Stone Mountain After-Work Adventure Hike: Meet OUTSIDE Park.

OVERVIEW:   Perhaps too often we Georgians "take Stone Mountain for granite!" It rivals almost any other natural area in the country with its spectacular rock formations, beautiful lakes, rare native plants, and abundant birds & wildlife. The mountain has a fascinating human history as well, of which its gigantic memorial carving is but one part.
   Last fall I enjoyed hosting two different AOC groups for this excitingly different Stone Mountain experience, and several of you have suggested that we offer it again.  This "scramble" is a mostly-off-trail adventure hike that explores some of the Park's little-known scenic spots.  Visiting some of these "wilder" places on the mountain can be fun for those who have hiked thus far only on the marked trails.  Marcus was one of our November Stone Mountain "scramblers" and is an extremely capable hiker—I'm delighted to have him as my co-leader this time.
   For much of this hike we'll be traversing steeply inclined rock surfaces. In rainy weather the rock becomes slicker, so if showers are forecast we may choose to postpone the event a few days.
   As on all AOC events, we intend to obey all posted park rules and of course to be very respectful of the environment.  Although NOT considered dangerous, this event is intended for experienced adventurers who are comfortable ascending or traversing rugged rocky inclines of up to 30 degrees from the horizontal and occasionally climbing over boulders.
   We'll plan to take a moderate pace, stopping often to regroup and to observe and photograph the craggy scenery, wild critters and flowering plants.  Despite the casual pace we'll still at times get in a good aerobic workout on the uphill climbs.

WHERE & WHEN:  We’ll gather at 5:45 PM in the parking lot beside the "Red Caboose" Welcome Center, OUTSIDE THE PARK! in the Village of Stone Mountain.  We'll have FREE parking (detailed directions below) and FREE entrance into the Park via the quarter-mile "PATH" entrance Trail, similar to the Silver Comet. Please allow plenty of drive time so you can avoid being late—rush hour traffic can be horrendous.

HIKE PLAN:  After introducing one another we’ll hike into the Park (from the Red Caboose) at about 6:00 PM —initially eastward via the half-mile paved "PATH" spur trail. Our expected total hike distance will be about 5 miles, with elevation gains in our uphill portions totaling perhaps 800 vertical feet.
  On our itinerary will be an imposing granite cliff near the Walk-Up trail, an amazing field of huge boulders just below the mountaintop, a rugged old quarry area, and even the Park's retired antique wood-burning locomotive.
   Along the way we intend to avoid disturbing the flora or fauna and to leave the mountain and its surrounding terrain in even better shape than we find it by picking up and carrying out some of the bits of trash left by previous hikers.  I'll bring a few small bags along for this worthy AOC "spruce-up" effort.
   We'll target getting back to our vehicles at the "Caboose" by dark, about 9:00 PM.

MARCUS'S 2010 PHOTOS of HIKE: For his nice photo album of our November "Stone Mtn Scramble" (including the above "promo" shot) use this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=303112&id=648793487&l=00a69951aa
 

MORE ON STONE MOUNTAIN: Here are three links that might be useful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Mountain

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/faq/#Recreation

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/images/maps/hiking/smp_map_hiking_map.gif
 

DIRECTIONS TO OUR 5:45 PM MEETING PLACE:  The "Red Caboose" Welcome Center OUTSIDE the Park in the Village of Stone Mountain:

1) From "Spaghetti Junction" (the I-285/I-85 interchange in NE Atlanta) take "I-285 East" (actually southward) toward Augusta about 4.7 miles.

2) Take I-285 Exit #39B (bearing Right in a clockwise loop).  Merge onto Stone Mountain Pkwy/US-78 E (toward Snellville/Athens), and go about 5.9 miles.

3) At Exit #5 bear Right onto the Memorial Drive/Stone Mountain Bypass, and go only about 0.6 mile-- then bear Right again at your first opportunity up the E. Ponce de Leon Ave. access ramp.

4) Turn Left onto E. Ponce de Leon Ave. and go 0.5 mile to the first traffic light.

5) Continue straight ahead at the light onto Main Street and go southward here for about 0.5 mile (through Stone Mtn village) to the "Red Caboose" Welcome Center and parking lot on your Left, just beyond the RR track crossing and traffic light at Mimosa Drive.
   
6)  Free parking is available by the Caboose, and in the unlikely event that these spaces are filled there is a free "MARTA Park & Ride" lot two blocks away in Stone Mtn Village.

NEED MAP or CUSTOM DIRECTIONS? If you'd like a map or directions from your specific point of departure, go to Google.com/maps and in the "Search Maps" window enter:

   891 Main Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Then click on "Search Maps," "Get Directions," enter your personal "Start Address, and click the grey "Get Directions" box.

Free Event with Free Parking!