Arabia Mountain Top Trail
Hike the Arabia Mountain Top Trail at the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, just east of Atlanta. This is an incredible hike to discover rare plant species and see amazing sunset views.
Arabia Mountain, a barren rocky monadnock, is the focal point of the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and is the namesake of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area.
This hike to the summit of Arabia Mountain is one of the park’s most popular hikes. This approximately 1.2 mile out-and-back hike is pretty easy and has some stunning views.
Hiking the Arabia Mountain Top Trail
Arabia Mountain is a 955 foot-tall monadnock, which is just a fancy name for a granite outcrop. The mountain’s face is barren, marked by craters and pools holding rare plant species, and scarred by the industry of granite quarrying.
The approximately 1.2-mile Arabia Mountain Top Trail is almost entirely on the mountain’s rocky, otherworldly surface.
The Arabia Mountain Top Trail trailhead begins at the parking lot in front of the AWARE Wildlife Center off Klondike Road.
The hike heads east, bursting out of the crop of trees into the barren landscape of the monadnock’s granite face. Piles of rocks called cairns mark the trail route as you gradually incline up the mountain.
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As you hike, you’ll notice shallow pools of water and sand in the craters dotted across the mountain. This is where rare flowers, like the mountain’s beautiful red carpet of diamorpha, and other fragile lichen live. These plants form a delicate and unique ecosystem across the mountain’s windswept surface.
Be sure to “stay on the gray” to avoid these fragile plants. Step only on the bare granite and avoid puddles, pits, and sandy patches where the mountain’s rare plants thrive.
If you want to see the mountain awash in red diamorpha, be sure to visit in the spring. Arabia Mountain “rolls out the red carpet” of diamorpha in April.
You can also see evidence of quarrying on the mountain, like cutaway rocks, dynamite blast holes, and metal spikes used to spit granite still embedded in the rock.
The Arabia Mountain Top Trail begins a steep climb to the summit at just under 0.5 mile. The trail reaches the summit of the mountain at about 0.6 miles.
From the top, you can get an incredible 360-degree view of the surrounding forests of the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area.
This is an incredible sunrise or sunset hike; it’s one of the best places to watch the sunset in Atlanta. Just remember that after sunset, the trail is going to be dark, so bring a flashlight!
The trail departs the summit, retracing the way you just came and completing the hike at about 1.2 miles.
Hiking Essentials
Come prepared for your hike by making sure you pack the essentials. Check out this must-have hiking gear before you set off on the trails:
Arabia Mountain Top Trail Info
Hike length: 1.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Easy
Is it pet-friendly?: Yes, leashed dogs are allowed on this trail.
Location: 4158 Klondike Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038
Parking: Free parking is available at the trailhead parking lot off Klondike Road in front of the AWARE Wildlife Center. Parking can be crowded at this parking lot, so you may also consider parking at the Arabia Mountain Nature Center parking lot and walking the PATH trail to the Mountain Top trailhead.
Price: Free.
Hours: The trail is open from sunrise to sunset.
Accessibility: The Arabia Mountain Top Trail is an unpaved trail over granite rock that is only accessible to hikers.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is a 40,000 acre area that includes the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, Panola Mountain State Park, and important agricultural sites, spiritual centers, historic communities, and historic buildings.
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Nearby Hiking Trails
Looking for more hiking trails in Atlanta? Check out more of these amazing Georgia hikes:
- Stone Mountain Walk-Up Trail
- Kennesaw Mountain Loop Trail
- Brasstown Bald at Sunset
- Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail
- Atlanta BeltLine Northside Trail
- Iron Hill Loop Trail at Red Top Mountain State Park
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Cheers!
Paige
Have you hiked the Arabia Mountain Top Trail at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area? Let me know in the comments!
