Weather today is again surprisingly hot for October reaching highs above 90°F. Decided to combat that by finding higher elevation at Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas. There are several access points to the summit; I started from the Cameron Bluff Campground trail head.
The trail is very well marked and maintained, and includes an information board at the trailhead with details on the summit and local area.
It is nearly impossible to lose the way but in case you get lost just follow the signs. Autumn colors are mostly finished but scenery today is about as perfect as you can imagine.
Trail surface is mostly gravel and some exposed rock and tree roots. Elevation climbs gradually and you’ll get a little workout but it’s not super strenuous.
This was my first trail back from the western/southwestern U.S. and it definitely felt like I was back home on a pleasant Midwestern oak forest trail which brings me much happiness.
The summit is a flat mesa decorated with several signs and benches, you can’t miss it.
Sign reads “Mount Magazine Signal Hill, Elevation 2,753 feet, Highest point in Arkansas.” Add that to my list of highpoints checked off! While the signs all say Mount Magazine the official name is Magazine Mountain but they are interchangeable. Signal Hill is the tallest hill on the mesa; the other highest spot of this area Mossback Ridge which is only 50 feet lower.
Another sign board with information about the area and events. One of the fun facts: the highpoint is 2,200 feet above the valleys surrounding Mount Magazine which does lead to cooler temperatures – exactly what I was looking for, and can confirm it was much more pleasant today compared to the lower lands.
As is customary you will also find the classic Highpointers Foundation mailbox with a guestbook and other trinkets left behind by past visitors.
My favorite thing to see are always the geological survey markers embedded into the rock surface. Not pictured here but there is a large stone monument on the ground that is a scale map of the state; I wasn’t tall enough to get a good photo but it’s there and large enough you won’t miss it!
If you wanted to continue your day’s hike, the trail continues on to the lodge area or you can head back to the campground. Other trails connect to both locations and provide several more miles for exploration.
My path today takes me back down the road in search of other adventures but I would definitely consider coming back to this area and hike a bit more.
One last look across the valleys below. The park is within the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest; even with past-peak colors it’s hard to be mad with views like this.
Hiking Data
Here’s the trail map for the summit hike and surrounding area. I didn’t see at the time but there is a Mt Magazine Falls?! Would have stuck around and hiked more had I known, d’oh! Still not mad about it. Notice from the topography lines how this summit is in fact a large mesa versus what you would normally think of in a mountain having a large sharp peak.
Round trip distance is under 1 mile with only about 130 feet elevation change. At this lower elevation it is much easier than higher peaks out west.
