Stone Mountain Park: Songbird Habitat Trail (Blog Hike #185)

Trail: Songbird Habitat Trail

Hike Location: Stone Mountain Park

Geographic Location: Stone Mountain, GA (33.79305, -84.14634)

Length: 1 mile
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: October 2005, March 2014

Overview: A short loop hike through the former Olympic archery area.

Trail Information: http://stonemountainpark.com/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=442533

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From I-285 on the east side of Atlanta, take US 78 east 8 miles to the Stone Mountain Park exit (exit 8).  Exit and pay the entrance fee to enter the park.  After entering the park, turn right on Robert E. Lee Drive, the main road around Stone Mountain.  Take Robert E. Lee Drive to Stonewall Jackson Drive and turn right on Stonewall Jackson Dr.  Take Stonewall Jackson Dr. 0.5 miles uphill to an unmarked paved road that exits right.  Turn right on this road, which ends at the trailhead after only 0.3 miles.

The hike: Without a doubt the most recognizable natural landmark in the state of Georgia is Stone Mountain.  Jutting up 800 feet above the surrounding flat terrain, Stone Mountain’s grey oblong profile can be seen from miles away.  Indeed, the profile looks rather out of place since most mountains are surrounded by other mountains.  Stone Mountain is surrounded by flat land and development, though the southern reaches of the Appalachians are barely visible to the north from Stone Mountain’s summit.

            After a history that involved industry and quarries, Stone Mountain today has become a major tourist destination.  Visitors can choose from taking a 1.3 mile foot trail, mostly over bare rock, to reach the summit or riding the skyride, a pair of enclosed cable cars that take visitors up the mountain quickly and easily.  A scenic railroad takes visitors around the base of the mountain, and boat rides on nearby Stone Mountain Lake allow visitors to relax while watching activity on the mountain and on the shore.  Several other museums and a restored southern plantation attract visitors as well.

            In spite of Stone Mountain’s appeal as a tourist destination, the park has some appeal to hikers as well.  Perhaps the best and most popular trail in the park is the Cherokee Trail, a 6-mile trail that traverses the base of the mountain.  The Cherokee Trail links with the Walk-up Trail mentioned above and many shorter nature trails in the park.  One of those shorter nature trails is the Songbird Habitat Trail.  Due to its short length and location on the edge of the park, this trail gets very little traffic.  Still, it stands out due to its Olympic history and good wildlife viewing opportunities.

Trailhead: Songbird Habitat Trail

            At the trailhead, the hiker is confronted with a pair of trails heading out parallel to each other, each one lined with a wooden fence.  Grab a trail map from the information box and begin following the trail on the right.  The mulch trail curves sharply right and heads north through a brushy area with lots of grass and no tall trees.  Keep your eye open for insects and birds.  As I was walking this trail on a bright warm October afternoon, grasshoppers were leaping in the air in front of me, usually 10 to 15 at a time.  As I would walk, they would leap further in front of me, only to have me catch up to them again in a few steps.

Hiking through brushy area

            As the trail meanders north, the mulch treadway gives way to grass.  The trail passes a gate on the right that leads to the park road, and comes to its first intersection with the Woodlands Trail, which exits up some wooden steps to the right.  While this trail would add about another 0.75 miles to the hike and add some more mature forest, this description will turn left and remain on the Songbird Trail.

            In another 0.2 miles, the trail curves left again as the other end of the Woodlands Trail comes in from the right.  Just after this intersection, the trail passes a bench under a lean-to shelter that might provide some shade on a warm sunny day.  After another meander toward the left and then the right, you will pass perhaps the best place to see the difference between the old growth that surrounds the old Olympic archery site and the new, planted growth that is filling in where the field once was. 

            While Atlanta hosted the Olympics in 1996, this area was cleared and hosted the Olympic archery competition.  After the games, the archery site did not have enough local support to survive, so the land was planted in young pine trees and allowed to begin returning to its natural state.  Looking west, you can clearly see the shorter, younger, and lighter green pine trees in the foreground contrasting with the taller, older, and darker green pine trees in the backdrop.  It is easy to see why this site was chosen for Olympic hosting, as looking to the right from this same spot you can see an orange-colored Stone Mountain looming only a few miles to the north.

Hiking through young cedar trees

            After one more meander, the trail curves left and heads back toward the trailhead.  At 0.8 miles, the trail returns to the mulch on which it began.  One final right turn between wooden railings and the paved parking lot comes in sight, indicating the end of the hike.