[title subtitle=”WORDS and IMAGES courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism”][/title]
At the peak of the state park experience is Mount Magazine, Arkansas’s highest point at 2,753 feet. People come for the sweeping views alone, but there is much to see and do from this unique spot. Mount Magazine State Park is a place of relaxation, exploration, and nature study. It is a destination for outdoor sports and extreme adventures with mountain biking, horseback riding, back-packing, and ATV riding. Mount Magazine is the state park system’s most dramatic location for technical rock climbing, and it’s one of only two parks to offer hang gliding launch areas. Scenic overlooks, hiking trails, picnic area, pavilion, and visitor center with gift shop add to the amenities. A wide variety of programs led by park interpreters highlights the mountain’s natural diversity.
The Lodge at Mount Magazine features sixty guest rooms, Skycrest Restaurant, a conference center, business center, heated indoor swimming pool, fitness center, and game room. From its setting on the mountain’s south bluff, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake in the distance. The beautiful setting and first-class facilities make the lodge a top choice for romantic getaways, weddings, conferences, and corporate retreats. The conference space can be divided into three meeting rooms or opened up for banquet-style seating for up to 192 people. Skycrest Restaurant seats up to 125. Thirteen cabins share the same view as the lodge. Choose from one, two, and three-bedroom options with fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, and covered decks with outdoor hot tubs. There are also eighteen campsites on the mountain (two Class AAA and sixteen Class AA with tent only options).
For more information about Mount Magazine State Park and the other fifty-one state parks, visit arkansasstateparks.com.
