Stone Mountain Park charges $25 for a daily parking pass per vehicle (or $40 for an annual pass), and that parking fee is all you need to walk the trails, visit the lake, and picnic â the Walk-Up Trail, Skyride, and other named attractions each need a separate ticket or the all-inclusive Attractions Ticket. This guide breaks down exactly what’s covered by parking alone, what needs an Attractions Ticket, and what the 1-mile summit hike actually demands from a family with young kids.
Stone Mountain Park sits about 15 miles east of downtown Atlanta â roughly 25-30 minutes in normal traffic via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East â and combines a 3,200-acre state-chartered park with a for-profit attractions operator. That split ownership is why pricing here is more layered than a typical state park: Stone Mountain Memorial Association manages the grounds and trails, while a separate concessionaire runs the paid rides, shows, and Skyride.
The park is also home to the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world, a carving of three Confederate figures on the mountain’s north face. We cover it here factually, including why it remains a subject of public debate, without arguing either side.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does it cost to get in? | $25 per vehicle for a daily parking pass, or $40 for an annual pass; parking alone covers the trails, the lake, and the picnic areas. |
| What needs a separate ticket? | The named attractions (Summit Skyride, Dinosaur Explore, Dinotorium, 4D theater, mini-golf, Historic Square, SkyHike, Geyser Splash Pad) are bundled into an Attractions Ticket at roughly $40 adult and $37 child. |
| How far is it from downtown Atlanta? | About 15 miles, roughly 25-30 minutes in normal traffic via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East. |
| How long should you budget? | Half a day to a full day; the Walk-Up Trail alone runs 1 to 1.5 hours round trip at a family pace. |
| When is the best time to go? | Weekday mornings in spring or fall. Gates open at 5 a.m. daily and close at midnight, but attractions do not open until mid-morning. |
| Are dogs allowed? | Leashed dogs (6-foot maximum) are allowed in most of the park, but not on the Walk-Up Trail, inside attractions, at the lake, on the golf course, or in buildings. |
| Is it stroller-friendly? | Partly: strollers are fine on paved paths and at Crossroads, but the granite incline of the Walk-Up Trail rules them out entirely. |
Stone Mountain Park at a Glance
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Drive from downtown Atlanta | About 15 miles, 25-30 minutes via I-20 E / I-285 N / US-78 E, longer at rush hour |
| Parking pass | $25/vehicle/day, or $40/vehicle annual |
| Park gate hours | Daily, 5 a.m.-midnight |
| Walk-Up Trail | About 1 mile one-way, roughly 700 ft. elevation gain, moderate-hard |
| Attractions Ticket (Skyride, Dinosaur Explore, mini-golf, etc.) | Adult about $40, child about $37; parking sold separately |
| Dogs | Leashed (6 ft. max) dogs allowed in most of the park; NOT on the Walk-Up Trail or in attractions |
| Strollers | Fine on paved paths and at Crossroads; not usable on the Walk-Up Trail |
What does the parking pass cover, and what needs a ticket?
Every vehicle entering Stone Mountain Park needs a parking pass â $25 for a single day, or $40 for an annual pass that pays for itself after your second visit. That parking fee alone gets you into the park’s natural areas: the trail network, Stone Mountain Lake, picnic areas, and the base of the mountain, according to the park’s own ticketing pages.
Parking does not include the named attractions. The Summit Skyride (the cable car to the top), Dinosaur Explore, Dinotorium, the 4D theater, mini-golf, Historic Square, SkyHike, and the Geyser Splash Pad are bundled into an Attractions Ticket, priced at roughly $40 for adults and $37 for children as listed on the park’s site â treat these as approximate and confirm the current rate before you buy, since theme-park-style pricing changes with season and promotions. Individual attraction tickets (Skyride-only, for example) are sold at the park on the day of your visit if you don’t want the full pass.
In practice, that means a family that only wants to hike the Walk-Up Trail, picnic by the lake, and let the kids run around can do the whole visit for the cost of parking. For more no-cost family options around the metro, see our guide to free things to do in Atlanta with kids. A family that wants the Skyride and the dinosaur exhibits needs the Attractions Ticket on top of parking.
How hard is the Walk-Up Trail hike?
