Field Notes

It’s Way Back Wednesday, day 5 of National Park Week 2021 – and we’re going back in time to a dirt-floored music venue in then-rural Georgia. The Lithonia Country Club, now gone, was an important part of African-American life in the Atlanta area during of the 20th century. This music venue and gathering place hosted […]

It’s Military Monday, day 3 of National Park Week 2021! We’re highlighting one of Lithonia, Georgia’s important local leaders: a veteran, civil rights activist, and community organizer named Lucious Sanders. After serving in the military in WWII, he returned to a country where he was being deprived of basic rights as an American citizen. “I […]

Are you a photography fan, a casual shooter, or a professional shutterbug? The National Heritage Area is photo-ready throughout the year, with gorgeous landscapes and iconic historic sites to enjoy. Some spots require a permit for certain photoshoots, though, and that can be confusing. We’ve compiled answers to our most commonly asked questions below! Have […]

Springtime is here – and that means that it’s time to get outside! The National Heritage Area has over 34 miles of bike trails stretching from historic downtown Lithonia all the way to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. The trails are an important part of the community and well-designed to create a family friendly […]

Photo: Flat Rock Archives President and Co-Founder Johnny Waits teaches kids about agriculture in Flat Rock, one of Georgia’s oldest Black communities, as part of a previous year’s Junior Ranger Day.  Starting with Park Rx Day on Saturday, April 17th, the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA) will participate in National Parks Week, eight days […]

Did you know that Arabia Mountain is home to fragile ecosystems and species found almost nowhere else on earth? That includes a variety of rare and endangered plants, species like Diamorpha, snorkelwort, and quillwort. These plants live in the solution pits (small patches of sand, dirt, and muddy water) that dot the seemingly barren rock […]

The AMNHA loves cyclists! Have you biked along the Arabia Mountain PATH here in Lithonia, Georgia? We want to feature you! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing images of people enjoying our bike trails and highlighting some trailheads. Send us a photo (or several) of you and your bike on our paved PATH […]

Have you completed the Triple Hike Challenge, and hiked Kennesaw Mountain for the fourth-mountain prize? Send us your photos via the online passport before Monday, April 5th at 12pm, when the online passport will close. Submitted your passport but haven’t heard back yet? Don’t worry – we’re on it. It might take a week or two for […]

Participants in the 2020 AWARE Night Owl 5K. Credit: AWARE From April 9-18, nature enthusiasts can show their support for Georgia’s native wildlife by participating in the virtual Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort (AWARE) Night Owl 5K, presented by the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance. Taking place virtually in order to ensure COVID-19 safety, participants […]

Parking has been crowded at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve on the weekends. The outdoors has become a welcome respite for people during the pandemic, and we love that people are coming out and enjoying the National Heritage Area. As the two main lots (the AWARE lot at 4158 Klondike Road and the Nature Center lot at […]

Springtime is here – and that means that it’s time to get outside! The National Heritage Area has over 34 miles of bike trails stretching from historic downtown Lithonia all the way to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Here’s a map of some of the best, least crowded trailheads for biking in the NHA:  […]

Parking has been crowded at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve on the weekends. The outdoors has become a welcome respite for people during the pandemic, and we love that people are coming out and enjoying the National Heritage Area. As the two main lots (the AWARE lot at 4158 Klondike Road and the Nature Center lot at […]