Stone Mountain State Memorial Park Things to Do

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Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock. It rises to 1,686 feet (513 m) elevation and 825 feet (251.5 m) from the ground. If that was not impressive enough, it is also the largest bas relief sculpture in the world of three Confederate leaders of the Civil War, President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson proudly riding on their favorite steeds "Blackjack," "Traveller," and "Old Sorrel,". This carving measures 3 acres (12,000 m2), about the size of three football fields. The carving dimensions of the three men are 400 feet (120 m) above the ground, 90 by 190 feet (58 m), and are recessed 42 feet (13 m) into the mountain.

The carving sprung from the idea in 1912 from Mrs. C. Helen Plane, member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. In 1916 Gutzon Borglum was commissioned to do the carving, but was reassigned in 1923 to finish Mount Rushmore. Augustus Lukeman continued until 1928 and sadly it stood unfinished for over thirty years. In 1958 the mountain was purchased by the state from the Venable family and in 1964 Walker Hancock assigned started carving, but once again it was passed on to another, Roy Faulkner. It finally was finished on March 3, 1972.

This wonderful monument was visited by my wonderful hubby. When he goes on travel for his work, he has been taking pictures for me because he likes being part of vt too. This is the first page I have done including his travels.

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Within the confine of the park and from the huge area just below the carving, they use Stone Mountain as the backdrop for a laser light show spectacular. It combines very colorful lasers, surround sound and awesome special effects into a 40 minute light show, precisely choreographed to music.

Or you just want to hike the local area, a good choice is the Cherokee Trail, which is a 5-mile (8.0 km) National Recreation Trail, this trail loops around the mountain base, with a mile section going up and over the west side of the mountain and eventually crosses The Walk Up Trail. It mostly passes through the oak-hickory forest, but beautiful views of the lakes, streams, animals, and local fauna await you such as the Stone Mountain Yellow Daisy or also known as the Confederate Daisy. They are usually tucked in the cropping of the mountain. Yet, there are many wonderful species of birds in this area such as the Hoot Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, Wood Ducks, Mallard, Great Blue Herons, various egrets, and peregrine falcon. So are many wonderful species of mammals that inhabit the mountain such as the red fox, bobcat, grey squirrel, rabbits and deer. So be sure to keep your space and have that camera ready

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If you don’t like to hike or have some disabilities, please utilize the Skylift.

The summit of the mountain can be reached by The Walk Up Trail located by the Confederate Hall and West gate entrance. This is a 1-mile (1.6 km) trail to the top of Stone Mountain ascending 786 ft (240 m) in elevation to a height of 1,686 ft (514 m) Beautiful views abound and with wonderful cool breezes reward you at the top. Please note, this trail is steep and can be very slippery due to the stone when it gets wet. Please use caution when hiking. Dogs are not allowed.

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My hubby said this was a wonderful experience to ride to The Summit Skyride, which consist of a high-speed Swiss cable car that transports its guest 825 feet from the ground to the top of the mountain. What is really neat about the ride is you get the bird’s eye view of the Confederate Memorial Carving. There is a fantastic view of the Atlanta skyline, the Appalachian Mountains and more.

Location: Skyride Plaza Area
Cost: Round Trip: $9.00 Adult & $7.00 Child; One-Way: $5.50 (plus tax); Included on the One-Day Adventure Pass or Mountain Membership
Duration: 3 minutes
Minimum Height Requirement: No height requirement
This is an Indoor and an Outdoor attraction.
This ride is Wheelchair Accessible.

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The Confederate Hall and Museum is a stately white columned structure which affords a commanding view across the Memorial Lawn to Stone Mountain and the Confederate Memorial Carving. Inside you will find a museum which highlights the carving and the engineering feat that created it.

The focus of the museum is the fascinating geology and ecology of Stone Mountain. Visitors can explore the gallery, experiencing everything from interactive science exhibits to the life-size cave with a video about the origin of the mountain. There is a theater in the hall where we enjoyed viewing the 25-minute educational documentary “The Battle for Georgia – a History of the Civil War in Georgia,”

Admission is free.

Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

The Harvey Water Clock. is a unique contraption that I could watch and study transfixed in amazement. A fly ball governor regulates the amount of water which turns a water wheel, which in turn operates the gears to register the hour, day, month and year.

The Harvey Water Clock was patented in 1798. This is first one of its kind in Georgia. I have seen other Harvey Water Clocks in Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

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It's difficult to appreciate the size of the Confederate Memorial Carving from a photograph. The three men on horseback look almost small against the massive side of Stone Mountain. This magnificent memorial consists of three acres of chiseled granite making it the largest high relief sculpture in the world. For shear size it even surpasses the better known and more "politically correct" four heads on South Dakota's Mt. Rushmore.

In front is Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865. The central and most prominent figure is that of General Robert E. Lee, and behind him is his right hand man, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.

The carving, first envisioned in 1912, was not begun until 1923 and was finally completed in 1972. Three sculptors worked on the creation, the first being Gutzon Borglum, who later carved the Mt. Rushmore Memorial in South Dakota. Augustus Lukeman, the second sculptor, did the bulk of the work of carving the three central figures of the Confederacy on horseback. Lack of funding and other problems caused work of the sculpture to remain idle for 36 years. Then in 1958 the state of Georgia purchased the mountain and the surrounding land. Walker Kirkland Hancock of Gloucester, Massachusetts was chosen to complete the carving and work resumed in 1964. A new technique utilizing thermo-jet torches was used to carve away the granite. Chief carver Roy Faulkner did much of the fine carving, completing the work of art with the detail of a fine painting.

Dedication ceremonies for the Confederate Memorial Carving were held on May 9, 1970. Finishing touches to the masterpiece were completed in 1972.