Arkansas: Magazine Mountain (2,753 feet)
We visited Arkansas’ high point during a sleet storm with 40 mph winds. Our entire way up, we fought off sleet pelting our faces. Luckily, it’s only about 1 mile RT. The HP rewarded us with a mailbox register, a USGS marker, and a bit of a view. A large sign marks the top of this patio-laden area. The summit is either sheltered from the wind or the weather fully died down during our brief visit because we were able to snap some pictures without battling gale force winds.
On the way down, the ground was so soggy that a deep muddy puddle nearly claimed my right shoe. Made for a cold, wet foot; very comfortable for the trip down.
One note to help out highpointers in locating the trailhead: as you near the top of the mountain by car, veer right toward the campgrounds after the Welcome Center (assuming you are approaching with the Welcome Center on your right). Directions are sketchy from any source I found, so as long as you head toward the campgrounds, you’ll find the well marked trailhead. The campgrounds also have clean bathrooms, so thumbs up there.
After the summit, we made our way down to Hot Springs, boyhood home of Bill Clinton. While the objective of this trip was to maximize high points, a bit of sightseeing that night made the entire trip for me. We explored the outdoor hot springs, which gave off some nice heat in the cold, read tiles in the walk of fame, and visited the Arlington Hotel where Al Capone often vacationed and former New York Giants’ manager, “Mugsy,” was arrested for gambling. Dinner in a speakeasy and a very yummy breakfast at The Pancake Shop completed the experience. Hot Springs is a quaint place with a lot of character – a great place to stop for a night in a long road trip.
Major thanks for the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.