The Walk-Up Trail climbs about 1 mile from the base near Confederate Hall to the summit, gaining roughly 700 feet of elevation on exposed granite the whole way â no shade, no water fountains, and no return shuttle if you hike up and take the Skyride down (there’s no transportation back to the Walk-Up Trail parking lot). Difficulty: moderate to hard â the surface is smooth granite with a steady, and in sections steep, incline, and it gets slippery when wet. Time: plan on 1-1.5 hours round trip at a family pace; fast hikers can do it in under 45 minutes each way. Stroller: not workable â the granite surface, incline, and lack of a paved path rule out strollers and make it unsuitable for anyone with mobility limitations. Dogs: not allowed on the Walk-Up Trail itself (park rules make an exception only where it briefly crosses the separate Cherokee Trail); leashed dogs are fine on the park’s other trails, like the Cherokee Trail and Muscogee Trail. Restrooms: at the trailhead near Confederate Hall and again near the summit. Footwear: closed-toe shoes with grip â flip-flops are a real hazard on the polished granite. Tip: a “Halfway House” pavilion sits about 0.6 miles up and makes a good turnaround point or rest stop for younger kids who can’t finish the full climb.
Summit Skyride
The Summit Skyride is a cable-car ride to the top of the mountain and back, and it’s the practical alternative to the Walk-Up Trail for families with strollers, toddlers, or anyone who doesn’t want to climb 700 feet of granite. It’s included with the Attractions Ticket or a Mountain Membership, or purchasable as a standalone ticket at the park. Hours: typically 10 a.m. to around 7-8 p.m., though it’s subject to closure during high wind or lightning and lines close early enough to clear before the posted closing time. Stroller: fine to bring to the Skyride Plaza; you won’t push it up the mountain, but you can ride with it folded. Tip: if your plan is “kids see the view, nobody hikes,” the Skyride up and down is the move â it’s also the only way down if you hiked up and don’t want to walk back.
The Drone & Light Show (Formerly the Laser Show)
Stone Mountain Park retired its long-running nightly Lasershow Spectacular and replaced it with rotating seasonal Drone & Light Shows that combine laser projection, 4K video, surround sound, and a fleet of choreographed drones. These run for specific event windows rather than every summer night â recent examples include a spring dinosaur-themed show, a summer anniversary show, and seasonal shows tied to the Pumpkin Festival and Stone Mountain Christmas. Cost: not included with parking alone â you need either a Light Show Only ticket or an Attractions Ticket/Mountain Membership. Duration: roughly 30-45 minutes depending on the show. Weather: drone elements can be scrubbed for wind or rain while the laser/video portion continues. Tip: check the park’s event calendar for your visit dates before assuming a show is running â unlike the old nightly summer laser show, these are scheduled around specific weekends and holidays.
Can you bring a dog to Stone Mountain Park?
Stone Mountain Park allows dogs and cats on a leash no longer than 6 feet throughout most of the general park grounds. Pets are not permitted on the Walk-Up Trail, inside ticketed attractions, in the Memorial Lawn or special-event areas, in any building, on the golf course, or at the lake. Owners must clean up after their pets, and animals can’t be left unattended in a locked vehicle between April 1 and October 31. If a hike with the dog is the plan, use the Cherokee Trail or Muscogee Trail rather than the Walk-Up Trail.
When is the best time to go to avoid crowds?
Arrive at park opening (gates open at 5 a.m., though attractions don’t open until mid-morning) or plan a weekday visit â Stone Mountain is a regional draw, and Saturdays, holidays, and event weekends (the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival, Stone Mountain Christmas and other Georgia holiday light displays, the Fourth of July) can fill parking lots and prompt the park to pause new entries. For the Walk-Up Trail specifically, early morning or the couple of hours before sunset both avoid the midday heat on the shadeless granite and the thickest foot traffic. Weekday mornings in spring and fall generally offer the mildest weather and the smallest crowds.
Where can you eat inside the park?
Stone Mountain Park has multiple quick-service spots clustered at Crossroads and Skyride Plaza, plus two sit-down options nearby:
- Big Rock Cafe (Skyride Plaza) â flatbread pizzas, burgers, and hot dogs.
- Campfire Smokehouse (Crossroads) â Southern barbecue, plus beer, wine, and frozen margaritas for the adults.
- Krazy Taterz and Funnel Cakes (Crossroads) â loaded fries and funnel cakes for a treat stop.
- Marketplace (Crossroads) â grab-and-go snacks and full meals, useful if the group wants to split up.
- The Commons Restaurant (Stone Mountain Golf Club) â sit-down burgers, salads, and sandwiches, with a Sunday brunch.
