Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area: Ultimate Guide
Just east of Atlanta is a hidden gem of natural wonders and rich history. At Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, you’ll discover otherworldly granite outcrops, Trappist monks, and one of the oldest African American communities in Georgia, among other things.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is a 40,000 acre area in DeKalb and Rockdale Counties, Georgia with so many wonders to explore. If you’re interested in local history, want to hike or bike the trails, or are interested in visiting a monastery, you’ll find it all here.
Find out what makes Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area a must-visit natural getaway near Atlanta, and get an insider’s guide to making the most of your visit.
About Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is 40,000 acres that includes two granite monadnocks, natural areas, a former quarry, former important agricultural sites, spiritual centers, historic communities, and historic buildings.
What is a National Heritage Area? A National Heritage Area is made up of historic, cultural, and natural resources that form a nationally important landscape. So unlike a National Park, a National Heritage Area can still be lived in and have active communities.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is important because of its natural and human history, from the formation of Arabia and Panola Mountains 400 million years ago to the founding of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in 1944.
Exploring Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
There are a lot of incredible places to explore within Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Here are all the different sites you won’t want to miss:
Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
The Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve is 2,550 acres of exposed granite, wetlands, pine and oaks forests, streams, and lakes. The focal point is, of course, Arabia Mountain, the 955 foot-tall monadnock with its barren, otherworldly landscape.
Within the preserve, and especially on the mountain, you’ll find rare and unique plants that are federally protected. The mountain’s signature red diamorpha blankets the rockface in the spring, and yellow daisies pop up in the fall. This is also a great place for a sunset hike.
It’s about a 0.6 mile hike to the summit. It’s not a very difficult hike, but the exposed rock face and lack of shade make it really hot in the summer!
In the 20th century, the mountain was quarried for granite. You can still see evidence of quarrying in the mountain and abandoned structures throughout the park.
You can explore the nature preserved through miles of hiking trail and a multi-use PATH bike trail. All of Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve is free to access with free parking, making it one of the best budget-friendly things to do in Atlanta.
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Panola Mountain State Park
Panola Mountain State Park is a rare example of an untouched monadnock. Unlike Arabia Mountain, Panola Mountain was never used for quarrying. This state park has one of the most pristine ecosystems.
This 1,600 acre park has two lakes, a nature center, a playground, picnic shelters, primitive campsites, and hiking trails.
Because the mountain is so well-preserved, you can only access the summit via a ranger-led guided hike.
As with all Georgia State Parks, there is a $5 parking fee per vehicle.
Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort (AWARE)
The AWARE Wildlife Center rehabilitates native Georgia injured and orphaned wildlife. They take in owls, hawks, opossums, snakes, skunks, bats, river otters, and more. Once the animals are rehabilitated, they are released back into the wild to live happy, healthy lives.
They offer free tours at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays where you can go behind-the-scenes and meet a few animal ambassadors who weren’t able to be released back into the wild. We got to meet an opossum, a turtle, and a snake!
Historic Vaughters’ Farm
Vaughters’ Farm is what remains of the area’s agricultural past. Farmer S.B. Vaughters was known for raising dairy cows,, beef cattle, and horses on his farm.
In 2002, Vaughters sold his land to the state of Georgia so that this beautiful piece of open land would be protected from urban sprawl.
Vaughters Barn is now a beautiful photo spot along the Arabia Mountain PATH. You can admire the barn from the outside, as the inside is still in the process of being preserved.
Monastery of the Holy Spirit
The Monastery of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1944 by Trappist monks. They first built the Abbey Church by themselves from poured concrete.
The monastery also encompasses a 2,000+ acre preserve, a historic barn-turned-Heritage Center, and the largest bookstore of its kind in the Southeast.
You can visit the monastery for a self-guided tour of the museum and Abbey Church for free. You can also join the monks for mass, mid-day prayer, or vespers.
Historic Downtown Lithonia
Lithonia was a quarry boomtown, benefiting greatly from the quarry industry on Arabia Mountain. The name Lithonia means “stone place” in Greek.
It’s a quiet town today, but you can visit Historic Downtown Lithonia for their weekly Farmers Market, see beautiful granite architecture, and learn about the area’s first lending library.
Flat Rock Community
After the Civil War, many African Americans left the South in search of a better life. But here in flat Rock, T.A. Bryant, Sr. and other leaders kept the community together, forming one of the oldest African American communities in Georgia.
The T.A. Bryant Homestead houses the Flat Rock Archives, which preserves records and artifacts from the communities history.
When you take a tour of the community, you’ll see the historic home, a barn, smokehouse, outhouse, the Historic Flat Rock Cemetery, and the Lyon House.
Things to Do at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Go For a Hike
The National Heritage Area has dozens of miles of trails, both paved and unpaved. You can hike up Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain; you can walk through meadows and along lakes; you can even take the 33+ mile PATH trail that connects sites throughout the area.
