Stone Mountain Park Guide 2026: Parking Fee, Hours, Tickets, Trail and Dogs

Stone Mountain Park covers 3,200 acres and is owned by the State of Georgia. It is run by the Stone Mountain Memorial Association (SMMA), a state authority, which partners with a private company, Thrive SMP, for the attractions, events, camping and other commercial operations.

That split explains why the park has two sets of rules and two websites. Every price, hour and rule below was taken from the park’s own pages or SMMA’s (checked September 19, 2026). Where the official pages disagree with each other, we show both versions.

Stone Mountain Park at a glance

How much is the Stone Mountain parking fee?

$25 per vehicle per day, or $40 per vehicle for an annual pass, as printed on the park’s official parking checkout page (checked September 30, 2026). The fee is per vehicle, not per person, and you pay it whether or not you buy an attraction ticket.

A daily permit lets you leave and come back the same day, but the park warns that re-entry “may be difficult” on busy days, and free re-entry isn’t allowed during the Fantastic Fourth Celebration or the Yellow Daisy Festival.

Has the parking price changed?

Yes. As of September 30, 2026, the park’s official parking checkout page lists a single flat price for the Daily Parking Pass: $25 per vehicle, with no separate online-versus-gate price shown anywhere on the page.

Earlier in September 2026 this guide reported $20, citing the park’s own Parking page at the time; that figure is no longer current, and there is no evidence right now of a lower online rate. Buy from the park’s official site to avoid third-party resellers, which sometimes charge more.

Daily or annual?

• Daily permit, $25: valid for one vehicle for the day.
• Annual permit, $40: 12 months for one vehicle. It sticks to the windshield and can’t be moved to another car. It costs the same as two daily permits, so it pays off from your third visit.
• Second car: buy one annual pass at full price and a second in the same transaction for $25.
• Platinum or Diamond Mountain Membership: includes annual parking (see ticket prices below).
• Uber, Lyft, taxis and limos: the driver pays $5 to enter for a pick-up or drop-off.
• Walking or cycling in: free through the South Woods Gate.

Stone Mountain hours: park gates versus attractions

Two different clocks run at Stone Mountain. The park gates are open every day from 5 a.m. to midnight. SMMA’s ordinances set those hours and bar anyone but staff from the park between midnight and 5 a.m. The trails, lake, roads and picnic areas follow the gate hours all year.

The attractions follow a seasonal calendar. The park says they typically open on weekends from March to December, daily from Memorial Day weekend through July, and daily over spring break and school holidays in November and December. Some close for maintenance in January and February.

The Summit Skyride is the exception: the park says it is open daily, subject to wind and lightning. Here is what the park’s calendar showed for this weekend (checked September 19, 2026):

During Stone Mountain Christmas (Nov. 7, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027), the park lists the Skyride as open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours change by date, so check the park’s calendar for your day. The customer service line, 478-478-6686, is staffed daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Is Stone Mountain a state park?

It is state-owned, but it is not a Georgia state park. SMMA describes itself as “a State of Georgia authority” that manages “the State owned Stone Mountain Park”. The Georgia Legislature created it in 1958 to buy the mountain and the land around it.

Georgia State Parks, part of the Department of Natural Resources, lists Stone Mountain among the places that “are not state parks” and aren’t covered by its ParkPass ($10 a day or $70 a year at state parks), so a Georgia State Parks pass won’t get you in. Our best Georgia state parks for kids guide covers the parks that do take it.

Who runs the attractions in 2026? Thrive SMP. SMMA’s homepage says it “partners with Thrive SMP, who manages the commercial aspects of the Park”, including attractions, special events, camping and the Laser Show. The park’s Terms of Sale are issued by Thrive SMP LLC.

One older SMMA page (“What is SMMA”) still names Herschend Family Entertainment, the company that ran the commercial side under a public/private partnership that started in 1998. SMMA itself keeps the public areas: the natural district, the mountain, roads and public safety.

