Day Trips® from Atlanta by Janice McDonald

Author:Janice McDonald
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493037681
Publisher: Globe Pequot Press

stone mountain park

Stone Mountain has existed as a park for 50 years, but the area surrounding this giant outcropping has been drawing tourists for centuries. After the Civil War, the area was purchased by brothers Samuel and William Venable, who, in addition to quarrying granite from the area, decided to carve a relief on the side of the mountain memorializing three Confederate generals (Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis).

Disputes over the carving led to it taking more than 50 years to complete, ultimately ending with the Venables turning the park over to the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, Inc., which in turn sold it to the state of Georgia, which owns it today.

The finished relief is the largest in the world. While most literature you read about Stone Mountain will say it is the largest outcropping of granite in the world, it actually consists of quartz monzonite, granite, and granodiorite. It rises 825 feet above the surrounding landscape and also extends 8 miles below the earth’s surface. Its base is more than 5 miles around. Thus, in addition to hiking trails, there is a host of other activities in which to take part.

Park gates are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but you are allowed to stay inside the park well after the admission booth closes (stonemountainpark.com; 770-498-5690 or 800-401-2407; $$).

getting there

The entrance to Stone Mountain Park is off US 78, less than 8 miles outside of I-285. From downtown, the quickest way is to head straight up Ponce de Leon Avenue until it splits in Decatur. Take the left fork, which is Scott Blvd./U.S. Highway 78. You’ll see signs to I-285, take that exit but stay on US 78 East (Snellville/Athens). Travel 8 miles and take exit 8, the Stone Mountain Park main entrance. Follow the exit ramp to the east gate entrance of Stone Mountain Park.

where to go

The Antebellum Plantation. This collection of buildings was built between 1783 and 1875 in various areas of the state of Georgia. Each was then moved from its original site and restored to preserve its authenticity. The resulting assembly gives visitors a sense of life for 18th-and 19th-century Georgia residents. You not only experience everyday life, but in the kitchen area, you can enjoy culinary traditions of the South. The farmyard is particularly fun for the kids. Included in the One-Day Adventure Pass to the park or $$.

Carillon. Sitting on the edge of Stone Mountain Lake, the 732-bell carillon was donated to the park by Coca-Cola after its being exhibited in the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City. Free concerts are Mon through Sat noon and 4 p.m., Sun 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

Confederate Hall. Located at the base of the trail on the back side of the mountain opposite the carving, Confederate Hall is designed to educate visitors about the geology and ecology of Stone Mountain. The 5,400-square-foot hall contains a theater, a gallery, and interactive exhibits as well as state-of-the-art classrooms. The theater is set in a cave and shows a video about the origins of the mountain.

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