Arabia Mountain is beautiful. It has wonderful walking/running/biking paths throughout. You can hike up the mountain - which was quarried for many homes in the Atlanta area. In many ways it is a like Stone Mountain but an easier hike. interesting to see the trees growing in solid granite and other small plants that reside there.There is also a paved path around a beautiful lake. Many interesting birds and creatures there as well.
Love this place. I walked up the mountain 1-2 week and enjoy it everytime; did I mention it was great for the legs. ;-0
The trails and the area around Arabia Mountain are quiet and peaceful. You can get as much excercise in as you'd like on the trails and walking around the mountain area. The natural areas of Arabia Mountain are awesome.
My dog and I hiked over 5 miles at Arabia Mountain recently. We found various terrains and interesting bio-diversity throughout our three-hour jaunt. The trails were well-marked and relatively easy. The trails would be appropriate for nearly all ages (6 - 70 years) with adequate footwear and knees. I will return with my wife and daughter soon!
I've lived in Atlanta for over 10 years, and I finally got around to visiting Arabia Mountain. I was pleasantly surprised. Arabia Mountain is like a muted, noncommercial version of Stone Mountain. The hike to the top of the rock outcrop is half as long and not nearly as steep. Rock cairns mark the trail. You will usually encounter dozens of people walking up and down Stone Mountain, but we saw only a few other walkers on our visit to Arabia. We were alone on the rock top for the entire visit. The only other evidence of recent human activity was a broken bottle and and some campfire ashes near the rock benchmark. Surrounded by trees on a giant bald rock, you could almost forget that you're in the middle of a major metropolitan area. I look forward to returning to Arabia Mountain in the fall, when the diamorpha blooms. Guests should know that there is virtually no tree cover once on the rock face, so bring your sunblock. Wear boots or shoes that you don't mine getting dirty. It's been a wet summer, so we had to cross over a couple muddy patches. Also, if you park in the South Lot, you might want to check out the AWARE wildlife rehabilitation center. They offer tours on the weekends. (We dropped off an orphaned baby squirrel and were able to see an owl, hawk, baby opossum, and turtles.)
I went to Arabia Mountain for the first time this past weekend (June 2013). Overall, the trails were nice to walk along and the scenery was interesting. The website for the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (arabiaalliance.org) is also well done. The fact that there isn't a fee to park or use the space is nice as well. I walked from the nature center down to the south parking lot along the boardwalk and then up Arabia Mountain. Just as a heads up, the view from the top of Arabia mountain is mostly the surrounding woods. You could see the Bank of America building popping over one of the hills but in general you can't see the city of Atlanta. The only other complaint I had was that there are no permanent restroom facilities at any of the parking areas and the portable toilets were gross and without toilet paper.
I like to go to Arabia mountain with my family and alone. There are several trails that you can take while walking, going on a nature hike or riding a bike. I like that I can choose the different terrain for mood that I am in. I see a lot of people riding bikes, but I prefer to just get in some nice cardio or take the kids to look at nature. Its very clean and they have several informational postings along the trail as well as a nature center that you can tour during business hours.
I used to drive by this area everyday and had NO IDEA what I was missing. Recently relocated out of Georgia and back for a visit I decided to take a day hike. Given that it was a holiday, I figured Stone Mountain would be too busy, so I visited this gem instead. Not many people on the trails which was lovely, but still enough to feel comfortable and safe. If you have to go the restroom there are porta potties at the Nature Center parking areas. Will visit again when I am in town! Didn't give it five stars because the parking area was extremely muddy and had large puddles of water. Don't mind my hiking clothes getting dirty, but could do without the muddy vehicle.
Arabia Mountain Park is a great place for walking. There are miles of paved walking paths and also paths that go through wooded areas and by a hidden lake. You can walk or bike there. There are wild flowers all around and you might see deer, wild turkeys and an occasional snake. Some of the paths go by small waterfalls. The best part is that it is free to park and use the trails. One drawback is that there are very limited bathroom facilities. (porto john)
Visiting from out of town we weren't sure what to expect. The hike started out on a boardwalk from the parking lot with easy hiking. We crossed the street and found the mountain. It went on forever and we were happy to get the blood pumping! Enjoyed the unique scenery, views, and quiet atmosphere. Think I ended up with 10,000 steps...bonus!