World's Largest Exposed Granite Outcrop: world record in Stone Mountain, Georgia

September 14, 2023

Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States--Stone Mountain, a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, 16 miles (26 km) east of Atlanta, Georgia, owned by the state of Georgia, is 1,686 feet (514 m) above sea level and 825 feet (251 m) above the surrounding area and is more than 5 miles (8 km) in circumference at its base; it sets the world record for being the World's Largest Exposed Granite Outcrop, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, 16 miles (26 km) east of Atlanta, Georgia. Outside the park is the small city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state of Georgia.

"The park is owned by the state of Georgia. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet (514 m) above sea level and 825 feet (251 m) above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain is well known for not only its geology, but also the enormous rock relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief artwork in the world.

"The mountain, which ranges in composition from quartz monzonite to granite and granodiorite, is more than 5 miles (8 km) in circumference at its base. The summit of the mountain can be reached by a walk-up trail on the west side of the mountain or by the Skyride aerial tram." (Wikipedia)

"Stone Mountain Park is every geologist’s dream due to its prehistoric history and is one of Georgia’s most popular places to visit. Children visit on school field trips to learn more about the rock behind Stone Mountain Park and its importance to the state of Georgia. Stone Mountain Park features 3,200 acres of preserved natural land, including oak and hickory forests, rocky terrain, lakes, streams, and waterfalls. In the center of it all stands Stone Mountain itself, which is what the park and the nearby city of Stone Mountain are named after. Stone Mountain has an elevation of more than 1,600 feet, and when you reach the summit, you will take in panoramic views that include the Atlanta skyline and the Appalachian Mountains," the official website says.

"Many visitors to Stone Mountain are surprised to learn that this stunning dome is actually a large piece of granite. In fact, Stone Mountain is the largest piece of exposed granite in the world! Granite is an igneous rock that was formed millions of years ago in the magma near the Earth’s core. In fact, geologists have determined that the dome of Stone Mountain formed more than 300 million years ago, along with the formation of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.

"Stone Mountain is primarily known for its granite composition, though it is also comprised of quartz monzonite, and granodiorite. When you see a rock made of granite, you notice it has stark veins and granules are larger in size. Quartz monzonite is also lighter in color like granite and has a grainy, highly detailed composition. From afar, Stone Mountain looks solid gray, but when you get up close, you are able to see the exquisite detail of this incredible rock formation. A wide variety of minerals can be found in the rock at Stone Mountain Park, including quartz, microcline, and muscovite."

"Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s #1 tourist site. It is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. Stone Mountain was once owned by the Venable Brothers and mined for its granite for global use. Stone Mountain is well known for not only its geology, but also the enormous rock relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief in the world," the Stone Mountain Manor says.

"The dome of Stone Mountain was formed during the formation of the Blue Ridge Mountains around 300–350 million years ago (during the Carboniferous period), part of the Appalachian Mountains. It formed as a result of the upwelling of magma from within the Earth's crust. This magma solidified to form granite within the crust five to ten miles below the surface.

"Stone Mountain is more than 5 miles (8 km) in circumference at its base. The summit of the mountain can be reached by a walk-up trail on the west side of the mountain or by the Skyride aerial tram. Between its sheer face to the sloped sides, the only way to truly appreciate Stone Mountain is to see it in person."

"Granite outcrops are exposed granitic rocks, found in the Piedmont and Appalachian Mountain regions. These outcrops weather in characteristic patterns and provide unusual habitats where a unique set of plants and animals have adapted. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of the approximately 12,000 acres of exposed granite in the Southeast is located in Georgia, including Stone Mountain, the largest of the Piedmont outcrops," the New Georgia Encyclopedia says.

"Geologists estimate that most of the granitic rocks that outcrop in the Piedmont of the southeastern United States are approximately 300-350 million years old. These outcrops were formed by the intrusion of molten granite into preexisting country rock at a depth of about ten miles below the surface. Over millions of years, erosion removed thousands of feet of overlying rock, exposing the more resistant bodies of granite.

"Granitic outcrops vary tremendously in size, shape, and position in the landscape. Some consist of small, flat-lying exposures (or flatrocks) only a few square feet in area. At the other extreme, Stone Mountain is a steeply sloping outcrop that covers nearly 600 acres and rises approximately 825 feet above the surrounding countryside."

"Stone Mountain Park is home to the world’s biggest portion of exposed granite. By calculated “guestimate,” Stone Mountain weighs more than 1 trillion pounds," the Access Atlanta says.

"Granite originally mined from Stone Mountain appears all over the world from places like the Georgia Capitol building to the U.S. Capitol to the Panama Canal and Fort Knox. Frank Lloyd Wright also put it into use for Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel. Because it was constructed of granite, the hotel was one of just a few buildings that made it through the 1923 earthquake.

"The park is a natural habitat for a variety of animals, insects, reptiles and birds, including fox deer, hawks, coyotes, woodpeckers, turkeys, raccoons, salamanders and snakes, along with numerous fish species in the park’s manmade lakes."