For our weekend in Georgia we parked our home at Stone Mountain Campground. The campground was close enough to the aquarium, decently priced for Atlanta (apparently, all things are expensive here), and I was intrigued by the beautiful mountain that apparently they decided to surround with a theme park? I can’t say I understand it anymore after staying there, but the mountain was indeed alluring.
Great view of Stone Mountain from our spot. Sadly not the side on which they do the nightly laser show. You can hear the rock music they blast to go with it though. So fitting for the surroundings. (If you don’t know me well, read with dripping sarcasm).
The kids were so pleased with all the rocks to climb. Like obsessively so. Princess was plotting ways we could stay in Georgia while Tom continued to work in Alabama so they could keep playing on the rocks.
Really beautiful. Just ignore that gift shop and sky ride protruding from the top.
After our Aquarium adventure on Saturday we had a few hours Sunday to explore before heading back. With a limited schedule we could only pick one attraction at this natural park/theme park. Would we go on the Dinosaur adventure? Ride the Ducks? Visit the Easter Bunny?? Surprising, I’m sure, but we chose to climb the mountain of Stone Mountain.
I thought that after the overwhelming sea of people we faced the day before at the aquarium this would be good chance for peace and quiet, to disconnect. Apparently I forgot where I was. Atlanta is crowded everywhere. Parking at Kroger was brutal. The mountain was no exception. There were so. many. people. climbing. I’ve never really experience anything like it before, it felt pretty strange.
I did get a few shout outs about my babywearing though, so that always bolsters my spirits.
I have to brag that I was able to do the entire ascent with a 32 lb toddler on my back. My body has been letting me down a lot the past few years, but it just makes days like this all the more invigorating. Never mind I couldn’t move the next day.
At this point Turtle was struggling. He was wiped (I can’t blame him, it was a harder climb than we had anticipated) and had been moving at, well, at a turtle’s pace. But then we got here (slope not exaggerated- it was steep most of the way) and he just quietly sped up and took off. He was at the top before we knew what had happened while I was stuck below panting and him barely in view.
Insider introvert’s tip. You can go behind the gift shop. The fences make it appear that you can’t, but there are openings that allow you to do so and it’s well worth it. No one was back there, the view was spectacular, and since the area isn’t being trampled by hundreds of people there are native plants, bugs, etc.
Selfies make turtle sadjumping on rocks does not
Another introvert’s insider tip, on the way down we kept to the far right and discovered a shaded trail that was completely free of people. It ran along the main rocky trail but was far enough that the sound of the birds drown out the sound of the hikers. We did have to cross back over to the main path at the end as the wooded path veered away, but I wish we had known about that trail on the way up!
So, that was Stone Mountain. Unfortunately we didn’t have any time left over to explore some of the historical parts of the park to find out about the mountain, the carving (that we never saw), and when and why it became so commercialized. At least that leaves us a history lesson for next week!
One thought on “Stone Mountain”
We were in Atlanta this weekend as well visiting family. I’m originally from the northern suburbs and my husband grew up very close to Stone Mountain. And yes, Atlanta is crowded everywhere, all the time! I don’t miss it!
We were in Atlanta this weekend as well visiting family. I’m originally from the northern suburbs and my husband grew up very close to Stone Mountain. And yes, Atlanta is crowded everywhere, all the time! I don’t miss it!