Hikes Map Explore
Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, GA
miles
LENGTH 6.4 MILES
DIFFICULTY 5.4 Easy
Medium
DURATION 2-4 hours
ELEVATION GAIN
760
feet
TRAIL TYPE
Trail
System
Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails

Add the Laurel Creek Trail to the Cascade and Wilburn Farm Loop to create a longer adventure connecting 5 lesser traveled trails near Arabia Mountain. With peaceful creeks and farmland fields, this trail system offers a chance to get away from crowds and enjoy some solitude in nature.

While the navigation below looks intense, all trails have marker posts at most intersections and are blazed. Maps are also available at the trailhead and the PATH intersection with the Laurel Creek Trail. The red section on the map below is not on the official maps and does not have marker posts.

Starting at the Evans Mill trailhead, take the paved PATH trail but immediately look for the orange blazed Cascade Trail on the right at the trail marker. You'll quickly come to Pole Bridge Creek, following it for a short distance. Plenty of large dry rock surfaces allow you to get out and explore the creek. The Cascade Trail crosses the PATH and continues now as the Wilburn Farm Trail, still blazed orange.

The first section of the Wilburn Farm Trail is the most difficult of these trails, quite rocky with a little incline, but by no means hard. When you come to the open field, there are several options to take. I suggest staying straight at first, heading around the fields to the right. After the first field, stay left at the split even though there is a blaze to the right. Once you pass the barn turn right to reconnect to the last split and continue from here. Or the easy directions are just stay right, but you'll miss the barn. See map below.

The Wilburn Farm Trail dead ends into the red-blazed Boomerang Trail. Turn right here for a shorter loop, but otherwise, turn left to connect to the PATH. Turn right and then look for the Laurel Creek trailhead on the left just after the bridge. There are trail markers and you can take this loop either way. Look for the side trail for the "rapids" if you can call a series of very small cascades that.

Once you finish the Laurel Creek loop, head back along the PATH trail and the Boomerang Trail, passing the Wilburn Farm Trail and reconnecting to another section of the PATH. Here turn right to head back to the trailhead, crossing over where the Cascade and Wilburn Farm trails intersected near the beginning of the hike.

Explore more trails at Arabia Mountain.

