Signal Hill on Mount Magazine, the Arkansas highpoint              (Mount Magazine  Photo Album)

Over Thanksgiving, I made a bit of last minute decision to head over to Arkansas to go to Mount Magazine to hit the high point of the Natural State.  Having driven through Arkansas a few times, I knew the state had many beautiful places, but I did not realize how beautiful the area around Mount Magazine would be.

This trip ended up being quite a bit of fun.  My parents decided at the last minute to head over to Arkansas with me for the trip.  We decided to stay at the lodge on the mountain, and I would easily recommend it to anyone headed that way.  The place has great rooms, and amazing views anywhere you look.

We ended up pulling into the lodge around 7pm Thanksgiving night, just in time to watch Mississippi State knock off Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg. With night having already fallen, there would not be much exploring that night, and with only the next day to explore and a long drive home ahead, I knew that Friday would be full of excitement.

I woke up before dawn to head out on a trip to Sunrise Rock without the folks, who were getting much needed sleep and staying warm in bed. The sunrise that morning proved to be pretty awesome, and sitting all alone in the woods by myself and a few animals was pretty sweet.

Perhaps that thing that I most intriguing was the smoke from a nuclear power plant rising above the mountains that morning.  Even in what feels like an isolated place, it can be so easy to see the changes people have made to areas.

If you get a chance to go to Mount Magazine, Sunrise Rock is quite easy to reach, and I’d encourage you to do so.  All you have to do is find the Bear Hollow trail, and it will take you there.  It also will take past a few other amazing places to stop and enjoy a view as well.

After returning back to the room, it was time to grab some breakfast and go to Signal Hill, which is the highest point of Mount Magazine and Arkansas. The trail to the top is not tough from the lodge, making this a good trail for most anyone. My parents enjoyed the trek to the top, as did my son, so it was a cool experience for everyone.

After we got to the top and took a few pictures, we headed back down, and I took my parents on the Bear Hollow Trail.  Parts of the trail are a little narrow with a steep fall, so if you are taking smaller children, caution is needed.  However, their safety will not be in danger by going on the trail.

After some more hiking, it was time to head back to Mississippi…through Oklahoma.  That’s right.  None of us had ever been to Oklahoma, and since we were only about 90 miles from the border, we decided to head over there before heading home.