Arkansas: Reach the State’s Highest Point at Mount Magazine
Linda and Doug commemorate their climb to the top of Signal Hill with a photo.
Arkansas: Reach the State’s Highest Point at Mount Magazine
Hikers should make Mount Magazine State Park a priority travel destination when visiting Arkansas because they can climb to the highest point in the state and will have access to many excellent trails through oak, hickory and pine forests.
Wildflowers stand out as one of Mount Magazine’s most memorable assets.
Mount Magazine provides a home to a diverse mix of wildflowers.
AMAZING WILDFLOWERS
While we liked the diversity of trees, the abundance of beautiful wildflowers scored our highest praise, with the best hike to see wildflowers being Will Apple’s Road Trail. It begins at the visitor center and goes 1.6 miles one-way to the quarry and horse camp. There’s a side trail to Buckman’s Pool, but don’t get too excited about the pool at the end of the trail. A more accurate description would be Buckman’s Big Concrete Bathtub.
Linda heads for the top of Signal Hill.
Linda and Doug respond to the photographer’s request to “act goofy.”
SIGNAL HILL
The top activity at the park for hikers and anyone else is to climb Signal Hill, which at 2,753 feet is the highest point in Arkansas. There are a couple of options for hiking to the peak. We took the longest option (1.2 miles round trip), which was parking at the Lodge of Mount Magazine and accessing the trail nearby. The other choice is to park at the Cameron Bluff Campground for a round trip of less than 1 mile.
Mount Magazine has 13 cabins with views of the Petit Jean River Valley.
Mount Magazine’s facilities include this pavilion for rent in the picnic area near the visitor center.
PARK FEATURES
Mount Magazine State Park is on Highway 309 between Paris (to the north) and Havana (to the south). You can easily add those cities to your travel itinerary and then tell your colleagues back in the office that you went to Paris and Havana for your summer vacation. The park has a lodge with 60 guest rooms, a restaurant, conference center, business center, indoor swimming pool and fitness center. There are also 13 cabins and a campground with 18 sites that include hookups for electricity, water and sewer. The campground features a bathhouse with hot showers. For extreme adventure enthusiasts, the park includes a designated area for hang gliding and another for rappelling and rock climbing. For additional info, go to the Mount Magazine page of the Arkansas State Parks website.
Arla wonders if this warning sign is enough to keep visitors from falling off the high cliff.
Arla finds another warning sign about the high cliffs and sees that the park rangers are doing their best to keep visitors safe.
ARLA’S SHOCKING MOMENT
Arla: When visiting the Petit Jean Valley Overlook at Mount Magazine, I noticed warning signs about dangerous high cliffs. Being curious, I investigated and quickly discovered the claims to be true. Anybody going beyond the warning signs would have to be crazy. Doug also saw the signs and thought it would be fun to have me sit on the rail next to one of them. Being amiable, I went along with the idea, but then I looked behind me and noticed that a tumble backward would send me rolling off the cliff. It became clear that somebody (as in me) could fall off a cliff here! I shared my concern with Doug, but he merely shrugged and said, “Smile.” Hmm! I might need to change the rules about who poses in dangerous locations for future photos.
The Skycrest Restaurant offers excellent food and a panoramic view of the Petit Jean River Valley.
LINDA’S TAKEAWAY
Linda: One of my favorite things about traveling is locating a good restaurant with cuisine that reflects the town we’re exploring. While it sounds easy, Doug and I have discovered it can be difficult when visiting state parks near small rural towns. Some towns only offer a few (if any) gas stations to feed your car’s tank and nothing but stale snacks for you.
Our search for hot, tasty food dramatically changed when we visited Mount Magazine State Park. After spending a few hours walking on the park’s beautiful but strenuous hiking paths, I told Doug that I was hungry. He knew I needed a time-out. As we started our search, we noticed Mount Magazine has a lodge with the Skycrest Restaurant sitting on top of a mountain. We walked into a busy dining room filled with guests and overheard the majority ordering steaks. The menu also offered delicious gourmet burgers, chicken, salads and more.
The Lodge at Mount Magazine includes 60 guest rooms, the Skycrest Restaurant and other amenities.
Linda walks on a staircase near the Lodge at Mount Magazine.
The bill was higher than our usual fast food options, but the extra bucks were worth it as we ate at a table with a panoramic view of the mountains and valleys around us. It reminded me of a cozy ski resort restaurant we dined in during our last visit to Doug’s home state of Utah.
Linda exits the Mount Magazine visitor center that includes displays about the park’s history and natural diversity.
DOUG’S HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT
Doug: The following is background information from the park brochure about Mount Magazine’s history: “Although few remnants remain, the mountain was once home to farms, homesites and earlier resort lodges. As early as the 1870s, people were attracted by lower temperatures (usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than in the valley). Settlers and vacationers began using the mountain to escape the summer heat. Drought, erosion and the Great Depression brought much of that to an end. In the 1930s and 1940s, campgrounds, trails, cabins, and a lodge were constructed by the federal Works Progress Administration.”
The Cameron Bluff Overlook Drive features scenes of steep cliffs.
GEE WHIZ FACTS
Mount Magazine State Park covers 2,234 acres of the Ozark National Forest. The mountain was previously known as Mount Cassetete and Mount Reveille.
PARTING SHOTS: WILD ABOUT WILDFLOWERS
