Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance

The Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance manages the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, a sprawling conservation area just east of Atlanta along I-20 in DeKalb County. This isn't a single attraction—it's a network of natural preserves, historic landmarks, and recreational trails spanning 40,000 acres across Stonecrest, Lithonia, and surrounding communities.

The Alliance coordinates preservation and public access to multiple connected properties and attractions:

• •Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve - primary hiking and nature access
• •Panola Mountain State Park - granite outcrops and scenic trails
• •Arabia Mountain PATH System - multi-use trail network
• •Historic sites - including the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Lyon Farm, Bruce Street School, Horace King Memorial Bridge, and two-dozen historic cemeteries

Visitors can: - Hike multiple trails with downloadable maps - Mountain bike on designated PATH routes - Fish in South River and Alexander Lake - Camp at designated areas - Practice archery - Geocache - Participate in guided Junior Ranger and Junior Ranger Angler programs - Explore the Lithonia Walkabout historic district

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 AM - 5 PM (call ahead recommended as a small non-profit)

Phone: 404-998-8384

The office allows visitors to try on merchandise, shop in person, and pick up online orders.

The Alliance runs an e-commerce store featuring branded gear:

All merchandise purchases support non-profit conservation and education efforts.

The Heritage Area spans 400 million years of geological history visible in exposed granite formations. Culturally, it represents diverse periods including:

• •Early Native American settlement
• •Freed slaves and post-Civil War communities
• •Immigrant granite cutters and stonemasons (19th-20th century)
• •Trappist monks (Monastery of the Holy Spirit)
• •Historic Lithonia granite industry

The Alliance actively manages invasive species and native habitat restoration, including: - Removal of Bradford pear trees (invasive ornamentals) - Tracking of brown marmorated stink bugs and native predators like Joro spiders - Preservation of native plant species and rock outcrop ecosystems - Partnership with Birds Georgia on habitat restoration at Lyon and Wilburn Farms

• •Junior Ranger program
• •Junior Ranger Angler fishing program
• •BARK Ranger outdoor education
• •History Harvest community documentation
• •National Parks Passport stamp locations
• •Film and photography permit program
• •Public tours (Lyon Farm recently opened to public)

The Alliance invites community participation through: - Volunteer opportunities - Event attendance - Newsletter subscription - Donations (tax-deductible as a 501(c)(3) non-profit) - Field Notes blog contributions about local ecology and history

Contact: 404-998-8384 or visit the website for Film & Photography permits and media requests.