Things to do at Stone Mountain: what’s free and what needs a ticket

Stone Mountain entry fee and ticket prices

There is no general entry fee beyond parking. The attraction tickets on sale on the park’s site (checked September 19, 2026) are:

Taxes, parking and service fees are extra on every ticket, and the membership prices are marked “Online Offer Only”. The park offers a military discount on the one-day Attractions Ticket at the ticket window, but doesn’t publish the amount. After you buy online, you swap your barcode for a wristband at the Crossroads or Skyride Ticket Plaza.

Adventure Outpost, on the lake, is booked separately: the Lakeside Zip Line Adventure Course (7 zip lines and 10 obstacles, ages 10 and up, 45–250 lb) starts at $39.99 per person, kayak and paddleboard rentals start at $30 an hour, and a lake tour on a pontoon boat, about 30 minutes, costs $15 per person.

How long is the Walk-Up Trail, and how hard is it?

The Walk-Up Trail is the only walking route to the summit, which is 1,683 feet above sea level. It is free with your parking permit and follows yellow blazes painted on the rock.

The park’s trail page gives it as 1 mile, 1 to 1.5 hours, moderate/hard, with about 700 feet of elevation gain. SMMA calls it “very strenuous”, says it “climbs 786 feet in one mile”, and notes it is in full sun. Some sections are steeper than 20%, with metal handrails. The bare granite is “very slippery when wet”, or when it is covered in sand or pine needles (checked September 19, 2026).

The park’s own figures don’t agree. The same trail page also says, in its FAQ, that the trail is 1.3 miles long and takes 45 minutes to an hour each way, “about 2 hours round trip, including time spent at the summit”.

Elsewhere it says the climb takes “thirty minutes to an hour” at a steady pace. We use the headline figures (1 mile, 1–1.5 hours) in our tables. With children, plan on the longer end.

• Where to park: the Walk-Up Trail lot, near the South Woods Gate, or the Walking Trails lot just past the railroad crossing.
• Halfway point: a covered pavilion, the “Halfway House”, at the 0.6-mile mark.
• Restrooms: at the trailhead and at the summit. On weekends and holidays in November and December, the summit restrooms close at 2 p.m.
• Getting down: if you walk up and ride the Skyride down, there is no transportation back to the Walk-Up Trail lot, and the Skyride Plaza is 1.5 miles from the trail.
• Not allowed: bicycles and alcohol. The trail isn’t wheelchair accessible, and the park doesn’t recommend it for people with limiting physical conditions. Emergency call boxes are placed along the trail.

For gentler walks, the Songbird Habitat Trail is an easy 2-mile loop that takes 30 minutes to an hour, and the Trail of the Muscogee is a 1.5-mile loop. The 5-mile Cherokee Trail is moderate and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Our easy hikes near Atlanta with kids roundup has flatter options, and for a steeper day trip, see our Tallulah Gorge guide.

Summit Skyride: price, hours and what to expect

The Summit Skyride is a Swiss cable car that lifts you more than 825 feet to the top of the mountain. It is included in the Attractions Ticket and memberships. A Skyride-only ticket is sold only at the park, on the day of your visit, and its price isn’t published online (checked September 19, 2026).

The park mentions one-way tickets without pricing them. The cheapest published way to ride is the $25 Weekday Historic Ticket, which covers a round trip plus Historic Square, on select weekdays only. Parking is extra either way.

• Hours: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. on Sept. 19 and 20, and 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21. Lines may close before the posted closing time, and the Skyride stops for high wind and lightning.
• Who can ride: the park says it is safe for all ages, and children under 16 need adult supervision. It advises against riding with high blood pressure, heart conditions, a recent surgery, head, back or neck injuries, or during pregnancy.
• Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, according to the park.
• Views: the park says you can see up to 60 miles on a clear day. One of its FAQ answers says 40 miles.

Is the Scenic Railroad running?

Not right now. The Scenic Railroad page shows “Closed for Scheduled Maintenance”, and the attractions schedule says it “is down due to scheduled maintenance” (checked September 19, 2026). No reopening date is published. When it runs, the train is pulled by a full-size 1940s locomotive on a five-mile loop around the base of the mountain, in open-air cars.

The trip takes 25–30 minutes and leaves from Marketplace Depot in Crossroads. It is included in the Attractions Ticket and memberships, and the ticket page still lists it.

Can you bring a dog to Stone Mountain?

