Lovely Arabia Mountain! - an afternoon hike on seldom-seen trails

WEATHER UPDATE (as of 10AM Sat): We're still ON for the hike despite the fact that the weather forecast has gotten much wetter since the event was posted last Tue. Showers are now expected to be likely, esp. after 2PM and the temperature will likely not quite reach 50 degrees.  Let's each bring rain gear in our daypacks and be ready to use it if necessary - also wear warm layers initially and have daypack space for stashing any garments that you may need to shed along the way.

IN A NUTSHELL:   On this moderately paced 6-mile hike we'll visit not only the Park's scenic "twin summits" but also some lovely seldom visited places such as the secluded "Arabia Lake" and its surrounding forest in the western portion of the Park.
   Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve is a huge DeKalb County Park about a half-hour drive east of downtown Atlanta via I-20, and just 15 minutes from the east-side I-20/I-285 interchange. (Please follow carefully my directions below.)  We'll have free parking and free park entrance at the preserve's nice Nature Center.
  Our AOC "subgroup" will gather at 1:00 PM beside the Nature Center's outdoor bulletin board kiosk.  Look for me, Charlie, wearing a grey Atlanta Outdoor Club T-shirt.

HIKE PLAN:  After welcoming and introducing one another we'll first explore some of the beautiful seldom-hiked terrain west of the Nature Center, as mentioned above.  During the latter part of the hike we'll enjoy leisurely ascents of "Arabia Peak" and "Bradley Peak" in the eastern side of the Park, and then enjoy the newly opened "blue loop trail" around the lake below those rocky high points.
  We'll stop occasionally along the way to observe birds & wildlife, rare native flora and the fascinating rocky outcrops. We expect to be back at the parking lot no later than 4:30 PM - a couple of hours before dark.  During the hike feel free to "split early" if you prefer, but be sure to let me know if you choose to do so - it's easy to direct you back to the Nature Center from various convenient spots along our hike route.
  Well-behaved leashed Dogs are welcome provided that they are kept leashed and under their owner's control at all times.

FASCINATING "MONADNOCK" GEOLOGY!  The hundreds of acres of exposed rock at Arabia Mountain is known to have been originally formed from huge globules of molten rock deep inside the earth about 400 million years ago.  By comparison the granite of its nearby "siblings," Stone Mountain and Panola Mountain, is believed to be "relatively young!" - only?! about 300 million years old.  All three mountains are "monadnocks" - the geologic term for granitic domes that hardened from such igneous globules and were gradually revealed as miles of softer layers of earth and rock eroded away from above them.
  By the way, an exciting event called "Monadnock Madness" is being planned for the afternoon of Sunday March 16th.  I'll recruit an AOC "subgroup" to join local naturalists for special guided ascents of Stone Mtn, Arabia Mtn and Panola Mtn all on that single afternoon.  I hope some of you can join me for that upcoming 2nd annual AOC "hiking challenge." Actually it's NOT very difficult as we proved last March!  The pace for that event will be leisurely and we'll have ample rest periods while car caravaning between the successive parking lots, etc. 

DIRECTIONS from the I-20/ I-285 INTERCHANGE on ATLANTA'S EAST SIDE:  (This "hypothetical starting point" for driving to the Park is about 10 miles east of downtown Atlanta)

1.  From the I-20/I-285 Interchange proceed eastbound on I-20 about 5 miles (outside I-285 toward Augusta) and exit to your Right at Exit #74 ("Evans Mill Rd/Lithonia").

2.  Take the 1.3-mile-long exit ramp and access road STRAIGHT AHEAD to its end at the second traffic light where Evans Mill Rd crosses underneath I-20.  (AVOID the first "Evans Mill" opportunity, which would be a right turn before the end of the access road.)

3.  Turn Right at the traffic light onto Evans Mill Road and go just 0.1 mile to another traffic light.

4.  At that light continue straight ahead onto Woodrow Drive and continue another 0.8 mile to the stop sign at Klondike Road.

5.  Turn Right onto Klondike Road and in about 1 mile you will pass through a traffic circle at Rockland Road.  Stay on Klondike Road for another 0.25 mile beyond the circle and look for the" Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve" nature center on your right.

6.  Turn Right into the Nature Center's gravel parking lot where we can park for free.

7.  We'll gather by the roofed bulletin-board kiosk between the parking lot and the Nature Center building.

FOR a MAP of our DAVIDSON-ARABIA PARKING LOT VICINITY:  Click on the square blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.  You can also use Google.com/maps or your vehicle's GPS System in conjunction with the above directions by entering as your destination the following Nature Center address or Lat/Lon coordinates:
3787 Klondike Rd, Lithonia, GA 30038
33.6723,-84.1161

Free Event with Free Parking!