Arabia Mountain Starlight Hike (DeKalb County, Georgia)

 

For my final adventure this weekend and to add even more miles to my total, I'm joining REI for a starlight hike to the top of granite monadnock known as Arabia Mountain. I've inquired with the park rangers in the past about leading the meetup here for a similar evening hike, but the park closes at dusk and they were unwilling to give me special permission. REI has a long relationship with the park and is allowed some special privileges such as this. That's okay though, I'll take advantage. 

My main reason for wanting to hike up here at night is to confirm my suspicion that it will be one of, if not the best, place to stargaze near the city of Atlanta. The mountains of north Georgia are certainly an option, but there is a bit of a drive involved there, whereas Arabia Mountain is just a few minutes outside the perimeter.

Meeting up with our guide just before dark, we do a quick health screening (pandemic protocols) and some introductions before making our way down the long boardwalk to the base of the mountain. Arabia Mountain is not very mountain-like in general and only requires hiking up a shallow incline to reach the summit. It is, however, almost complete bare granite with only the occasional plant-life popping up around puddles. After reaching the top, we spend about thirty minutes taking in the night sky. Even though it was cloudy earlier today, the skies are crystal clear tonight and we are afforded a magnificent view of the heavens. Okay, having lived in Nevada for many years, I use the term "magnificent" generously here. These skies cannot compare to those above the vast barren spaces out west. Compared to what I have seen since moving to Georgia though, this is a great view.

We point out a few constellations (Ursa Major and Minor, Orion, etc.) and even catch a view of the International Space Station as it whizzes by overhead. It's not as cold up here as I thought it would be and it makes for a really nice overall experience. 

After a while, we begin to head back down the mountain, admiring the small frogs singing their song from the puddles and plant-life I mentioned earlier. Returning the way we can, we get in right at 3.5 miles total on this little stroll. While it was very easy, it was nice to experience this area at night and see the stars once again.