Yes, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and you must pick up after it. Dogs and cats are the only pets allowed. Under SMMA’s ordinances, animals are banned from the lake, the golf course and all park buildings.

The park also bars pets from the attractions, the Memorial Lawn, special events, ticketed areas (so the whole Pumpkin Festival) and the Songbird Habitat trails, where SMMA says dogs aren’t allowed “due to nesting birds”. The Highland Games site says “no pets allowed on grounds”.

SMMA lists the Cherokee, King’s, Muscogee and Nature Garden trails as “dogs on leash”. Leaving an animal locked in a closed car is illegal from May 1 to September 30. There is no boarding at the park (checked September 19, 2026).

The Walk-Up Trail is where the official sources disagree. The current SMMA ordinance code, dated 2026, bans animals from the surface of the mountain, “including the Walk-up Trail”, and then adds “excluding dogs”. The 2014 version didn’t have that exception. The park’s Walk-Up Trail page also answers “Yes, dogs are permitted on the Walk-Up Trail.”

But SMMA’s own hiking page still marks the Walk-Up Trail “No Dogs Allowed”, and the park’s Muscogee Trail page says “Pets are not allowed on the Walk-Up Trail.” The ordinance is the written rule, and its current text allows leashed dogs. The ordinance also bans pets from any area posted “No Pets”, so obey the signs at the trailhead. You can confirm with SMMA on 770-498-5611. Our dog-policy database covers 303 other Georgia places.

Strollers, wheelchairs and what’s free for kids

• Your own stroller: allowed, but you must park it outside most attractions.
• Rentals: strollers, manual wheelchairs and ECVs are rented at the Adventure Center with a valid state or federal ID, and wheelchairs also need a credit card. Numbers are limited. The park doesn’t publish rental prices.
• Trails: the Walk-Up Trail isn’t wheelchair accessible, and the park says strollers aren’t recommended on the Cherokee or Songbird Habitat trails. The Skyride is wheelchair accessible.
• Free for kids: ages 2 and under don’t need an attraction ticket. The playground, about 3/4 mile past the West Gate, and everything else in the free list above only need the parking permit.
• Picnics: you may bring your own food. The public picnic areas are Studdard and Triangle, and covered pavilions must be rented. Outside caterers aren’t allowed.

Stone Mountain seasonal events in 2026

Dates below are from the park’s and organizers’ own pages (checked September 19, 2026). Earlier 2026 events, including the Yellow Daisy Festival (Sept. 10–13, free with parking) and the free Classic Lasershow nights, have already ended.

The festival Drone and Light Shows, which replaced the old nightly Lasershow, come only with the matching festival ticket. The Pumpkin and Christmas shows last about 30 minutes, and the summer show about 45. The park says drones and some effects may be cancelled for wind or bad weather.

The Lasershow isn’t gone: the park ran free Classic Lasershow nights through Sept. 12, 2026, with parking still required, and says it will “reappear periodically”. For more of the season, see our Georgia fall festivals 2026 list and our guide to corn mazes near Atlanta.

Where can you eat inside the park?

Restaurants inside Crossroads need an Attractions Ticket or a membership to get in: Campfire Smokehouse (Southern barbecue, plus beer, wine and frozen margaritas), Marketplace, Krazy Taterz, Funnel Cakes, Compass Point Ice Cream and Hydrate. Outside Crossroads, Big Rock Cafe (flatbread pizza, burgers, hot dogs) and Summit Snacks are at Skyride Plaza.

The Commons Restaurant at the Stone Mountain Golf Club serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, and Waterside Restaurant at the Atlanta Evergreen Lakeside Resort serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. On a parking-only day, a picnic is the budget option.

How far is Stone Mountain from Atlanta?

The park says it is 16 miles from downtown Atlanta. It doesn’t publish a drive time. The park’s own directions from downtown are to take I-20 East to I-285 North, take Exit 39B onto US-78 East, drive 7.7 miles and take Exit 8 to the East Gate.

For GPS, use 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain, GA 30083. MARTA doesn’t go into the park: it stops in the city of Stone Mountain, about half a mile from the West Gate. To plan a wider trip, see our weekend getaways from Atlanta guide or our free things to do in Atlanta with kids.

