Sunrise atop and a loop around Stone Mountain

This weekend will be clear and rain-free according to the forecasts. I'll believe it, when I see it :). Why not take the opportunity to experience and enjoy the start of a what promises to be a beautiful day at the summit of Stone Mountain, coupled with an early enough morning exercise at some of the surrounding trails? All of these will be before the height of sunshine/heat for the day.   

We will meet at the confederate hall restrooms area to start our ascent to the top of the mountain at 6:00am. Sunrise is at 6:30am.  We're going to hang out at the top for about 20-25 minutes or so, to so soak in the sunrise. This will be a good time to enjoy your snacks and/or breakfast. The plans is to return the confederate hall restrooms area by 7:30am. We'll then start the second leg of this event by hiking the loop around the mountain and touching as many of the trails as possible within the allotted time.

I will allow those that want skip the sunrise portion of the event to participate in the hike around the mountain. Just in case you're too distant to get to stone mountain at 6:00am or you want to bring your dog for some exercise. Dogs are not allowed on the walk up trail. If you so desire, you must be ready to meet us at 7:30am sharp by the restrooms to tag along.  Please let me know that is what you plan to do, ahead of the event.

DIRECTIONS from the US-78 STONE MOUNTAIN FREEWAY/ I-285 INTERCHANGE in NE METRO ATLANTA:
1. From I-285 exit #39B take the Stone Mtn Freeway (US-78) about 9 miles eastward (toward Stone Mtn, Snellville and Athens) and get off at Exit #8, the main Stone Mountain Park entrance.
2. Enter the Park at the admissions gate. (Suggestion: Ask for a Park map.  The daily parking fee is $10 if you don't display the ~$35 annual Stone Mtn parking pass.  There's no per-person charge for entrance.)
3. Take the Park entrance road, Jefferson Davis Drive, 1.1 mile to the Y intersection.
4. Bear Right onto Robert E. Lee Drive, go about 1 more mile westward to Confederate Hall on your left. (As you approach the Hall, avoid bearing right at the Park's western exit).
5. Park in the big parking lot just beyond the Hall.  We'll meet in our usual place for AOC Stone Mountain hikes beside the Restroom Building at the base of the Walk-up Trail.

LAT/LON COORDINATES of OUR WALK-UP TRAIL MEETING SPOT for your GPS or Google.com/maps destination (Use in conjunction with above directions): 33.8106,-84.1617

WARNING!!! The MARTA FREE PARKING lot indicated below is CURRENTLY NOT IN SERVICE and may be closed indefinitely in the future...Use directions below only as a guide and plan to park elsewhere in Stone Mountain Village. My personal suggestion is for you to park on the lot next to the Police Station/Stone Mountain Visitor's Caboose on Main Street. There's a path right there that takes you straight into the Park. Once inside the park, turn left and walk under train trestle to the confederate hall area.

ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS for FREE STONE MTN VILLAGE PARKING & PARK ENTRANCE, with 6-MIN WALK or 2-MIN BIKE RIDE to our HIKE MEETING SPOT:
1. From I-285 exit #39B take the Stone Mtn Freeway (US-78) about 5.9 miles eastward (toward Stone Mtn, Snellville and Athens).
2. At Exit #5 bear Right onto the Memorial Drive/Stone Mountain Bypass, and go only about 0.6 mile—then bear Rightagain at your first opportunity up the E. Ponce de Leon Ave. access ramp.
3. Turn Left onto E. Ponce de Leon Ave. and go 0.5 mile to the first traffic light.
4. Turn Left onto James B. Rivers Memorial Drive (avoiding the sharper Silver Hill Rd left turn) and go just 3 blocks (not quite 0.2 mile) to 4th Street.
5. Turn Right onto 4th Street and go about 0.4 mile to the free MARTA parking lot on your left (crossing Mountain Street en route).
6. After parking, walk or ride your bike a half block back out to Mountain Street, turn Right, and proceed straight ahead about 0.3 mile and through the free Stone Mountain Park pedestrian/bicycle entrance gate at the end of Mountain Street. Continue straight ahead through the big parking lot to our meeting point by the restroom building near Confederate Hall.

CLICK HERE for STONE MTN TRAIL MAP:
http://www.stonemountainpark.org/images/ecosystem/trail%20map%202008%20for%20visitors%20at%20CHall.pdf

Photograph is courtesy of Kathryn Young.

I will cancel if adverse weather is in the forcast!