Sunbathing gator shuts down fitness trail
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. -- Chattahoochee's resident alligator loves these early spring temperatures. He (or she, it's still up for debate) has been escaping the cool waters of the river to warm himself in the shallow wetlands. As temperatures inched towards a record 82 degrees Tuesday, the National Park Service announced plans to close part of a trail inside the Chattahoochee River Recreation Area.
"The alligator has been pretty active lately because of the warm temperatures," Ardrianna McLane with the National Parks Service told 11Alive's Julie Wolfe. The Park Service decided to close a portion of the Cochran Shoals Fitness Loop to minimize stress on the alligator. McLane said a small portion of the trail will be marked with sandwich-board style signs.