Stone Mountain Cherokee Trail Hike before the Game

Let's hike Cherokee Trail at Stone Mountain before the Super Bowl.  We will meet in front of Confederate Hall near the restroom building at 3:00 pm.  This trail circles the mountain for a hike of about 5 miles and takes us past two lakes, an old time gristmill which was moved to the Park from its original site near Ellijay, GA in 1965 and a century old covered bridge which is nearly 20-feet high and was moved to Stone Mountain Park from Athens, Georgia in 1969. We will hike some on exposed granite but most of the time we will hike along wooded trails. There is a $10 parking fee to enter the park; however, free public parking is available in Stone Mountain Village at the Welcome Center. See directions below.

• From I-285 to the Park's "East Gate" entrance:

  From the I-285/ US-78 interchange on the east side of town take U.S. Hwy 78 East about 7.7 miles.  Bear right at Exit #8 to the Stone Mountain Park "East Gate" main entrance where you'll pay $10 for the daily parking fee if you don't display an valid annual pass.  Suggestion:  Esp. if you're new to the Park ask the gate attendant for a free color map.
  
  

• Once inside Park, drive to Confederate Hall parking lot:

  After entering via the East Gate, first follow Jefferson Davis Drive about a mile straight ahead to the big road fork, crossing the lake en route. Bear right onto Robert E. Lee Blvd and follow it about another mile, bearing left to avoid the West Gate exit.  Look for the spacious Confederate Hall parking lot on your left where we park during the hike.  We'll gather at our "usual AOC meetup spot," by the stone restroom building at the base of the Walk-Up Trail (about 100 yards toward the mountain from Confederate Hall).

OPTIONAL FREE PARK ENTRANCE for PEDESTRIANS & BICYCLISTS:  There's no charge for pedestrians or bicyclists to enter Stone Mountain Park or to enjoy the numerous free attractions inside the Park including the nice trails.  If you don't have an annual Park Pass and wish to save the daily $10 parking fee, there are usually plenty of free parking spots just outside the Park in Stone Mountain Village.  The Village is near the Park's "West Gate" entrance which is quite close to Confederate Hall and the Walk-Up trailhead.  One such free parking lot is the "Red Caboose Welcome Center" lot at 891 Main Street, which has its own paved walking/biking trail into the Park, much like the Silver Comet Trail. To drive to that lot, get off US-78 (Stone Mtn Freeway) at Exit #5, then bear right to exit again about a half mile ahead, turn left onto E. Ponce de Leon Ave, go through the first traffic light onto Main Street and continue about a half mile to the "caboose lot" on your left.  In about 10 minutes you can walk or ride your bike eastward into the Park via the paved PATH trail, turn left on Robt. E. Lee Blvd (for ~300 yard) and join the AOC group at the Walk-Up trailhead.