- Waterside Restaurant (Atlanta Evergreen Lakeside Resort, inside the park) â full-service breakfast, lunch, and dinner with lake views.
Picnics are allowed in designated picnic areas (not on the Memorial Lawn during events), so packing lunch is a legitimate way to cut costs on a parking-pass-only visit.
What is the Confederate carving on the mountain?
The carving on Stone Mountain’s north face depicts Confederate President Jefferson Davis and generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson on horseback, and it is the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world. Work began in the 1910s and 1920s under sculptor Gutzon Borglum (later replaced by Augustus Lukeman, who completed the design), stalled for decades, and was finished and dedicated between 1970 and 1972 after Georgia officials restarted the project in the 1950s and 1960s.
The carving is a subject of ongoing public debate in Georgia. Its history is tied to the site’s association with the 1915 founding of the second Ku Klux Klan on the mountain, and the mid-20th-century push to finish the carving coincided with the era of school desegregation. A Georgia law currently states the memorial “shall never be altered, removed, concealed, or obscured,” which shapes what state and park officials can legally do with it. Supporters and critics disagree on what the carving should represent going forward, and the park has, in recent years, added interpretive and historical context around the site. Visitors can expect to encounter both the sculpture and its history as a live civic topic rather than a settled one.
How should you plan your visit?
- Decide before you leave home whether you’re hiking or riding. Walking up costs only the parking fee; riding the Skyride requires an Attractions Ticket or standalone Skyride ticket on top of parking.
- Bring water and sun protection for the Walk-Up Trail. There’s no shade and no water fountains along the granite climb.
- If you hike up, plan your way down before you start. There is no shuttle back to the Walk-Up Trail lot from the Skyride Plaza.
- Check the event calendar for your visit date. Drone & Light Shows, festivals, and holiday events run on specific dates, not nightly, and can also affect crowd size and parking availability.
- An annual parking pass pays for itself in two visits ($40 vs. $25 x 2 = $50) if Stone Mountain is a repeat trip for your family, similar to the value math behind our Georgia state parks for kids guide.
- Pair it with a short Atlanta itinerary. Stone Mountain works well as a half-day add-on to a broader trip â see our weekend getaways from Atlanta guide for how to sequence it with a downtown day.
- Families weighing an easier trail day can compare options in our easy hikes near Atlanta with kids roundup, since the Walk-Up Trail is meaningfully harder than most entries there.
| What you want to do | Ticket needed | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enter the park; trails, Stone Mountain Lake, picnic areas | Parking pass only | $25 per vehicle per day, or $40 per vehicle annual | Every vehicle needs one; the annual pass pays for itself on a second visit |
| Hike the Walk-Up Trail to the summit | Parking pass only, no extra ticket | No charge beyond parking | About 1 mile one-way, roughly 700 ft of gain on exposed granite; no dogs, no strollers |
| Ride the Summit Skyride up and down | Attractions Ticket, Mountain Membership, or a standalone Skyride ticket bought at the park | Attractions Ticket about $40 adult / $37 child; standalone price not published | Typically 10 a.m. to around 7-8 p.m., subject to closure for high wind or lightning |
| Dinosaur Explore, Dinotorium, 4D theater, mini-golf, Historic Square, SkyHike, Geyser Splash Pad | Attractions Ticket | About $40 adult / $37 child, parking sold separately | Individual attraction tickets are sold at the park on the day of your visit |
| See a Drone & Light Show | Light Show Only ticket, Attractions Ticket, or Mountain Membership | Not published | Roughly 30-45 minutes, scheduled around specific event weekends rather than nightly |
What if you only have a morning, or the forecast turns?
