Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve: Mile Rock and Forest Trails (Blog Hike #255)

Trails: Mile Rock and Forest Trails

Hike Location: Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve

Geographic Location: south of Lithonia, GA (33.67225, -84.11618)

Length: 2.1 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Dates Hiked: November 2008, December 2012

Overview: A fairly easy hike featuring interesting rock outcrops and quiet Arabia Lake.

Preserve Information: http://www.arabiaalliance.org/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=721794
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Atlanta, take I-20 to Turner Hill Road (exit 75).  Note: this is the exit for Stonecrest Mall.  Exit and go south on Turner Hill Rd.  Take Turner Hill Rd. south 0.5 miles to Mall Parkway and turn right on Mall Parkway.  Take Mall Parkway west 1.25 miles to Klondike Rd. and turn left on Klondike Rd.  Take Klondike Rd. south 2.4 miles to the signed preserve entrance and nature center on the right.  Turn right, and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: For my general comments on Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, see the Mountain Top Trail blog entry.  This trail lacks the star power of the other trails in this preserve, but the interesting scenery is worth a visit on your way to Arabia Mountain.  A short connector trail crosses the road and connects these nature center trails with the trails on Arabia Mountain, but due to the way the trails are marked, it is easier to hike the trails east and west of Klondike Rd. separately, as I have described here.

Trailhead on Arabia Path

            Begin at an information board to the right of the Nature Center, which contrary to its name contains no exhibits or anything of interest, except perhaps restrooms.  The concrete Arabia Path (a bike path also open to hikers) goes both left and straight from the Nature Center; the shortest route to the nature trails is obtained by going straight.  In only 200 feet, the wide mulch Mile Rock Trail exits to the left.  Turn left to begin the Mile Rock Trail, which is formerly known as the South Lake Trail.

            The trail heads through forest dominated by pine trees with some views of the rock outcrop through the trees on the right.  Where a side trail exits left to rejoin the bike path, angle right to continue the Mile Rock Trail.  Soon the trail emerges onto the bare rock outcrop where, as its name suggests, it will remain for almost the rest of its length.  The trail on the rock outcrop is marked by cairns, piles of stones glued together by mortar.

Cairn along Mile Rock Trail

            Unlike the rock outcrops across Klondike Rd., this outcrop shows extensive signs of former quarrying activities: piles of rubbish stones lay scattered about, sharp vertical cuts can be seen in the rock, and two former quarry buildings remain in ruins.  The first of these buildings can be seen on the left just after the trail emerges onto the outcrop, and the other one lies at the very southern edge of the preserve.

Large vertical rock cuts

            At 0.7 miles, the trail passes a small pond on the rock called Frog Pond.  An interpretive sign gives you some ideas as to what kind of wildlife can be spotted near the pond.  I did not see or hear any frogs on my visit, but I did hear some crickets in a nearby small patch of forest.

Frog pond

            Just past the pond lies the old quarry office and weigh station ruins which are, of course, made of stone.  The bike path lies just to the left of the ruins, and you could walk back along the bike path to create a hike of about 1.5 miles.  The Mile Rock Trail turns sharply right and remains on the bare rock as it descends gradually toward Arabia Lake.  Walk from cairn to cairn to stay on the trail, and watch out for some wet spots created by small streams running across the rock.

Weigh station ruins

            At 1.1 miles, you pass the last cairn and arrive at a small picnic shelter beside tranquil Arabia Lake.  Since most visitors to this preserve come to see the rock outcrop or visit Arabia Mountain to the east, you may very well be alone here.  Turn left and look for a gold blaze marking a trail heading into the forest.  After 100 feet and a short descent, arrive at an unmarked intersection.  The trail going straight is the Fern Trail and leads back to the old quarry office, so you should turn right, cross a stream on stepping stones, and climb to the earthen dam that forms Arabia Lake.

            Across the dam, the trail curves right to parallel the lake as it heads upstream.  Nice views of the lake and the rock outcrop in the background unfold to the right as the trail stays in the forest near the lake shore.  At the headwaters of the lake, the trail curves right to cross the main tributary on a weak wooden footbridge and soon begins climbing away from the lake.

Arabia Lake

            Two intersections are encountered in quick order; at the first a side trail exits right to return to the lake, and at the second a dirt road exits left and heads for private property.  You should continue straight to follow the Forest Trail, which is marked with gold paint blazes.  For the next 0.5 miles the trail climbs gradually through more pine forest with occasional views of rock outcrops both to the right and left.

Climbing along the Forest Trail

            At 1.9 miles and after the climbing has been completed, the Forest Trail intersects the concrete bike path.  In times past the last segment of this hike would be on the bike path, but now the dirt/mulch Forest Trail continues straight and offers a more scenic route back to the parking lot; this is the newest trail in the preserve.  With the preserve boundary close on the left, another 0.2 miles of level forest hiking will return you to the Nature Center parking lot to complete the hike.