Outdoor adventure in the month of December can be unpredictable for any trip planning. My criteria for this trip included the ability to drive in a day from Houston, trails to hike, options for multiple activities for the family, and a warm home to spend a week. Mount Magazine State Park was a great solution. This state park located in Paris, Arkansas has multiple choices of lodging including cabins that offer sweeping views overlooking the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake. The lodging choices sit on the Bluff of 2,753-foot Mount Magazine and are surrounded by plenty of trails to explore. The nearby Lodge offers a restaurant, an indoor swimming pool, mountain bike rentals, and plenty of rocking chairs to admire the views from. Despite a long day of driving, we decided that it would be worth a visit!

December 2011-We arrived just in time to check into our two-bedroom cabin  and to walk the trail over to the Lodge to eat dinner at the Skycrest Restaurant. This restaurant was named for the first hotel that was built on the peak. The architecture is reminiscent of parks from the 1930 with tall timbers and a beautiful two-story fireplace. The restaurant and Lodge were decorated for the Christmas season. After a brisk walk back to our cabin, the kids were anxious to try out the hot tub on the wrap-around deck while viewing the stars on a clear night. There was a stack of wood and kindling neatly stacked inside to use with the fireplace. The cabins were nicely furnished with all the perks of home and made our stay for the week enjoyable.

The next morning we decided to explore the town and visited the local Cowie Wine Cellars and Vineyards. They have one of the only museums dedicated to the winemaking tradition in Arkansas, including the science of turning grapes into a wine. They also have a small chapel on site with a bell tower that they was in the process of being restored. Their wine tasting included a variety of dry wines, fruit wines, communal wines, and grape juice.

Not far from Paris, we visited the Subiaco Abbey to tour its beautiful campus. It is an American Benedictine monastery with a Catholic boarding school for young men. The abbey produces peanut brittle and a habanero sauce called “Monk Sauce” to provide additional income. They provided a self-guided walking tour brochure of the park grounds and the Romanesque-style Abbey Church with beautiful stained glass windows.

We spent the next few days exploring the many trails in the state park by foot and mountain bikes. The Signal Hill Trail was an easy hike to the highest point on Mount Magazine from the cabin. Using the mountain bikes from the Lodge, several of our family explored Will Apple Road Trail and Huckleberry Mountain Horse Trail. While they enjoyed crossing streams and riding downhill, the trek back up was not nearly as fun. The main visitor center featured exhibits on the history, geology, plant and wildlife of the area. There was a nice wildlife observation area as well. The interpreters offered several different programs and also guided hikes.

Arkansas is known for their ATV trails and the Lodge coordinated a tour with Schluterman’s ATV tours. We opted for their three-hour tour, which included 2 double ATV’s, helmets and goggles, and an experienced guide for $200. The equipment was well maintained and they included safety training before the ride.   Mount Magazine State Park also provides backpacking, rock climbing and rappelling, hang gliding, horseback riding and geocaching opportunities. There is something for everyone during all four seasons. The most popular time for people to visit is during the fall when the leaves change colors and lodging can book up months in advance.

“May your trails be crooked, winding, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view”-Edward Abbey