A landmark seen for miles rising a thousand feet above the Arkansas River Valley, Pinnacle Mountain State Park is the quintessential day hike out of Little Rock.
You can approach the hike up to the summit of Pinnacle Mountain from two locations. The more popular way is from the 1.5 mile West Summit trail, at the parks visitor center.
There is an additional parking lot down the road to take the East Summit trail up, also 1.5 miles, which is far quieter. You can experience both trails by creating a loop, heading up on the west side, down the east, and back via the base trail which connects the two. The base trail circles the entire mountain and is 3 miles long, but if you are just using it to get from west to east you will only traverse half the length, creating a 4.5 mile hike. Starting from the west following the yellow blazes, the climb is almost immediate as there is much elevation to gain in a short distance.
It is very forested, but soon enough you’ll find a taste of the views to come.
The path is marked exceedingly well and there is even a map of your progress along the way, a great tool for pacing yourself.
As you near the summit the trail becomes increasingly rockier.
Leave the dirt path and enter the boulder field, hopping from rock to rock to get to the final destination.
The panoramic views at the summit are so worth the effort of climbing the mountain.
The breeze wicks away your sweat and you can see for miles into the densely forested Arkansas landscape.
Start the descent following the red and white blazes, this is a very steep and rocky trail.
Eventually the grade will ease up and you will find peace in this less visited section of the busy park.
Follow the signs for the base trail to connect back to the initial trailhead blazed in green.
As you draw closer to the Little Maumelle River the hike is almost complete.
There are additional hikes in the park if you would like to extend your day or if you are just looking for something a little more relaxing. The Kingfisher trail a paved and accessible ½ mile loop along the Little Maumelle River.
It is ever so serene.
You can learn so much about the environment of Arkansas by reading the abundance of signs.
The bald cypress are the oldest trees in the park, some of them were just saplings when Hernando de Soto explored the area 500 years ago.
Just further down the road is another little visited section of the park, the Arkansas Arboretum.
Here there is another paved and accessible trail, a loop .75 miles, highlighting native Arkansas flora.
Fantastic signage delves into not only flora, but geological reasons for distinctive forest communities. Around the path are hand cranked machines which give you audio interpretations, such a fun and interactive component.
Be sure to take the detour to visit the river with its enchanting green hue.
You can also access the 223-mile Ouachita Trail marked with blue blazes and there are more than eight miles of single track mountain bike trails in the park
Good to know:
+Free entrance and parking
+Picnic sites, playground, and restrooms available at the visitor center