AMNHA Opportunities
The Arabia Mountain NHA offers opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing and geocaching throughout our 40,000 acres. Step onto our trails to discover historic sites, natural wonders and a landscape over 400 million years in the making. Our Visitor Guide also has an overall view and can show you some of the most interesting places in the National Heritage Area. Check out our trail maps below!
Arabia Mountain PATH (AMP)
The AMP is the great connector of the National Heritage Area. Running through three counties and with minimal road crossings, this paved trail is a regional recreation resource that connects each of our major sites, from historic downtown Lithonia all the way to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. The 10-foot wide surface is ADA compliant to ensure accessibility throughout the NHA. Use our interactive map to visit all 21 must-see sites along the path, on foot or on wheels.
Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
Once a quarry site, now a nature preserve, this 2,550-acre green space is a jewel of DeKalb County. Discover Arabia Mountain, see quarry remnants and wander through miles of trails featuring lakes, streams, craters and cascades. As you hike, keep an eye out for the rare plants that grow on the mountain – make sure not to step in the puddles and sandy patches where they live! Parking has been quite crowded here during the pandemic – here are some tips on where to park.
Panola Mountain State Park
A National Natural Landmark and Georgia’s first Conservation Park, Panola Mountain is a pristine granite outcrop with a truly spectacular variety of wildflowers and woodlands growing out of the thin mountaintop soil. Because of its highly protected status, some of the most spectacular parts of the park are only accessible on a guided hike with experienced rangers and guides (check out our Events page to join the next guided mountain hike). Trek across a mountaintop covered in rare plants and fragile woodlands as songbirds sing and, in the spring, dozens of wildflower species bloom.
Lithonia Walkabout
Explorers can discover the remains of the first public African American school in DeKalb County, two historic churches founded in the 1860s and local shops. Use the Walkabout map to create your own self-guided tour of this community. After you enjoy the sites in Lithonia, head to the PATH Trail to connect with over 20 miles of paved trails within the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. From Johnson Street follow the trail to the Mall at Stonecrest or Arabia Mountain.
South River Water Trail
The South River flows 60 miles from Atlanta to Jackson Lake. The South River Water Trail is an ongoing project to create accessible water recreation with sufficient riverfront parking and paddle put-in and take-out spots. Launches are currently under construction at Everett Park and Lorraine Trailhead and more are on the way! The South River Water Trail is a collaboration between the nonprofit South River Watershed Alliance (SRWA) and regional partners to make river recreation more accessible.