because the trail isn't that wide and is quite steep in parts, but for walking/running, its perfect! read more

Our hotel shuttle only traveled within a 3-mile radius. We wanted a nice and quick morning hike. This place fit the bill! It was a beautiful place with nice tranquil views. Loved all the bridges that we had to walk over! read more