Arabia Mountain

Arabia Mountain Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Georgia Partner of the National Park Service 400 Million Years in the Making! Explore a land that has taken 400 million years to form. The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (NHA) is dominated by two geological oddities known as monadnocks. Natural wonders, compelling history and heart-pumping activity all converge here. Hikers can discover rare plants and intriguing geology at The Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and Panola Mountain State Park, a National Natural Landmark. Get lost above the trees at the peak of Arabia Mountain and view the City of Atlanta in the distance. Find the remnants of a once-massive quarry industry that sent Lithonia granite off to build monumental buildings in the U.S. and around the world. Bike along the Arabia Mountain PATH, past historic farms and along the shoals of the South River. You choose your pace and your distance – a short meander or a 30-mile ride of challenging switchbacks and hills. Learn about two cultures that form the modern fabric of the NHA. At the Flat Rock Archives, see how people survived enslavement and segregation to build a resilient Black community in the rural South. Tour a farm where enslaved people once toiled and the cemetery where those people and their descendants are buried. At the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, meet a community of Trappist monks who moved to Georgia during World War II and built a place of peace. Visitors can discover extraordinary architecture, an unparalleled bonsai exhibit and gift shop selling tasty treats and crafts prepared by the monks themselves. Modern shopping, dining and lodging amenities at Stonecrest Mall and in downtown Lithonia. For more information, visit arabiaalliance.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @arabiamountain_nha and Twitter @arabia_alliance. Photo courtesy: Phil Varney Panola Mountain State Park Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve The lunar-like landscape of Arabia Mountain is the most easily identified vista of the National Heritage Area. The mountain itself is part of a 2,550-acre DeKalb County nature preserve, which also includes other large formations of exposed granite, wetlands, pine and oak forests, multiple streams and two lakes. The delightful native plant species, such as the signature red diamorpha, which blooms in the early spring, and fall’s yellow daisies (photo below) make it seem as though the rock is in constant metamorphosis. How to Hike • Keep your dogs leashed – that way, everyone can enjoy the trails. While the Nature Preserve is considered an exceptional ecological wonder, the area is also very much influenced by human hands. The evidence of quarrying activities is apparent in the industrial debris left on the mountain and in the abandoned structures once used by workers for storage, offices and shelter. Metal spikes that were used to split the granite are still embedded in the rock. Nature Center & Mountain Access @ 3787 Klondike Road, Stonecrest 30038 One of Georgia’s major conservation successes, this State Park showcases the pristine ecosystems of Panola Mountain, a rare example of an untouched monadnock in the American Southeast. Panola Mountain has been protected from development since 1972. Today, it is a recreational haven where visitors can spend the night at a primitive campground or sleep in a tree! The park also offers Park Entrance programs on archery, orienteering, @ 2620 Highway 155, SW, Stockbridge 30281 birding and tree-climbing. Mountain access only with a guided tour. Alexander Lakes Recreation Area $5 parking fee. @ 4871 Flat Bridge Rd, Stockbridge 30281 • Get a permit for professional photography (the rangers will tell you where to get the best pictures). • Do not use fires, fireworks or smokebombs. Help us protect this rare and fragile ecosystem! • Leave no trace – take only pictures and leave the landscape untouched behind you. Visit gastateparks.org/PanolaMountain for programs and hours. Mountain Base @ 4158 Klondike Road, Stonecrest 30038 Open daily, dawn to dusk. Eric Bowles The “sensitive fern” is one of the many flowers found on the granite outcrops. The succulent called diamorpha blankets the mountain with a red carpet in early spring before small white blooms pop. City of Lithonia The name Lithonia itself means “stone place” in Greek and the city (est. 1856) boomed during the explosive granite quarry industry. Explorers can see the remains of the area’s first African-American public schools and cemeteries, visit an early lending library and marvel at the granite architecture. Photo courtesy: William Bishop Take a self-guided walking tour, participate in geocaching or start your journey on the Arabia Mountain PATH hike/bike trail. City Hall @ 6920 Main Street, Open M-F 9am-5pm The habitats of Arabia and Panola Mountains attract diverse species of butterflies and birds. The Lithonia Woman’s Club was the area’s first lending library. Today, it remains a community landmark and gathering space. Left: Quarrymen “raise a ledge” near Lithonia. Flat Rock Archives Monastery of the Holy Spirit The natural beauty of the 2,000+ acre preserve at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and the artistry of its historic buildings set the stage for a place that speaks to the soul. The Monastic Heritage Center is built