Read More

Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Begin along the PATH trail from the Evans Mill trailhead. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Cascade Trail just a few feet from the trailhead on the PATH trail. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Cascades along Pole Bridge Creek right at the beginning of the Cascade Trail. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. The first section of the Wilburn Farm trail is rocky and presents the most challenge on this hike. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Open fields along the Wilburn Farm trail. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Farmhouse along one of the Wilburn Farm trail options. If you stay right at each intersection you'll miss it. Check out the map below. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Quiet pond along the Wilburn Farm Trail. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Connect to the PATH trail, crossing over Laurel Creek before reaching the Laurel Creek trailhead. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Laurel Creek trailhead off of the PATH trail. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Optionally, if you just want to hit the Laurel Creek Trail or hike these trails from the opposite side, on weekends you can park in front of Murphy Candler Elementary School at the end of the entrance road. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. Hiking along Laurel Creek. Arabia Mountain Cascade, Wilburn Farm and Laurel Creek Trails. The Laurel Creek
Elevation Map Length (miles) by Elevation (feet)
Slope Breakdown
Elevation Gain
Elevation Range
Grade Range
Length
Elevation Gain
0 - 250 ft/mi
~ 0 - 5 %
2.3 mi
199 ft
250 - 500 ft/mi
~ 5 - 10 %
1 mi
376 ft
500 - 750 ft/mi
~ 10 - 15 %
0.3 mi
194 ft
750 - 1000 ft/mi
~ 15 - 20 %
298 ft
48 ft
1000+ ft/mi
~ 20+ %
0 ft
0 ft
Elevation Loss
Elevation Range
Grade Range
Length
Elevation Loss
0 - 250 ft/mi
~ 0 - 5 %
1.3 mi
193 ft
250 - 500 ft/mi
~ 5 - 10 %
0.9 mi
337 ft
500 - 750 ft/mi
~ 10 - 15 %
0.3 mi
174 ft
750 - 1000 ft/mi
~ 15 - 20 %
0.1 mi
110 ft
1000+ ft/mi
~ 20+ %
53 ft
11 ft
Terrain Map Click to control map
Navigation
0.0 mi
0.0 mi - Evans Mill Trailhead
0.03 mi
0.03 mi - Turn Right Start of the Cascade Trail.
0.15 mi
0.15 mi - Cascades Side trails to explore the cascades along Pole Bridge Creek.
0.45 mi
0.45 mi - Turn Left Follow blazes to the left.
0.87 mi
0.87 mi - Cross PATH Cross over the PATH trail. This ends the Cascade Trail and begins the Wilburn Farm Trail.
1.28 mi
1.28 mi - Trail Intersections There will be two side trails in quick succession on the left. The first connects back at the barn. The second is just a mowed trail through the field and reconnects on the other side. The easiest navigation is just stay to the right.
1.55 - 1.65 mi
1.55 - 1.65 mi - More Intersections Again you can just stay to the right through 3 intersections. The first left is the mowed trail reconnecting. The second left is worth a walk as it goes by the old barn. If you do this, then turn right at the 4 way split where the first side trail connects from the left and straight isn't a trail. The third intersection here is just all the trails coming back together.
1.75 mi
1.75 mi - Pond
2.53 mi
2.53 mi - Turn Left Turn left on the Boomerang Trail.
3.01 mi
3.01 mi - Turn Right Turn right on the PATH trail.
3.14 mi
3.14 mi - Turn Left Leave the PATH, turning left on the Laurel Creek Trail.
3.2 mi
3.2 mi - Trail Split You can take the Laurel Creek Loop either direction but for this navigation go right at the marked trail post.
3.69 mi
3.69 mi - Turn Left Turn left to stay on loop at marked trail post. Right leads to PATH and Elementary School trailhead.
4.58 mi
4.58 mi - Side Trail on Right to "Rapids" Side trail to "rapids" at marked trail post.
4.76 mi
4.76 mi - Turn Right Turn right to finish Laurel Creek Loop
4.82 mi
4.82 mi - Turn Right Turn right on the PATH trail.
4.94 mi
4.94 mi - Turn Left Leave the PATH trail, turning left on the Boomerang Trail. Continue past the Wilburn Farm Trail intersection.
5.56 mi
5.56 mi - Turn Right Turn right on the PATH trail, taking it back to the trailhead, crossing over where the Cascade and Wilburn Farm Trails connected.
6.4 mi
6.4 mi - Return to Trailhead
Details
length6.4 miles
difficulty5.4 Easy-Medium
duration2 - 4 hours
features Dog Friendly  History  River/Stream 
trail typeTrail System
blazeOrange (Cascade and Wilburn Farm), Red (Boomerang), White (Laurel Creek)
elevation gain760 ft.
state Georgia 
park/forestArabia Mountain National Heritage Area
visitor infoNature Center
3787 Klondike Road
Lithonia, GA 30038
770-484-3060
hoursSunrise - Sunset
parking feeNone
trailhead coordinates 33.668594, -84.15017 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 33°40.12, W 84°9.01 (Degree Minutes, MinDec)
N 33°40'07'', N 33°40'07'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Trailhead Directions
33.668594, -84.15017 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 33°40.12, W 84°9.01 most GPS units use this one
N 33°40'07'', N 33°40'07'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Google Map It
An alternate trailhead is located at the end of the road in front of Murphy Candler Elementary School. This is a good place to start for direct access to the Laurel Creek Trail. However, this is strictly weekend only parking.
Parking Capacity
10 parking spots.
Notes
Maps are available at the trailhead and the Nature Center or can be found at arabiaalliance.org.
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Reviews / Comments
Average Review Rating
4 (1)
New Review New Comment
hikethesouth-5 years ago
Nice Longer Hike to Find Solitude
You won't see too many other people on these trails so they're a nice option if you're looking for some easier hiking not too far out of the city that isn't crowded. There are a few interesting things along the trail, but nothing that's going to wow you. Just a nice quiet hike.
Easy-Medium | Hiked Summer 2019
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Disclaimer: Hiking can be dangerous. The information on this site is meant as a guide and represents trail conditions at a given time. Always let someone know where you are going. A basic knowledge of first aid, backcountry navigation, and some common sense are highly encouraged. The difficulty and duration ratings are subjective and will not be representative of everyone's experience.

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