Tips for Planning your Next Hike

Need help planning your next hike? We are here to help! We know that parking in the National Heritage Area – especially at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve – can get a little dicey on the weekends. We love that people are coming out and enjoying the National Heritage Area, and know that you want to be able to find an easy place to park and get out on the trails as fast as you can! As the two main lots (the AWARE lot at 4158 Klondike Road and the Nature Center lot at 3787 Klondike Road) get full very quickly, here are other places you can park, and see places you might not have visited otherwise. 

Also, please note that the Nature Preserve is most crowded on the weekends. We encourage people to visit on weekdays instead in order to avoid crowds, if possible. 

All trailheads are connected by the Arabia Mountain PATH trail system.

Right by the mountain:

1. The Stonecrest Library (3123 Klondike Road) Just up the road from the Nature Center, the Stonecrest Library offers an excellent place to hop on the PATH. Follow the trail south to the Nature Preserve or north to historic downtown Lithonia. 

2. Polebridge Trailhead (6262 Browns Mill Road) This is another trailhead with easy access to the beautiful forests of the Nature Preserve.

A little further off:

3. Lyon Farm Trailhead (4431 Lyons Road; park in the cul-de-sac) The Lyon Farm is the oldest homestead in DeKalb County and a key part of the history of the Flat Rock community. 

4. South Rockdale Community Park (3909 East Fairview Road SW) Another connection point to the paved Arabia Mountain PATH trail, the South Rockdale Community Park includes trails that run through forests and along the South River. 

5. Monastery of the Holy Spirit (2625 Highway 212 SW) The southeastern terminus of the Arabia Mountain PATH trail offers both beautiful opportunities for recreation, as the PATH winds through the Monastery’s Honey Creek Woodlands, and for refreshment, as you can grab snacks or even lunch at the Monastery’s Abbey Store. 

6. Visit the Lithonia Woman’s Club (2564 Wiggins Street, seen at top of page) The historic gateway to the National Heritage Area is located in a pocket park in historic downtown Lithonia. Before you hit the trails, discover stories of industry, civil rights, and more as you stroll through the pocket park.

Check out some more of our parking areas here. See you on the trails!