The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area spans hundreds of scenic acres just east of Atlanta, from breathtaking mountain summits and wildlife-filled grassy meadows to small, glassy lakes and wide-open fields of rock and boulders. The NHA includes two of our favorite hiking, running, and cycling destinations, Panola Mountain State Park and Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. Despite its location just minutes east of downtown Atlanta, this is one fantastic destination for outdoor exploration, seemingly worlds away from the nearby urban cityscape.
Arabia Mountain’s massive exposed granite faces reveal its history as a quarry: cut granite slabs, drilled cores, and abandoned structures scatter along the mountain’s many trails. Today, Arabia is a serene world of exposed granite punctuated by lakes, wetlands, grassy meadows, and young forests. It’s one of the most popular hiking areas in metro Atlanta, and makes for a great urban escape.
Unlike its nearby neighbor, Panola Mountain was spared from granite production and is now home to a stunning, fragile ecosystem of rare plants, mosses, and lichens. And while access to the actual Panola Mountain summit is usually restricted, hikers can explore this beautiful landscape by way of a guide-led twilight tour.
Arabia Mountain & Panola Mountain trails: our favorite hikes
Throughout the National Heritage Area, over 30 miles of paved and unpaved trails wind through rugged mountain summits and wetlands, exploring diverse lichens and mosses, flowers and trees, and wildlife habitats. These are our favorite hiking, running and cycling trails at these two mountains, and they’re all equally worthy of an afternoon of exploration. If you’re in the area with energy – and daylight – to burn, combine two or more trails to explore this park’s incredible diversity of sights and landscapes.
Arabia Mountain Top Trail
1.3 miles
The Mountain Top Trail is Arabia Mountain’s can’t-miss hike, climbing to 360-degree views and wide-open skies. The trail’s distance and moderate climb make it especially beginner-friendly, and a popular place for a family hike near Atlanta. Hike the Mountain Top Trail after a rain to catch beautiful cloud reflections in the shallow water pools on the mountain’s cratered summit.
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Mile Rock Trail and Forest Trail Loop
2 mile loop
Hike a two mile, kid-friendly trail through a stunning array of landscapes, from forest to wide-open granite expanses. The Mile Rock Trail visits a small, glassy lake that offers stunning autumn reflections of fall leaf color on the lake’s opposite shore.
VIEW TRAIL INFO & MAPS![Hike to reflective Arabia Mountain views on the Mountain View Trail, just east of Atlanta, GA]()
Arabia Mountain View Trail
2.3 miles
The Mountain View Trail hikes the mountain’s lower elevations, exploring a shady forest, open rock expanses, and a grassy meadow. The trail catches reflections of the mountain in a small lake, and grassy meadows on the lake’s shore make for a great place for a mid-hike picnic.
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Panola Mountain Guided Summit Hikes
2-4 miles
The Panola Mountain summit is usually off-limits to the public, due to the mountain’s colorful, fragile, rare plant life that covers the summit. Score access to the mountain on a guided twilight hike with a naturalist: you’ll learn about the mountain’s unique ecosystem, catch a stunning summit from the mountaintop, and watch the moon rise over a reflective lake at the mountain’s base.
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Cascade Trail and Wilburn Farm Trail
3.25 miles
Hike a two-trail double loop, exploring small waterfalls on the Cascade Trail before trekking through wide-open, sun-drenched grasslands on the Wilburn Farm Trail to a historic barn. The trail also visits the ruins of an old farmhouse, and explores the banks of a small, grassy pond.
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Arabia Mountain Boardwalk Trail Loop
5.1 miles
Hike the park’s most scenic & popular trails! This multi-trail adventure explores scenic forests and the banks of Arabia Lake, travels the Klondike Boardwalk, and summits Arabia Mountain to stunning summit views.
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Panola Mountain PATH Trail to Alexander Lake
5.15 mile loop
It’s a great trail run or bike ride, filled with scenic beauty. This paved trail loops to the shore of Lake Alexander, travels through a historic barn, and follows a long, curved boardwalk at Panola Mountain State Park.
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Our favorite hiking gear
What to pack?
Ready to hit the trail, but wondering what to pack? Our hiking gear list features our favorite, trail-tested hiking gear for day hikes on local trails and in the Georgia backcountry. We print and stitch our Atlanta Trails shirts and hats locally in Atlanta and Asheville, and they’re our favorite for trail adventures all over the South. Please leave no trace and help preserve Georgia’s beauty.
OUR HIKING GEAR LIST
Please Remember
Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.
Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you're going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials, and don't rely on a mobile phone to find your way. Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.
