Field Notes

Southeast of Arabia Mountain, the National Heritage Area’s other, slightly younger monadnock rises – Panola Mountain. This mountain formed 300 million years ago and today is a major part of this nationally significant landscape. In fact, Panola Mountain is considered a National Natural Landmark.  So what’s a National Natural Landmark, and why is Panola Mountain […]

Located in once-rural DeKalb County, the Lyon Farm stands today as a reminder of the area’s history and a glimpse into the agricultural lifestyle that once dominated the county. It also is key to the history of Flat Rock, one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia: people were enslaved at the site prior to […]

We’re excited to be starting a new tradition here: Spiderling Watch. A female Black & Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope sp.) has made her home at our back door for the past few months, laying multiple large egg sacs. These sacs are filled with thousands of baby spiders (“spiderlings”) which will grow throughout the winter and […]

Throughout the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, there’s hidden life all around your feet. Listen to Ranger Robby Astrove break down how to hike and protect the rare plants of the AMNHA! We have a variety of beautiful plants found almost nowhere else on earth living on Panola Mountain, which is a designated National Natural […]

Forming the southeastern corner of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit is a Cistercian monastery where monks live in peace and contemplation. (Take note – you can tour the Monastery with one of the monks themselves on one of our Highlights & Insights Tours!) Get a taste of this […]

Are you 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. Luckily, we’ve compiled answers to our most commonly asked questions below! If […]

Before Arabia Mountain was a beloved nature preserve, it was owned by the quarry industry. The Davidson family had a massive granite quarry operation in and around Lithonia, including Arabia Mountain. At one point, the quarry was one of the largest in the world. While the granite in other properties were carved and blasted away, […]

Flat Rock is one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia, with a history of resilience that stretches back over 150 years. Here are some fast facts to introduce you to this historically significant community: Comedian Chris Tucker and former NFL Quarterback Warren Moon are descendants of the Flat Rock community. One of Flat Rock’s […]

On Sunday, September 22nd, hikers conquered three mountains and saw dozens of blooming yellow daisies. The second annual Daisy Days Triple Hike began at Stone Mountain (the largest of the three monadnocks) then went to Arabia (the oldest) and finished at Panola Mountain (the most pristine). Hikers ended the day with some well-earned s’mores and […]

Our Daisy Days Triple Hike is coming up soon. This Triple Hike – where we summit Stone, Arabia and Panola Mountain all in one day – celebrates the vibrant yellow daisies that bloom on the mountains this time of year. Take a peek below for a preview of what the Daisy Days Triple Hike looks […]

This week, staff of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance (the nonprofit coordinator of the National Heritage Area) spent three days in LaGrange, GA, at the 2019 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference. We learned about everything from social media strategies to the importance of public art and even brainstormed new tourism slogans. We also enjoyed local […]

Look at the metro-Atlanta monadnocks (the granite mountains of Stone, Arabia and Panola) and you’ll see what looks like a mass of barren stone. Look closer, though, and you’ll see a rich array of biodiversity, especially when it comes to plants. These seemingly barren mountains are actually filled with plants found almost nowhere else on […]