ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN
Stone Mountain is an impressive quartz-monzonite monolith outside the city of Atlanta and it is easy to see why it has become a tourist destination. This rock mountain stands out, rising 825 feet above the nearby landscape.
Stone
Mountain Park is owned by the State of Georgia. Like
your typical state park, it has hiking and biking trails, a lake with boating
and fishing, picnic areas, and a campground. Unlike most state parks it has
lots of other touristy things – some tasteful and some kitschy.
Perhaps the most notable
thing is an enormous carving said to be the largest bas-relief in the world. It
depicts Confederate Civil War figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E Lee and
Jefferson Davis. The carving was started by Gutzon Borglum who left the project
to carve Mount Rushmore. Their laser and
fireworks show (which we didn’t see) can be viewed for free from the lawn or
for a fee from seats on terraces. Each terrace is named for a state in the
Confederacy and had a sign about the state and its role in the Civil War.
There’s lots more to the
park: hotels, a golf course, shops, restaurants, museums, a 4-D theater, a
Dinotorium, and an Antebellum plantation. One can take a ride up a tram to the
top getting a close-up view of the sculpture or can ride a train around the
base of the mountain. There is a duck boat and a ropes course. We didn’t do any
of those things (not really our style), but stumbled upon the quaint gristmill,
covered bridge, and carillon.
Some of the mountain was quarried in the past. Unlike the quarries in New England
that form a deep hole, this quarry scaled the surface rock. So the evidence is sharp steps in the rock face and quarrying holes.
A small exhibit explains the history.
On our first full day we
decided to hike up the mountain on Walk-up Trail. Being close to Atlanta and being close
to a holiday weekend (the day after Easter), there were many people who had the
same idea. Most of the trail gradually climbed the rock surface and railings
lined a small steep section near the top.
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| Walk-up Trail |
Lots of carved names mar the
path. The old names end up being viewed as interesting history and the new ones
as graffiti.
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Looks like Barbara’s former
dog was here.
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Barbara thought it should be
called “Huff and Puff Trail” rather than “Walk-up Trail,” but we made it and
had a great view at the top.
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| Barbara on Stone Mountain with Atlanta in the distance |
On the way down we
accidentally veered off the trail. There was a couple heading toward us also off
the trail. The guy looks straight at us and says, “Bill!” We were surprised to
bump into a former colleague of Bill’s from Juniper Networks. He and his family
were in Atlanta
for Spring break. It was great to meet them and get an update on the company.
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| Bill and Fred on Stone Mountain |
More on Stone
Mountain in the next post.
Campground: Stone Mountain Park Campground
Distance from Kings Mountain:
210miles, 3hr8min
