Stone Mountain camping during a few beautiful autumn days with our friends was amazing. There was a total of five couples, all friends from ballroom dancing. It was so great to be able to spend some quality time with them in such a beautiful setting.
Stone Mountain Camping
This was our first trip to Stone Mountain and we encountered a new restriction for teardrops campers, they must camp in the tent area. The area was cheaper, but did not offer sewer or cable television. This was not a problem, but it meant we could not be in the same area as our friends.
We originally booked site #51 because it was closer to our friends , but site #55 was much nicer and they allowed us to take it instead. The road to the site was not well-paved, but it was right by the lake with an incredible view. The photo below was taken from our site.
We arrived on a Thursday amid steady rain. We just removed the items that are transported in our cabin and went to hang out with our friends who have much larger campers. Consequently, because of the rain when we arrived and many activities with friends, we never really set up much of a campsite. No tent, awning, nor rug. We did not even hook up the water.
By midday the next day, we had beautiful weather that continued for the remainder of our stay. However, it was cool at night and quite chilly in the mornings. It made breakfast at the campsite not so desirable. We had one very basic breakfast that we ate in our cabin and we ate out all of the other mornings.
Stone Mountain camping was a great experience for us despite the sparseness of our campsite. Our site by the lake was peaceful and lovely and the park staff was very accommodating.
Weekend Activities
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Our single rainy morning breakfast was at Folk Art Cafe, followed by a visit to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. https://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/ We are trying to visit all the presidential libraries and it was perfect for this trip because it was only about fifteen miles from the campground. All the libraries we have visited have been worthwhile and this one was no exception. There is always so much to learn about the life and times of our country’s highest leaders.
I was an adult while Jimmy Carter was president, but there were quite a few things I did not know about him. Most noteworthy to me was that he came from very humble beginnings, significantly more than I had imagined. His family did not have electricity and running water until he was a teenager and he and Rosalyn lived in public housing early in their marriage. His efforts on the treaty between Israel and Egypt and his lifetime contribution to humanitarian causes were highly impressive.
The grounds behind the library were beautiful with fall colors and there was a pond. Many geese were residents to the area.
Stone Mountain Attraction Center
The Attraction Center has shops and restaurants plus a lift to the top of the mountain and a train that travels five miles around the perimeter. For children, there is a farmyard, miniature golf, a dinosaur-themed playground, and a 4-D theatre. It is my understanding that there is a pretty impressive laser light show, but it ended for the season the week before we arrived. Most of the restaurants and shops were also closed for the season.
We took the lift to the top and the view was amazing. It was a beautiful day and we walked around quite a bit on the top of the mountain. A couple of our friends actually hiked to the top. That is something I would have loved to do, but we are still rehabbing my husband’s knee replacement.
The train was not very exciting as there was not much to see. A Native American Pow Wow was occurring while we were there, but we left early to ice the knee. Our friends really liked it. I think the light show and a climb up the mountain will be my preferred activities if we return.
Stone Mountain is a 1,683 feet tall granite block with a circumference of at the base of 3.8 miles. Blocks of the granite has been shipped all across the country and around the world. It has been used in courthouses and in many federal buildings and structures.
Stone Mountain Memorial
There is a giant carving into the granite of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis. The sculpture is 42 feet deep and 400 feet above the ground. They completed the memorial in 1970. It is so large that it has been said that a grown man could stand inside one of the three horses mouths. The sculpting efforts were led by Walter Kirkland Hancock and it is the largest high relief sculpture in the world. The memorial is a subject of ongoing controversy today.
In Conclusion
Stone Mountain camping was a great experience for us, but the best part of the trip was that we had lots of time to visit with our friends. We had dinner together each night and played cards. Loved it!
This was our first camping trip since my husband’s knee replacement and it was exhilarating to be camping again! If you would like to see posts of other states and campgrounds we have visited, we have a page with all the links. States Visited, a Campsite Resource
Happy Camping!
