Reviewed By: Barefoot TJ Date Reviewed: 03/11/2010 Review Type: Trail Barefoot Friendliness: 3 Average Location: Cherokee Trail - Stone Mountain, Georgia 1000 Robert E. Lee Drive Stone Mountain, GA See map: Google Maps A good place to park is at the parking lot on the side of Confederate Mansion. You can run down Robert E. Lee southeast and connect to The Cherokee Trail at The Nature Garden Trail. The Cherokee Trail at Stone Mountain circles the base of the mountain and winds through the forest and over the granite slab. The ground is covered with pine needles, bark, gravel, granite slab, sand, and dirt. You name it, you get it all here! You will cross over streams and logs, bridges, the rail road, and depending on which path you take to or from The Cherokee Trail, you may cross over the lakes. During the winter with snow on the ground, Terry, Jim, and I chose to run in our VFFs and aqua socks. At one point, Terry ran about 1/2 mile barefoot in the snow! It was a blast. Well worth a frigid snow run. The Cherokee Trail is five miles long. At any time during the year, you may want to consider carrying some minimalist footwear...just in case. From the base of the Confederate Mansion, you can walk, hike, and run (if you dare) up the long side of the mountain. The elevation at the top of the mountain is 1,686 feet. You cover will cover this distance over one mile. The best part is running down the mountain...without stopping. Just be careful you don't slip and fall; it's a bit tricky! Map of the Park PDF 722 KB Hiking Map Image| PDF Easy Driving Directions, Close to Downtown Atlanta, Georgia Introduction Map to the Park Map of the Park Attractions Map Crossroads Map Campground Map Hiking Trails Map Written Driving Directions Stone Mountain Park is easy to find. It is located just 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta on US Highway 78. Just take exit 39 B off Interstate 285 and follow Highway 78 east for 8 miles. The main entrance for Stone Mountain Park is exit 8 off of Highway 78. Driving directions to Atlanta from Birmingham, Alabama, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Augusta, Georgia and Greenville, South Carolina will provide you with the easiest route to the Park. For specific directions from your location, you can type the following address into your favorite mapping site: Highway 78 East Stone Mountain, GA 30087 MapQuest.com map of the Stone Mountain area. Map to ParkImage | PDF (633 KB)