What is the carving on Stone Mountain?

The carving on the north face shows Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. According to SMMA, the figures measure 90 by 190 feet, are recessed 42 feet into the mountain and sit in a carved surface of three acres, making it “the largest relief sculpture in the world”.

Gutzon Borglum worked on it from 1915 to 1925, Augustus Lukeman from 1925 to 1928, and Walter Hancock from 1963 to 1972. It was dedicated in 1970 and completed in 1972.

The Atlanta History Center, which calls it the world’s largest Confederate monument, records that the Ku Klux Klan was re-founded in a ceremony on top of the mountain in 1915 and that the Klan played a large role in the first carving effort. The state bought the mountain in 1958.

Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 50-3-1) says the carving “shall never be altered, removed, concealed, or obscured in any fashion”, which limits what the state and the park can do with it. It remains a subject of public debate in Georgia.

What should you do in your situation?

• On a tight budget: buy the $25 daily permit online, hike the Walk-Up Trail, and picnic at Studdard or Triangle. Nothing else is required.
• With a toddler or a stroller: skip the Walk-Up Trail. Ride the Skyride instead (Attractions Ticket, Skyride-only ticket at the park, or the $25 Weekday Historic Ticket), and use the playground. You’ll have to park the stroller outside most attractions.
• With a dog: walk the Cherokee, Muscogee, Nature Garden or King’s trails. If you want to take the dog up the Walk-Up Trail, check the trailhead signs first (see the dog section). Leave the dog at home for any festival.
• With only a morning: the gates open at 5 a.m. Climb early, before the sun is on the rock. On festival days the attractions don’t open until 2 p.m.
• On a weekday: the attractions are often closed (on Monday, Sept. 21, only the Skyride runs), so plan a trail-and-lake day.
• In rain or wind: stay off the granite, which the park calls very slippery when wet. The Skyride and the drone shows can close for wind or lightning.
• For repeat visits: the $40 annual permit equals two daily permits. For attractions too, compare the $64.99 Regular Membership with $39.99 a visit, or get the $109.99 Platinum, which includes parking.
• In a wheelchair: the Skyride is accessible, and wheelchairs and ECVs can be rented at the Adventure Center. The Walk-Up Trail is not accessible.
• Without a car: walk or cycle in free through the South Woods Gate. From MARTA, it is about half a mile to the West Gate.

Local legend: The mule that bought Stone Mountain

What is actually true: The DeKalb History Center records all three versions as folk tales about the mountain’s first change of ownership. None of them is a documented sale.

Combining Stone Mountain with the city? Our Atlanta visitor guide has admission prices, the CityPASS math and MARTA from the airport.

FAQ

What is Stone Mountain Park?

Stone Mountain Park is a 3,200-acre, state-owned park 16 miles from downtown Atlanta, built around a granite mountain whose summit is 1,683 feet above sea level. The Stone Mountain Memorial Association, a state authority, runs it, and a private company, Thrive SMP, operates the paid attractions. You pay $25 per vehicle to park for the day (checked September 30, 2026).

What are the best things to do at Stone Mountain?

With just the $25 parking permit, you can hike the 1-mile Walk-Up Trail to the summit, use 15 miles of trails, the 363-acre lake, the playground and the picnic areas. A $39.99 adult or $36.99 child Attractions Ticket adds the Summit Skyride, Dinosaur Explore, Dinotorium, mini-golf, Historic Square and festivals such as the Pumpkin Festival (prices checked September 19, 2026).

How much is the parking fee at Stone Mountain?

The park publishes $25 per vehicle for a daily parking permit and $40 for an annual permit (checked September 30, 2026). The park’s official checkout page shows one flat price, with no separate online-versus-gate figure.

Is there a $30 parking pass at Stone Mountain?

No. As of September 30, 2026, the park publishes no $30 parking pass. The daily permit is $25 and the annual permit is $40. A second annual permit bought in the same transaction costs $25.

Is Stone Mountain a state park?

No, although it is state-owned. The Stone Mountain Memorial Association, a State of Georgia authority, runs it, and a private company, Thrive SMP, operates its attractions. It isn’t part of Georgia State Parks, and the Georgia State Parks ParkPass isn’t valid there.

