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Stone Mountain Park officially opened on April 14, 1965 – 100 years to the day after Lincoln's assassination. Four flags of the Confederacy are flown at the site.
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There are multiple trails in the park and since we had a lot of time, we started with the Trail of the Muscogee which goes around a lake in the woods and warms us up before we try to summit the mountain!
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Grist Mill is more than a century-old and was moved to the Park from its original site near Ellijay, GA
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Mountain, woods, recreational events and water bodies - the park offers it all!
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Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad, although closed but the scene doesn't fail to impress!
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With the sun, coming down it's time to start what we were here for - climb up the mighty stone mountain!
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It was created when shifts in the earth's crust created extreme heat and friction and melted a large amount of rock below the surface. This heated magma bubbled up towards earth's surface but did not make it all the way.
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Over time, the magma hardened into granite. Eventually, the land on top of the granite dome washed away through erosion and left what is now Stone Mountain.
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Harsh conditions on the mountain make life hard for many animal species but due to the rich woodlands surrounding Stone Mountain they are not excluded from the park
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The top of the mountain is a surreal landscape some 800 feet above the surrounding land,
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and provides excellent views of the surrounding area and the skyline of downtown Atlanta
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Got some candid clicks with the picturesque sunset behind ...
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.. before starting our descent with the setting sun, filling the sky with amazing colors ..
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and the shiny stones below reflecting the sky. Picture perfect?