This is intended to be a family cache. Cooper's Furnace is a great family day use area with playgrounds right by the Etowah, an old iron furnace, a nice visitor center and musuem at the top of the hill and this very nice nature trail. Please take the family and plan a picnic! Hike the trail clockwise to avoid the steep gravel road uphill, instead use it to make a loop and come back down. Trail contains many interesting rock formations, a creek, and a pond which is full of FAT tadpoles in the spring. We have seen snakes, lizards, frogs, deer, crawdads, tadpoles, fish, etc. all while on this trail. Cache is 200 feet or so off the trail so it shouldn't be a problem to slip off unobserved by non-cachers. Cache is a green Rubbermaid container, please make sure to wrap the bungee cord back around it as the lid doesn't fit perfectly. While in the area you could also find the Vineyard Mountain, Allatoona Pass, 2nd Anniversary (GOLD!) and Mary Sue's caches quite easily and STILL spend time in this beautiful spot.
One word of WARNING - there are at least three places to park/approach from. Cooper's Furnace itself (enter from Hwy41 north of Red Top Mtn Rd), the Visitor's Center, and a small roadside lot on the right (never gated, N34 10.294, W084 44.062)as you're approaching the Visitor's Center (Visitor's Center gated after 4:30pm). Both the Vis Ctr and the small lot may be reached by exiting I75 onto Hwy 20 East then make an immediate right at the Wendy's. Please don't park anywhere else as it will upset the Corp of Engineers AND you will find it MUCH more difficult since the shortest route contains a horrendous ridge that you can't see until you top out and look down the other side. No matter which of the three spots you select, it is easier and faster than trying the "shortest route from pavement".
Smell the roses and enjoy!
Trailfrogs