What are Stone Mountain Park’s hours?

The park gates are open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight all year. The attractions run on a seasonal schedule: on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, the Summit Skyride ran 10 a.m.–8 p.m. and the other attractions 2–10 p.m., and on Monday, Sept. 21, only the Skyride was open, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Is there an entry fee for Stone Mountain?

There is no per-person entry fee. Each vehicle pays for parking ($25 a day or $40 a year, checked September 30, 2026). People who walk or cycle in through the South Woods Gate pay nothing. Only the attractions need a ticket.

What attractions are at Stone Mountain Park?

The Summit Skyride, Dinosaur Explore, Dinotorium, 4D Theater, mini-golf, Historic Square and the Scenic Railroad, which was closed for maintenance on September 19, 2026. SkyHike and the Geyser Splash Pad are seasonal. The Adventure Outpost’s zip line, kayaks and lake tours are booked separately.

How much are Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival tickets?

The 2026 Pumpkin Festival and Attractions Ticket costs $39.99 for adults and $36.99 for children, and children 2 and under are free. The festival runs Fridays to Sundays from Sept. 19 to Nov. 1, 2026, opening at 2 p.m. Parking is extra: $25 a day per vehicle.

How much is the Stone Mountain Skyride?

A Skyride-only ticket is sold only at the park on the day of your visit, and its price isn’t published online. The Skyride is included in the $39.99 adult or $36.99 child Attractions Ticket, and a $25 Weekday Historic Ticket covers a round trip plus Historic Square on select weekdays (checked September 19, 2026).

Can dogs go on the Stone Mountain Walk-Up Trail?

Under the 2026 SMMA ordinance code, leashed dogs are allowed on the Walk-Up Trail, and the park’s trail page says so too. SMMA’s hiking page and one park page still say no dogs, so check the trailhead signs. Dogs are never allowed in attractions, buildings, the lake or festival areas.

How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on October 2, 2026. 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 — Parking passes and parking FAQ
• Stone Mountain Park — Attractions, festival and light show tickets
• Stone Mountain Park — Mountain Membership
• Stone Mountain Park — Group tickets (parking fee, group price)
• Stone Mountain Park — FAQs (gate hours, attraction season, rideshare, re-entry, strollers, pets)
• Stone Mountain Park — Rules and ordinances summary
• Stone Mountain Park — Daily calendar, Sept. 19, 2026
• Stone Mountain Park — Calendar, Sept. 20, 2026
• Stone Mountain Park — Calendar, Sept. 21, 2026
• Stone Mountain Park — Attractions and entertainment schedule
• Stone Mountain Park — Attractions
• Stone Mountain Park — Summit Skyride
• Stone Mountain Park — Scenic Railroad
• Stone Mountain Park — Walk-Up Trail
• Stone Mountain Park — Hiking trails
• Stone Mountain Park — Cherokee Trail
• Stone Mountain Park — Muscogee Trail
• Stone Mountain Park — Songbird Habitat Trail
• Stone Mountain Park — Adventure Outpost
• Stone Mountain Park — Drone and Light Shows
• Stone Mountain Park — Classic Lasershow
• Stone Mountain Park — Pumpkin Festival
• Stone Mountain Park — Highland Games
• Stone Mountain Park — Native American Festival and Pow Wow
• Stone Mountain Park — Stone Mountain Christmas
• Stone Mountain Park — Yellow Daisy Festival
• Stone Mountain Park — Dining
• Stone Mountain Park — Directions
• Stone Mountain Park — Terms of Sale (Thrive SMP LLC)
• Stone Mountain Memorial Association — Home (state authority, Thrive SMP)
• Stone Mountain Memorial Association — What is SMMA
• Stone Mountain Memorial Association — History of SMMA (carving)
• Stone Mountain Memorial Association — Hiking
• Stone Mountain Memorial Association — Complete Ordinances (2026)
• Georgia State Parks — ParkPass (Stone Mountain not a state park)
• Stone Mountain Highland Games — Home (dates, pets)
• Stone Mountain Highland Games — Tickets
• Atlanta History Center — Stone Mountain: A Brief History

About Hank Whitlock

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.