around a rehabilitated historic barn and includes an exhibit center, the largest bookstore of its kind in the Southeast and a renowned bonsai greenhouse. At the visitor center, interactive exhibits share stories of the area, including monasticism through the ages and why a group of monks chose Georgia as their home in 1944. The Cloister and Abbey Church are architectural marvels built by the monks themselves from poured concrete. The homestead of T. A. Bryant, Sr., a longtime community leader who worked to keep the Flat Rock community together during the Great Migration, is now the home of the Flat Rock Archives. The Archives protects and promotes the history of this community. Flat Rock Archives @ 3956 Crossvale Road, Lithonia 30038 Open T, Th & Sat 10am-4pm www.flatrockarchives.com Contact: flatrockarchives1865@gmail.com; (770) 885-8330 The Monastery Visitor Center & Gift Shop Open M–Sat: 10am – 5pm Abbey Church and Trailhead Open daily, dawn to dusk @ 2625 Hwy 212, Conyers 30094 www.trappist.net Arabia Mountain PATH The founders of the Flat Rock community in a photograph c. 1890. Notable descendants include football greats Warren Moon & Willie Gault and comedian Chris Tucker. Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort This multiuse hike and bike trail connects sites across the National Heritage Area, taking you across granite monadnocks, historic farms and scenic river vistas. The PATH Foundation designed and built the trail to link the historic, cultural and natural wonders of the area. This is not a rails-to-trails; therefore, the terrain can be intense with amazing vistas, challenging switchbacks and dramatic elevation changes! Open dawn-to-dusk. Multiple trailhead locations. www.arabiamountainpath.org AWARE rehabilitates injured and orphaned native wildlife and educates people about habitats and peaceful coexistence. Ambassador animals participate in public programs & tours every Sat & Sun at 1pm. @4158 Klondike Road, Stonecrest 30038 www.awarewildlife.org Vaughters’ Farm DeKalb County was once the dairy capital of Georgia, and Vaughters’ Farm is one of the few remaining remnants of the area’s agricultural past. Farmer S. B. Vaughters raised dairy cows, beef cattle and horses here, restoring a landscape that had been ruined by cotton farming as he did so. Today, you can see the historic Vaughters’ Barn and meander through the Meadow Loop Trail! Open dawn to dusk. @3366 Klondike Road, Stonecrest, 30038. NPS Passport Stamp Get stamped in the Arabia Mountain NHA! All of the above sites participate in the NPS Passport program. Arabia Mountain 85 unt e Mo 75 Ston Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area 285 20 Park idg e C r ow Panola R oad d s M ill R N Goddard Road Evans Mill Trailhead Arabia Mountain Peak 954 ft Dekalb Firing Range Flat Rock Historic Area Arabia MountainTrailhead AWARE Wildlife Center Klondike National Register Historic District S Goddard Rd Polebridge Creek Trailhead dike Rd e ns o n Klon Steph er M ill Rd Panola Mountain Peak 946 ft NTY NTY COU COU LE Riv ow ns y e uth Br Hon So RY KDA HEN ROC Historic Lyon Farm c.1821 Creek DEKALB COUNTY To Augusta 126 Miles DAVIDSON-ARABIA MOUNTAIN NATURE CENTER Flat R oc k Rd Crossvaile Rd Lyons Rd Flat Rock Cemetery 20 Rockland Rd DE K RO ALB CK CO DA UN LE T CO Y UN TY d R FLAT ROCK ARCHIVES ey ARABIA ALLIANCE @ VAUGHTERS’ FARM Plunkett Rd e Bridge C r e ek Pol d nd R kla c Ro on ek Br ow ns Mi ll d re GA-212 H Hayde n Qu arr yR d C Salem Road Stonecrest Library Dr finger Rd ap Sn Vaughters’ Farm Stonecrest Exit 75 Mall Trailhead/ City of Stonecrest Covin gton Hwy Turner Hill Rd re ek Woo d Br Ma ll Pk w y an Ev Panola Shoals Trailhead Lithonia Trailhead Exit 74 W Pole Future Connection to Atlanta Beltline LITHONIA WOMAN’S CLUB / CITY OF LITHONIA St Exit 74 E 20 75 85 in Klond ike R 20 GA-212 Hw y Ma ial STONECREST Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Exit 71 ng to n Lithonia Ind us tr LITHONIA 20 Bruce Street Historic Area i ov 285 way Rd C Bl vd ATLANTA S n a pfinger Rd Lithonia National Register Historic District Lithonia Community Park To Atlanta 17 Miles to 75/85 Rock Chapel Rd Lit ain/ ia hon Rd To Stone Mountain 8.8 Miles to entrance Cr ee k PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK ALEXANDER LAKE Historic Parker House c. 1822 GA-155 Fl at B Everett Park ridge R d GA-212 PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Rd to Conyers 5.4 Miles DeCastro Trailhead So u ve ne y Ri Ho East Fairview R d GA-138 h th Uni on Ch ur c Rd Alexa ke La n d er r C re ek Fairview Rd South Rockdale Community Park Parking National Heritage Area Interstate Highway Information Tu c ke Lorraine Trailhead rM Ho n ill Rd ey re C Main Local Road Restroom Secondary Local Road ek Rd Gas County Border GA-138 Arabia Mountain PATH Paved Walking/Biking Trail Restaurant Soft Trail Store River/Lake/Creek Gift Shop Green Space to Stockbridge 6.6 Miles Picnic Area Gateway/Visitor Service Point of Interest Hiking Trailhead Biking Mountain Peak: Arabia and Panola MONASTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Fishing Major Stone Outcrop Monastery Grounds Kayaking Archery GA-212 Tree Climbing So Horseback Riding ut h R iv er Campground to McDonough 8.4 Miles Lodging Rockdale County Greenspace Wildlife Viewing/Overlook The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is an affiliate of the National Park Service. 0 0.5 1 2 3 4 Miles