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Stone Mountain Park trails

There are 4 trails at Stone Mountain Park and 5 connector trails in various locations.

Cherokee Trail Description Trails Map
Walk up Trail Description
Nature Garden Description
Songbird Habitat Trails Description
Connecting Trails Description

You can pick up a trail map at Confederate Hall Historical and Environmental Education Center located near the West Gate or open an updated map to the top right, print a copy and bring it with you as you hike Stone Mountain Park! Maps are not to scale.
Visitors are prohibited from hiking in restricted areas of Stone Mountain Park. See Park hiking and walking safety rules.

Visitors are prohibited from removing, injuring, or defacing, any flower, plant, tree, shrub, rock or wildlife.
Bicycles and powered vehicles are prohibited on park trails.
At Stone Mountain Park dogs are welcome on hiking trails, excluding the walk up trail to the top and the Songbird Habitat Trails. They must be on a 6 foot leash and accompanied by an owner!
You can enjoy your dog off leash at the Stone Mountain Village dog park located between 3rd and 4th Streets. In an effort to reduce stream bank erosion and bacterial contamination, please keep your dog out of the creeks in the Park.

Cherokee Trail

Length: 5 mile loop (white blazes)
Terrain: Dirt tread, moderate, some sections very steep
(not for those with limiting physical or medical conditions)
Trail Head: Anywhere there is a parking lot
Features: Loops around the base of the mountain, with a mile section going up and over the west side of the mountain (crosses the Walk Up Trail). Listed as a National Recreation Trail. Primarily passes through a mature oak-hickory forest, but views of the lakes, streams and mountain are common. Frequent mammal and bird sightings are possible year-round.

Dogs Allowed.

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Walk Up Trail

Length: 1 mile one way straight up the mountain (no blazes, well worn path)
Terrain: Rock trail, moderate to steep (not for those with limiting physical or medical conditions)
Trail Head: Confederate Hall parking
Features: Elevation change of 786 feet from top to bottom allows sightings of rock outcrop plants throughout the year, exploration of granite features, views of metro Atlanta and plenty of rock seating. Trail tread is very slippery when wet.Dogs not allowed.

If you walk up the trail and ride the Skyride down, be aware that you are 1.1 miles right of the Confederate Hall Parking Lot.
If you ride the Skyride up and walk down the trail, be aware that you are 1.1 miles left of the Skyride Parking Lot.

NO DOGS ALLOWED

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Nature Garden Trail

Length: ¾ mile loop (green blazes)
Terrain: Dirt tread, easy, family- friendly
Trail Head: parking lot off Robert E. Lee Blvd.
Features: A scenic loop through a mature oak-hickory forest community. Excellent for viewing shade-loving native plants. Small garden area at entrance with interpretive signs identifying native plants.
Dogs allowed.

Songbird Habitat Trails

Length: 1 mile loop in meadow, 1 mile loop in forest (red arrows)
Terrain: dirt tread, easy, family friendly, meadow and forest habitat
Trail Head: Parking lot off Stonewall Jackson Dr.
Features: Excellent birding spot. Meadow habitat planted to provide food for songbirds. Additional 1 mile trail through forest provides chance to see numerous native plants.

NO DOGS ALLOWED.

Connecting Trails

There are 5 areas where trails connect you with the road or other trails. These trails are marked by orange arrows on granite posts and orange blazes on trees.
1. Connects the Cherokee Trail to the road that leads up the mountain. This allows visitors to exit the Cherokee Trail and visit Confederate Hall.
2. Connects to the Nature Garden trail from Robert E. Lee Boulevard near the PATH trail or the train trestle on the southwest side of the mountain.
3. Connects the Nature Garden Trail and the Cherokee Trail as this trail comes off the mountain.
4. Follows the northside (or mountain side) of Venable Lake.
5. Connects the Cherokee Trail near the Train Depot to the bathrooms and parking in that area.

Dogs Allowed

How to read the blazes:

Cherokee Trail: white blazes
Connecting Trails: orange blazes

Single rectangular blaze: stay straight on the current trail

Double Blaze, same colors, top offset to left: turn left to stay on current trail
Double Blaze, same colors, top offset to right: turn right to stay on current trail

Double Blaze, different colors, top offset to left: turn left to hike on new trail
Double Blaze, different colors, top offset to right: turn right to hike on new trail

Triple Blaze, same colors, top offset to left and right: turn either right or left
Triple Blaze, different colors, top offset to left and right: turn right or left to stay on trail of your choice