A Spring Hike Along Stone Mountain’s Cherokee Trail

 Event Overview and Where to Meet:  Hope you can join us for this 5.5-mile clockwise loop hike around Stone Mountain via the beautiful "Cherokee Trail" and its orange-blazed connecting trails.  Along the way we'll hike past the awesome Memorial Carving (photo above) and the old Grist Mill, historic Covered Bridge and Native Plant Garden. Although we don't intend to "summit" the mountain on this outing we'll enjoy a nice variety of its rocky terrain, lakefront & creekside scenery, colorful native trees. wildflowers and wildlife.

 Park Features & Activities:  Boasting 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of amazing outdoor activities,adventures and attractions.  Hikers can enjoy more than 15 miles of scenic nature trails throughout the Park or take a variety of paved walkways if you prefer.  It's also a great place for bicycling, camping, paddling, fishing or playing golf.  There are lots of fun annual events such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mtn Christmas, and Snow Mountain. Visitors who wish to learn more about the mountain's fascinating history, geology and ecology can explore the Historical & Environmental Heritage Center and visit the other museum displays, etc. in Confederate Hall and Memorial Hall.

Click these links for more about the Park, itsTrails, etc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Mountain
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/activities/recreation-golf/Hiking-Trails
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/faq/#Recreation

Fun Fact: How large is the granite that underlies Stone Mountain? Hint: Not the popular myth.

We'll gather for the Hike at the "Walk-Up Trailhead" inside Stone Mtn Park (our "usual" gathering spot for most AOC Stone Mtn hikes).  It's beside the stone restroom building which is about 75 yards toward the mountain from Confederate Hall.  GPS users can enter this concise Lat/Lon as your destination address, being sure to include the comma and minus sign: 33.8107,-84.1617
For a zoomable map or satellite view of this gathering spot click the square blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.

Directions and Parking Fees for Hikers who Prefer Driving into the Park:  The main entrance into the Park is the "East Gate" which has its own special "Exit #8" from the Stone Mtn Freeway.   Visitors who drive into the Park must purchase and display a valid Parking Pass: The current price is $20 per vehicle for a daily pass or $40 per vehicle for an annual pass, available from the entrance gate attendants - also online.
  Assuming that you drive in via the East Gate, take Jefferson Davis Drive straight ahead for 1 mile and bear right at the big 3-way junction.  Continue via Robt. E. Lee Blvd another 1.1 mile to Confederate Hall (on your left, avoiding the Park's "West Gate" exit at the 1-mile point).  Just past the Hall turn Left into its large Parking Lot and park there.  Then walk a few yards toward the mountain to the above-discussed gathering spot/ trailhead.

Optional Free Parking in nearby Stone Mtn Village and "Walk-In" Directions:  Park visitors are welcome to take advantage of the always-free Park admission for pedestrians and bicyclists.  There are normally plenty of free parking spots available about 1/4 mile outside the "West" Park entrance in the quaint old village of Stone Mountain.  For example, on weekends the Suntrust Bank is closed and there is usually space in its free parking lot, at 5399 E Mountain St, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 (corner of 2nd Street). GPS and Maps.Google.com/ users can enter "Suntrust Mountain St GA" as your destination.  On all days of the week free public parking is usually available near the E Main St / Mountain St traffic light, esp. in the vicinity of the Village's old train station and white gazebo.
To walk (or ride your bike) from Stone Mtn Village to our AOC meetup spot inside Park near Confederate Hall:  Proceed eastward via the Mountain Street sidewalk and enter the Park via the narrow steel pedestrian gate. Continue straight ahead to the restroom building on the far side of the large parking lot (~75 yards beyond Confederate Hall on your left).  Although the narrow pedestrian gate is normally locked at night, hikers and cyclists can enter/exit the Park 24-7 at no charge via the nearby "West Gate" (mentioned above for drivers).