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The Retreat House Lake is the first of two lakes on Stephenson Creek, the other being Arabia Lake. Stephenson Creek has its headwaters on nearby Vaughter’s Farm, now a part of Panola Mountain State Park and the headquarters of the Arabia Alliance that administers the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. The lake has been stocked with bream. Other fish species are unknown. The lake has abundant beaver activity and a long beaver dam can often be spotted at the head of the lake.
The Retreat House Loop Trail is representative of the many different habitats found on the Nature Preserve (forest, rock outcrops and wetlands). The trail east of the lake passes through woodlands that were never farmed and as a result, we have a relatively undisturbed hardwood forest and diverse understory of grasses and herbaceous plants. The forest is surprisingly open and picturesque.
West of the lake, the trail passes through an area that was farmed and as a result has a pine dominated forest. Can you identify old farming terraces in that area?
Retreat House.
Retreat House Lake.
Park at the Arabia Alliance Parking Lot on Klondike Road. Take the Bike Path north a short distance to the mowed trail that leads to Vaughter’s Farm Barn. From the barn, take either the north fork or the south fork of the Meadow Loop Trail, marked by orange tipped guide posts. Either fork will lead a hiker to the Woodland Trail head (coordinates as noted below) at the west end of the meadow. Then take the Woodland Trail, marked by orange stripes on trailside trees and on the rock outcrop. The Woodland Trail will intersect the pink marked Retreat House Loop Trail. If you are searching for the three caches on the loop trail, go either right or left to take the loop and find the three caches. While hiking the Woodland Trail, be alert for the next marker ahead, as it is easy to stray from the trail due to the open understory.
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Cell service will be limited in various areas on the AMNHA Geo-Path. If you are using your cell phone, you can download the cache info to your phone and travel the trails using the offline mode.
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Come explore the Arabia Mountain PATH and earn trackable prizes along the way!
The AMNHA Geo-PATH is a geocaching program spread along the entire 30+ miles of the Arabia Mountain PATH hike/bike trail. We have over 60 geocaches just waiting for you to find.
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See additional waypoints for parking coordinates, points of interests and trailheads.
Each cache is classified in one of following series:
Arabia Mountain Adventures
Lands Less Visited
Lithonia's Historic Hike
Panola Mountain Pathways
Past and Present Passages
South River Stroll
Download the passports to collect the passwords:
Geo-Path Passport
Lands-Less-Visited Passport
Past and Presents Passages Passport
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