National Park & Nature

Panola Mountain State Park

📍 Panola Mountain, GA, USA

No photos yet

4.1/ 5.0

★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location: USA, Atlanta
Category: National Park & Nature
Duration: 1-2 hours
Opening Hours: Daily 7 AM to sunset, visitor center 9 AM to 5 PM
Ticket Price: 5 USD parking per vehicle, annual passes available
Address: Panola Mountain, GA, USA
Coordinates: 33.6258, -84.1716

Introduction

Panola Mountain State Park lies near Stockbridge, Georgia, just twenty miles from downtown Atlanta, making it an accessible natural retreat for metro area residents. Established in 1971 and named after a granite monadnock formed roughly 40 million years ago, the park protects a mountain designated as a National Natural Landmark for its exceptional geological value. Unlike other granite mountains in northern Georgia, Panola was never significantly quarried, so it preserves pristine granite outcrop exposures and ancient old-growth forest ecosystems, serving as a living textbook for the Piedmont ecoregion. The park spans about 1,500 acres and offers several loop trails circling the mountain through pine-oak forest, streamside wetlands, and granite outcrops, with rich native flora and fauna along the way. The summit is modest in height but rewards hikers with views of surrounding forest and distant ridges, especially open in fall and winter.

✨ Highlights

National Natural Landmark

The granite monadnock is designated a National Natural Landmark for its unique and pristine geology

Unquarried Old-growth Forest

Unlike other Georgia granite mountains, Panola was never quarried, preserving intact ancient forest

Multiple Loop Trails

Trails circle the mountain through pine-oak forest, wetlands, and granite outcrops with rich wildlife

Piedmont Ecology Lab

An excellent place to study the Piedmont ecoregion with diverse native plants and animals

Atlanta Backyard Retreat

Just 20 miles from downtown Atlanta, a top choice for short hikes and nature observation

🛈 Practical Info

→Address：2600 Highway 155, Stockbridge, GA 30281

→Best Season：Spring and fall for mild weather, winter for open views, spring and summer for wildflowers

→Opening Hours：Daily 7 AM to sunset, visitor center 9 AM to 5 PM

→Ticket Information：5 USD parking per vehicle, annual passes available

→Transportation：About 30 minutes south of Atlanta via I-75, free parking on site

💡 Tips

• Granite outcrops are slippery especially when wet, so wear hiking shoes with good traction

• Streamside wetlands have mosquitoes, particularly active in summer, so carry repellent

• Nearby Arabia Mountain State Park has longer trails, the two parks make a great combined trip

• Multiple trails cross around the mountain, pay attention to junction markers to stay on route

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Panola Mountain State Park?

Daily 7 AM to sunset, visitor center 9 AM to 5 PM

How much is the admission for Panola Mountain State Park?

5 USD parking per vehicle, annual passes available

Any practical tips for visiting Panola Mountain State Park?

Granite outcrops are slippery especially when wet, so wear hiking shoes with good traction Streamside wetlands have mosquitoes, particularly active in summer, so carry repellent