Arabia Mountain

Arabia Mountain NHA https://www.nps.gov/armo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabia_Mountain_National_Heritage_Area The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area in the U.S. state of Georgia encompasses natural, cultural, and historical elements to form a cohesive, nationally significant environment. The area is due east of Atlanta and reaches from the historic commercial center of Lithonia to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, including a number of sites in between, including Panola Mountain State Park, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, the Mall at Stonecrest, and more. For millions of years, granite monadnocks have stood watch over the rivers and forests of Georgia. These breathtaking landscapes are the cornerstones of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, which serves to protect & promote these outcrops and the surrounding region as a recreational wonder and national treasure. The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area lies just east of Atlanta along I-20. It is a partnership area 40,000 large where visitors will find large, granite outcroppings, historic communities and spiritual spaces.

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 comm