Field Notes

Black history is the history of the National Heritage Area. Stories of African-American communities – tales of resilience, ingenuity, and perseverance – play a central role in the ongoing history […]

Whether it’s winter or spring, biking is a great outdoor activity. The National Heritage Area has over 34 miles of bike trails stretching from historic downtown Lithonia all the way […]

Above, you can see a solution pit, a depression in the surface of the rock outcrops. You’ll find them anywhere there are rock outcrops in the National Heritage Area, especially […]

You can always hike and bike on your own, but sometimes it’s nice to have a guide tour you through the National Heritage Area, exploring history, geology, nature and more. […]

We all like to avoid the crowds – and with that in mind, here are our tips for easy parking at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve on the weekends. The outdoors […]

With a new year comes new resolutions – and, we hope, more time spent outdoors and exploring Georgia’s history and nature. We put together a few ideas as you think […]

As we head towards the end of 2021, we’re thinking about all the wonderful hiking opportunities winter brings. Every season in the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area offers its own […]

Welcome back from the holidays, and welcome to a new year! We checked in with DeKalb County’s own Ranger Alex for a few tips on hiking at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature […]

Have you ever wondered where “Arabia Mountain” got its name? While we don’t know exactly, Ranger Robby and Ranger Zana of Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve have a few ideas:  As […]

Beginning with a “New Year’s Resolution Hike” on January 2nd, guided hikes, education and community events are returning to Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve after a pandemic hiatus. The Nature Preserve […]

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit’s Abbey store, closed for much of the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now open for the holidays. Hours are Monday through […]

We recently completed the second community engagement event to determine the future of the Bruce Street School. This event gathered feedback, artifacts, and stories that will go towards shaping the […]