Bike the PATH
The Arabia Mountain PATH multi-use bike trail is one of the best biking trails in Atlanta. This 33+ mile paved trail takes you all the way from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit to Downtown Lithonia.
Learn Local History
At Vaughters’ Farm, you can learn about how DeKalb County was once the dairy capital of Georgia. At the Bruce Street School, you can see the ruins of the first African American public school in DeKalb County, and likely one of the first in Georgia.
At the homestead of T.A. Bryant, Sr., you can visit the Flat Rock Archives and learn about one of the oldest African American communities in the state. You can also visit the Flat Rock Slave Cemetery and the Lyon farm, one of the oldest homesteads in DeKalb County.
At the Parker House, you can see the oldest home in Rockdale County. In the Klondike National Historic District, you can see some of the oldest buildings in the National Heritage Area, with many buildings pre-dating the Civil War.
Attend Special Events
Hike through the wildflowers on a Daisy Days hike in the fall. Join a group bike tour, river paddle, guided mountain hike, yoga session, or outdoors workshop. There is always something interesting going on at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area!
More Activities
From paddling along the South River to camping and archery at Panola Mountain State Park to fishing and geocaching throughout the National Heritage Area, there are tons of fun things to do!
Visiting Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Address: Find the address for each landmark in the National Heritage Area below.
- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve — 3787 Klondike Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038 (Visitor Center)
- Panola Mountain State Park — 2620 Georgia 155 SW, Stockbridge, GA 30281
- AWARE Wildlife Center — 4158 Klondike Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038
- Historic Vaughters’ Farm — 3366 Klondike Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit — 2625 GA-212 SW, Conyers, GA 30094
- Historic Downtown Lithonia — 6959-6971 Main St, Lithonia, GA 30058
- Flat Rock Community — 3956 Crossvale Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038 (Flat Rock Archives)
Admission: Much of the National Heritage Area is free to access, but since the area covers so many different places, it’s best to check each site before visiting.
- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve — Free
- Panola Mountain State Park — $5 parking fee per vehicle
- AWARE Wildlife Center — Free
- Historic Vaughters’ Farm — Free (no inside access)
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit — Free
- Historic Downtown Lithonia — Free
- Flat Rock Community — $15 per person (Homestead Tour) or $25 per person (Complete Tour)
Hours: Check out the special hours for each site below:
- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve — Dawn to dusk
- Panola Mountain State Park — Daily from 7 a.m. to sunset
- AWARE Wildlife Center — Tours offered at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays
- Historic Vaughters’ Farm — Dawn to dusk (no inside access)
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit — Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Historic Downtown Lithonia — Check local business for hours
- Flat Rock Community — Tours offered Thursday-Saturday at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1 p.m.
Parking: On-site parking is available throughout the National Heritage Area.
- Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve — Free throughout the preserve
- Panola Mountain State Park — $5 parking fee
- AWARE Wildlife Center — Free
- Historic Vaughters’ Farm — Free lot across the street
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit — Free
- Historic Downtown Lithonia — Free
- Flat Rock Community — Free
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area FAQ
What is Arabia Mountain known for?
Arabia Mountain is known for its otherworldly granite outcrop, called a monadnock, where you can find rare plant species like diamorpha and get a great view of the sunset.
Is Arabia Mountain a hard hike?
The Arabia Mountaintop Trail is an easy-to-moderate hike that’s good for kids and dogs. It’s a short 0.6 mile hike to the summit, there are steep points, and there is no shade so it can be quite hot on a sunny summer day.
Is Arabia Mountain the same as Stone Mountain?
Arabia Mountain is not the same as Stone Mountain, though they are similar. Both mountains are monadnocks, however, Stone Mountain was formed about 100 million years after Arabia Mountain was formed.
How old is Arabia Mountain?
Arabia Mountain was formed about 400 million years ago. That’s pretty old!
Where to Stay Near Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Find the perfect place to stay near Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Here are a few unique options in the area:
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A guided tour is always a good way to get to know a city! Check out these top Atlanta tours.
- 90-Minute Guided Sightseeing Tour by E-Car
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Where to Stay in Atlanta
Find the perfect place to rest your head on your Atlanta vacation!
- My Favorite Stay: Westin Peachtree Plaza
- Top Hotel: The Candler Hotel
- Great Value: Hampton Inn & Suites Perimeter Dunwoody
- Unique Stay: Stonehurst Place
Craving More Atlanta Activities?
If you need more things to do while visiting Atlanta, check out these top posts:
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- The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Atlanta, Georgia
- 99+ Fun Things to Do in Atlanta (From a Local)
- Fall in Atlanta: 10 Fun Things to Do
- 23+ Best Things to Do in Spring in Atlanta
Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
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Cheers!
Paige
Did you find this guide to visiting Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area in DeKalb and Rockdale Counties, Georgia helpful? Let me know in the comments!
