Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain, Georgia: Rising over 1,600 feet above the Earth, Stone Mountain is home to Stone Mountain Park. A brief drive outside Atlanta allows you to leave the city life in the rear view and enjoy Mother Nature’s finest creations as well as take a glimpse into history.

The history of Stone Mountain goes back several million years ago during the creation of the Blue Ridge Mountain range during the Ordovician Period. Geologists believe that magma during the creation of the mountain solidified underground. Over the years, erosion exposed the solidified magma, resulting in the Stone Mountain we see today.

European settlers learned of the mountain in 1597 but when they arrived they realized that they weren’t the first inhabitants of Stone Mountain, the Creek and Cherokee Indians already resided on the mountain. In 1790, President George Washington visited the mountain to negotiate a treaty with the Indians, but that resulted in a war and the land being ceded to the state of Georgia.

In the hands of the government, the mountain began to surface as a center of commerce through tourism and mining. In 1838, Aaron Cloud built an observation tower at the top of the mountain and by the 1840’s the completion of a railroad opened the doors to the influx of granite mining. Granite mined at Stone Mountain can be found in the Panama Canal and the US Capitol.

The region surrounding Stone Mountain saw action during the Civil War when the Federal Calvary tried to sever the railroad. On July 15, 1864 a battle broke out and the Federal troops seized the village. The Union army under the command of General Sherman camped in the city before the March to Sea.

In 1887, the Venable Brothers purchased Stone Mountain from the Southern Granite Company. They continued to operate the quarry while also planning a memorial carving on the mountain. By 1915, sculptor Gutzon Borglum had sketched the design and in 1916 a location on the north face of the mountain was selected. After a delay by World War I, carving of the sculpture began in 1923. The memorial suffered plenty of setbacks, a change in sculptures and design and the lease on the mountain expiring. By 1928, all work on the memorial has stopped and would not resume until the state purchased the mountain.

The State of Georgia purchased the mountain and the surrounding land in 1958 to create Stone Mountain Park. Work on the memorial resumed in 1964 and it would be completed in 1972, two years after the official dedication ceremony.

Today Stone Mountain continues its legacy as being a geological wonder of the world as well as providing a place for visitors to get away and enjoy the great outdoors while learning about the region. This is done through a partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment who operates Stone Mountain Park.

The Herschend Family provide the attractions and entertainment in the park. They operated the following:

  • Summit Skyride - the top attraction at Stone Mountain. A cable car that provides a trip to the top of Stone Mountain where at 1,683 feet above the ground you will get a view of downtown Atlanta and nearby mountains. 
  • Scenic Railroad – a 5 mile excursion around the base of Stone Mountain onboard the Stone Mountain Railroad. 
  • Ride the Ducks – an amphibious tour of the waterways of Stone Mountain aboard a World War II era Army DUKW’s. 
  • Antebellum Plantation – an collection of buildings built between 1783-1875 and restored to maintain their era. Here you can tour homes from various economic classes from slaves through the wealthy, farms and more. 
  • Memorial Hall – home of the Discovering Stone Mountain Museum telling the story of the carving and Civil War history. 
  • Confederate Hall – home to a gallery showcasing the natural and geological history of Stone Mountain. 
  • Great Locomotive Chase Mini-Golf – an 18 hole miniature golf course. 
  • Geyser Town, SkyHike, Camp Highland Outpost – a variety of obstacle courses providing adventures for all members of the family. 
In addition to those exciting attractions, Stone Mountain Park also features other attractions such as the Grist Mill, Covered Bridge, Quarry Exhibit, multiple hiking trails and much more.

Within the boundaries of the park, Stone Mountain features two hotels and a campground to assist in overnight lodging at the park.

Stone Mountain Park is open year-round however some attractions may be seasonal.

Click on the photo above to view my Stone Mountain Park photo gallery.

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