Abdul-Azeez R.
Google
Pros:
- Parking is relatively cheap inside the park; $20 a car per day, or $40 a car for a whole year. Access is also technically free if you can find parking within the town of Stone Mountain and then just walk into the park.
- The natural landscape is pretty beautiful and peaceful (aside from a rather hideous carving on one side of the mountain's face), especially on a sunny day with blue sky. You might even get a close look at some interesting wildlife, like deer, owls, and hawks.
- The hike up the mountain poses a good challenge for hikers, runners, or just anyone looking to get in a workout. Took us about 40 minutes from parking lot to peak moving at a steady pace with a couple rest stops. I would rate the difficulty somewhere between 6/10 to 8/10. It is filled with smooth rocky steps that can be a bit slippery and there are sections that get REALLY steep.
- At the peak, offers some spectacular views of the surrounding park and lake. On a clear day, you can also see the Metro Atlanta skyline from Downtown to Buckhead to Sandy Springs. I also appreciated the wind and breeze at the peak since this was in the middle of summer.
Cons:
- A lot of areas on the hiking trail don't have much tree cover, and the mountain feels like one giant smooth slab of concrete, which means on a hot sunny day, the heat can be pretty brutal. Plan and pack accordingly!
- I found the Welcome Center at the top to be a little disappointing. Refreshments seemed expensive. At least they had bathrooms and AC.
