With Stone Mountain and a variety of other biking and hiking trails, DeKalb County offers no shortage of opportunities to explore nature.
Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and Walking Trails
Hike and bike | More than 30 miles
3787 Klondike Road, Lithonia 30338. Parking is also available at AWARE Wildlife Center at 4158 Klondike Road, Lithonia, and at the base of the mountain.
Hours: Trails are open from dawn to dusk.
Walking trails at the nature preserve range in length from a half mile to just under 2 miles, and follow along creeks, past a quarry and through the forest. Venture a little farther to explore all of the trails the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area has to offer. More than 30 miles of paved paths link Arabia and Panola mountains, forests, rivers and fields in this 2,000-acre natural wonderland a few minutes east of Atlanta.
FREE: www.arabiaalliance.org
Nancy Creek
Hike | 5.4 miles
1663 W. Nancy Creek Drive, Brookhaven
Hours: Always open
Connecting Murphey Candler Park and the Johnson Ferry Redevelopment Project, this trail is paved and runs through shaded areas and along the roadside. Open all the time, the trail shares parking with Murphey Candler Park at 1551 W. Nancy Creek Drive, Brookhaven.
FREE: More details here.
» RELATED: 5 easy hikes to Atlanta's hidden waterfalls
Stone Mountain Trail and Stone Mountain Park
Hike | More than 19 miles
265 Park Ave W NW, Atlanta - 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain.
Hours: Stone Mountain Park is open from 5 a.m. to midnight.
This path includes the Stone Mountain loop, which is an easy 5-mile loop around the mountain that runs past most of the mountain's attractions. But it also includes about 14 additional miles, some along the road, from Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta to the loop. Don't forget to hike to the top of the world's largest outcropping of granite while you're in the park. It's a 1-mile trek to the top of Stone Mountain.
PARKING: $15 or buy an annual pass for $40. More details here.
Trolley Line Trail
Hike and bike | 7 miles
Parking available at Coan Park, 1530 Woodbine Ave. S.E., Atlanta, or at Gilliam Park, 1688 Wade Ave. N.E., Atlanta.
Hours: Open at all times
This trail runs along an old trolley line, from downtown Atlanta to Agnes Scott College in Decatur. It also connects by road to the Stone Mountain Trail. The trail is suitable for biking or hiking.
FREE: More details here.
» RELATED: Get outside and enjoy Atlanta's best natural views
Murphey Candler Park Nature Trail
Hike | 2.2 miles
1551 W. Nancy Creek Drive, Brookhaven
Hours: Open dawn to dusk
The park has several trails, including the main trail, which is a 2-mile loop that runs around a lake. Other trails go through forested areas and wetlands and also run by picnic areas.
FREE: More details here.
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