Georgia offers so many landscapes – coastlines, mountains, gorges, waterfalls, swamps, springs, and granite outcrops. One of my favorite areas so far is Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve. It is amazing how isolated the area feels while being so close to big cities.
Landscape
Just east of Atlanta, Georgia, Arabia Mountain is a massive granite outcrop. Arabia Mountain and nearby Panola Mountain formed 400 million years ago. These outcrops are called monadnocks. Visitors can explore both in the Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve and Panola Mountain State Park.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA) includes the two granite outcrops, former quarry and agricultural sites, and historic buildings. National Heritage Areas are places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a nationally important landscape.
Like Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain was quarried before being donated to DeKalb County. Its stone, called “Tidal Gray,” was prized for its swirl pattern and structural density.
Hiking Trails
There are 9 hiking trails around the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. We tackled 4 trails on our trip – Klondike Boardwalk, Mountain Top Trail, Mountain View Trail, and Mile Rock Trail.
Starting from the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center, we began our trek on the universally accessible paved Arabia Mountain PATH (AMP) trail, a 30-mile multi-use recreational trail. The AMP was designed to link the ecological and historical landmarks in the National Heritage Area.
Klondike Boardwalk
The PATH Trail connects to the 0.5-mile Klondike Boardwalk along the mountain. Here we got our first look at the granite slopes and flora. This easy path is ideal for those who do not have the time or ability to climb to the mountaintop.
Yellow jessamine and orange crossvine blooms wrapped around the wooden boards.
Mountain Top Trail
Once we reached the AWARE Wildlife Center, we were able to pick up the moderate 0.5-mile Mountain Top Trail. I recommend not attempting this hike just after or during rain, as the climb up the granite mountain would be extremely slippery. Due to its bare rock surface, this trail was my first opportunity to follow true cairn markers.
We immediately stepped onto the lunar-like landscape, only broken by craters filled with water and flowers. Visitors are asked to “stay on the gray” (only walk on the bare granite) to save the plants in the depressions.
We visited in March, so we were lucky enough to see the red diamorpha in bloom. Diamorpha smallii is a succulent that grows in shallow pits. Their white flowers bloom in the spring.
Around a half mile into the hike, we hit the base of Arabia Mountain and slowly made our climb to the summit.
What gorgeous views! I could not get enough of the otherworldly landscape. Pockets of diamorpha, lichen, and wildflowers added pops of color against the gray.
Sweeping views of the surrounding landscape are available everywhere you look.
Mountain View Trail
The moderate 1.8-mile Mountain View Trail starts at the same trailhead as the Mountain Top Trail but breaks off to the right at the base of the mountain. After exploring the mountaintop, we picked this trail up at the split. Blue blazes are painted on the rock outcrops and trees.
The path veers into the woods for a short trek. In March, the mountain laurel blooms were almost open.
The Mountain View Trail emerges from the forest back to the mountain’s lower slopes. It follows the edge of Mountain Lake, offering intermittent views.
We found a tiny waterfall cascading down the slope to the lake.
From there, the trail switches between granite, meadow, and tree cover.
Mile Rock Trail
After the Mountain View Trail, we headed back to the Klondike Boardwalk and the PATH trail. Our last trail, the Mile Rock Trail connects to the paved path and links back to the Nature Center. The aptly named, 1-mile route is marked by cairns.
Here we saw the area’s history as a quarry. There were blasted rock ledges and even shiny slabs of granite laying around. We also found old quarry operations buildings.
Diamorpha bloomed here as well with yellow flowers and green moss.
Just before the Nature Center, we entered a forest canopy.
Parking
Parking for the hiking trails can be very crowded, especially on weekends. There are two main lots: The AWARE Wildlife Center lot and the Nature Center/PATH lot where we parked. There are also several other trailhead parking areas offered by the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance.