Signal Hill, Magazine Mtn., AR

Elevation: 2,753 ft.

This highpoint is a quick hike, but the gate to Magazine Mountain State Park is closed at night and it’s not the best plan to stay nearby unless you are camping or staying at the park lodge.  After creeping along the dark, foggy (really foggy) roads to get to Paris, the town near the highpoint, I discovered that the folks at the local inn (can’t remember its name, but there really is only one decent option) were very, very unpleasant.  I didn’t want to give them any business, so I ended up turning around and driving back west on Rt. 40 for twenty minutes until I got to the nearest large town.  The next day, I woke up and repeated the drive back to the highpoint area. 

Pain in the neck factor aside, I think that this one rivaled Rhode Island for the fastest completion of a highpoint.  After driving along the winding Scenic Route 309 to the parking area, I parked, ran up the Signal Hill Trail, took a few pictures, and then turned and ran back to my car.  Nothing against this place – there wasn’t a view from the top but the trail was nice (it reminded me of Taum Sauk Mountain, Missouri, only the vegetation was a bit different and there seemed to be more water in the area) – but an easily-graded half-mile roundtrip trail is asking for a speed attack.  Excluding the drive, it took about 15 minutes.  Then I drove back down 309 and headed for Mississippi.