Buddhist Monks on “Walk for Peace” Spend First Night of 2026 in Walnut Grove

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — January 1, 2026

A group of Buddhist monks participating in a cross-country “Walk for Peace” spent the first night of 2026 at Walton County Fire Station 13 on Guthrie Road in Walnut Grove.

 

The monks began their journey in Fort Worth, Texas, 67 days ago and are walking to Washington, D.C. Their route brought them through Snellville on New Year’s Eve before continuing through Walton County, where they stopped overnight at the fire station on Thursday.

 

According to reporting from USA Today, the monks are walking approximately 2,300 miles to promote peace, loving kindness, and compassion across the United States and around the world. The journey is expected to take about 120 days to complete.

 

Local residents turned out in large numbers to welcome the monks to Walnut Grove, expressing appreciation and support for the message behind the walk.

 

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced that the monks were scheduled to receive visitors at Walton County Fire Rescue Station 13 on Guthrie Road between 6 and 9 p.m. While officials said they were honored to be included in the Walk for Peace, they also voiced concerns about traffic congestion in the residential area.

 

“Should you decide to visit, we ask that you avoid parking in citizens’ driveways and do not park on the shoulder of the roadway and abandon your vehicles,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a social media post. “This is a residential area, and we appreciate your help respecting private property. The roadway must remain open.”

 

Shortly afterward, officials reported that the area surrounding Guthrie Road and Station 13 had become too congested to safely support additional traffic or pedestrians.

 

“Due to the lack of infrastructure to support parking and visiting in this area, we are recommending at this time that people wait until the end of tomorrow’s route to visit,” the sheriff’s office said in an update. “An updated location and visiting hours for tomorrow will be available as soon as possible.”

 

Photos from the event, showing visitors waiting for the monks’ arrival, were provided by Walton County Fire Rescue.