| If you… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only have one morning | Get in early and spend it on the Walk-Up Trail | Gates open at 5 a.m. daily, the 1-mile climb runs 1 to 1.5 hours round trip at a family pace, and attractions do not open until mid-morning anyway |
| Want the cheapest possible day | Buy the parking pass only and hike, picnic, and see the lake | $25 per vehicle covers the trail network, Stone Mountain Lake, and the picnic areas with no further ticket; packing lunch is allowed in designated picnic areas |
| Have a toddler or a stroller | Ride the Summit Skyride instead of climbing, and keep the stroller at Crossroads and Skyride Plaza | The granite incline rules strollers out of the Walk-Up Trail; the Skyride needs an Attractions Ticket (about $40 adult, $37 child) or a standalone ticket bought at the park |
| Are bringing the dog | Hike the Cherokee Trail or the Muscogee Trail | Leashed dogs on a 6-foot maximum leash are allowed across most of the park, but not on the Walk-Up Trail, inside attractions, at the lake, or in buildings |
| Get rain, or a wet forecast | Stay off the Walk-Up Trail | The smooth granite gets slippery when wet and the mile-long climb has no shade; the Skyride is also subject to closure for high wind or lightning |
| Expect to come back more than once | Buy the annual parking pass instead of a day pass | It is $40 per vehicle against $25 a day, so it pays for itself on your second visit |
| Are going on a Saturday, holiday, or event weekend | Arrive at gate opening, or move the trip to a weekday morning | Event weekends like the Pumpkin Festival and Stone Mountain Christmas can fill the lots and prompt the park to pause new entries |
FAQ
How much does it cost to park at Stone Mountain Park?
A daily parking pass is $25 per vehicle, and an annual parking pass is $40 per vehicle. This parking fee is required for every vehicle entering the park and is separate from tickets to attractions like the Skyride.
Is Stone Mountain Park free if you just want to hike?
You still need the parking pass ($25/day or $40/year), but once you’re parked, the Walk-Up Trail, the park’s other trails, the lake, and picnic areas don’t require any additional ticket. Only named attractions like the Skyride and Dinosaur Explore need an Attractions Ticket.
How long is the hike to the top of Stone Mountain?
The Walk-Up Trail is about 1 mile one-way with roughly 700 feet of elevation gain on exposed granite. Most families should plan 1 to 1.5 hours round trip; the surface is not stroller- or wheelchair-friendly.
Are dogs allowed at Stone Mountain Park?
Leashed dogs (6-foot leash maximum) are allowed in most of the park, including trails like the Cherokee and Muscogee Trails, but they are not permitted on the Walk-Up Trail, inside attractions, at the lake, or in buildings.
Does Stone Mountain Park still have a laser show?
The classic nightly Lasershow Spectacular has been retired and replaced with seasonal Drone & Light Shows tied to specific events throughout the year, such as spring, summer-anniversary, and holiday shows. These require a Light Show ticket or Attractions Ticket rather than being free with parking.
How far is Stone Mountain Park from downtown Atlanta?
It’s about 15 miles from downtown Atlanta, roughly 25-30 minutes via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East in normal traffic. Allow extra time during weekday rush hour or major park events.
Is the Skyride or the Walk-Up Trail better with young kids?
The Skyride, if the kids are small or a stroller is coming. It rides to the summit and back and needs an Attractions Ticket (about $40 adult, $37 child), a Mountain Membership, or a standalone ticket bought at the park. The Walk-Up Trail costs nothing beyond parking but climbs roughly 700 feet over a mile of shadeless granite, and strollers cannot use it.
Is the Attractions Ticket worth it versus paying for parking only?
Only if you want the rides. The $25 daily parking pass already covers the trail network, Stone Mountain Lake, and the picnic areas, so a hike-and-picnic day needs nothing more. The roughly $40 adult and $37 child Attractions Ticket pays off when the group wants the Summit Skyride plus the dinosaur exhibits, 4D theater, mini-golf, and SkyHike.
What should you do at Stone Mountain if you only have one morning?
Be at the gate early and put the morning into the Walk-Up Trail. Gates open at 5 a.m. daily and the 1-mile climb takes 1 to 1.5 hours round trip at a family pace, which leaves time for a picnic by the lake. Attractions do not open until mid-morning, and an early start beats the heat on the shadeless granite.
What should you do at Stone Mountain Park when it rains?
Stay off the Walk-Up Trail. The smooth granite gets slippery when wet, and the mile-long climb has no shade and no shelter. Expect the Summit Skyride to close for high wind or lightning as well, and note that the drone elements of a Drone & Light Show can be scrubbed for wind or rain while the laser and video portion continues.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Stone Mountain Park â Parking Pricing
- Stone Mountain Park â Attractions Tickets
- Stone Mountain Park â Walk-Up Trail
- Stone Mountain Park â Summit Skyride
- Stone Mountain Park â Drone & Light Show
- Stone Mountain Park â Rules & Pet Policy
- Stone Mountain Park â FAQs (Gate Hours, Strollers)
- Stone Mountain Park â Directions
- Stone Mountain Park â Dining
- Atlanta History Center â Stone Mountain: Carving Fact from Fiction
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
