My mom, dog, and I took a long road trip to Paris, Arkansas just to visit Mount Magazine State Park. Unfortunately, we arrived late in the evening and had to rush through the Visitor Center. While we still had plenty of daylight left, we certainly enjoyed the trip outdoors at the vantage points and the Lodge.
We started our trip to the mountain in awe of the scenic spots. After quickly browsing the gift shop, we started our way toward the hike up the rest of the mountain. A very nice gentleman at the Visitor Center’s desk helped us navigate to the Signal Hill Trail and even showed us the shortest trek to the top, which we were very thankful! It was either a 1.4 mile hike for two very tired and not up to the distance boring people or a short 0.4 mile hike that starts at a campground higher up the mountain. Thankfully, some poor soul took pity on those who did not want to hike that much just to be at that elevation and created a cutoff as close to the top as possible. This was surely progressive thinking and foresight for us lazy people!
Signal Hill Trail Hike
After finding the campground that resides closest to the top of the mountain, we made our way across the street and onto the hiking trail. The hike was quiet and entirely uphill – 153 feet uphill, to be exact. My mom quickly learned on this hike to find a steady pace and not put all her effort in at the beginning of the trail no matter what it looks like. On the other hand, Coco Puffs (my dog) had the time of her life! I have no idea why she likes rocky ground, hills, and forests so much, but it might have been due to the wildlife that Mount Magazine is home to. The state park is home to black bears, as well as smaller mammals and critters. Thankfully, we avoided wildlife, poison ivy, and all the things that are just not fun to run into, especially with an overly curious dog.
It did not take us too long to reach the top of Signal Hill Trail. I am not sure what I was thinking, but my expectations created a moment of disappointment. If you expect to have a vantage point at the top, you will be just as disappointed as me. At the top of Signal Hill Trail was a small, cleared area with a couple benches, logbook, information sign, and a large stone Arkansas map. Surrounding the area was a vast forest of trees, plants, and wildlife. There are no views of the surrounding landscape, so do not get excited about seeing the view from the top. However, despite our disappointment in there not being a scenic view, we were very pleased and fulfilled. It is something that I recommend everyone who visits does on their trip to this state park.
This Arkansas map is known as a highpoint monument. Constructed in 2003, it is made from approximately 400 square feet of stone and mortar. Signal Hill information states that the map shows the six natural regions of the state by the stones that were chosen to reflect each region’s topography. Yet, my mom and I never figured out where the divisions were on the map. There were no clear distinctions to us (we are pretty unknowledgable about stones and topography), but we were able to estimate the regions.
If you are going to take pictures of the whole map, I highly suggest *cough*not*cough* standing on one of the benches and zooming out on your phone or camera. The map is quite large for a normal shot. I also suggest not taking selfies and having someone take a picture of you and the map, if you want the whole map in your picture.
Highpoint Monument
Signal Hill is known as the tallest point in Arkansas. With an elevation of 2,753 feet above Mean Sea Level, Mount Magazine is ranked 34th among state highpoints in the county. It is said that you can see as much as 1/8th of Arkansas at vantage points along the mountain’s rim on clear days. On foggy mornings, Mount Magazine can look as if it is an “Island in the Sky.”
The high point on Mount Magazine is reported to be higher than any point in 11 states (AL, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, OH, WI). There’s two ways you can hike to its highest point – hike the whole trail or drive up the hill, park, and take a short hike the rest of the way. If you follow in our footsteps and take the short cut, you will not be disappointed. Regardless of which trail you hike, when you reach the top and take your selfies, you will leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Hiking to a state highpoint is just a neat experience worth doing.
Mount Magazine State Park
Its breathtaking views, renown lodge, and bountiful outdoor recreation make this state park a highly desired tourist attraction. Located in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, Mount Magazine State Park offers backpacking, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and ATV riding. It is the state park system’s most dramatic location for technical rock climbing. Some hiking trails border cliffs, so knowing how to rock climb can be a very good skill to have when visiting. Also, it is one of two parks that offer a hang-gliding launch area. While I am not brave enough for that, I can see how attractive hang-gliding would be just for the scenic view.
The Lodge at Mount Magazine offers breathtaking views, first-class facilities, a restaurant, and plenty of amenities. Its beautiful mountain setting makes it the ideal location for weddings, retreats, and corporate events. The backside of the Lodge offers plenty of walking, sitting areas, and sweeping views across the state’s landscape. The Lodge’s restaurant offers amazing food, which I think the view across Arkansas could easily persuade someone to fall in love with everything the Lodge has to offer. Mount Magazine is definitely a place for both relaxation and adventure.
Mount Magazine State Park has plenty of things to experience, but the view from vantage points and the Lodge warrants a long stay. Just down the mountain is Paris, which boasts its own points of interest to keep you busy for days. And on the other side of Paris is Subiaco and the Monastery that offers tours, a gift shop, and free lodging.
What is your favorite thing to do at Mount Magazine State Park?