// photo credit: daniel ray photography (these are the pics that made us wanna go visit) //
The route down to Nebo brought us on a spur-of-the-moment detour to Arkansas Wine Country. Who knew such a thing even existed? Skeptical? Yes. But little did we know that Arkansas is the oldest and largest grape and wine producing state in the south - settled by German/Swiss immigrants in the 1870s. Turns out that there are five vineyards growing grapes and producing wine in the Altus/Paris area of the state - conveniently en route to Mt. Nebo State Park! We visited Chateau Aux Arc, Wiederkehr Cellars and Post Familie Village. We had out first taste of wine made with the Cynthiana grape at Chateau aux Arc - a dry, jammy red - reminded me of a drier Pinot Noir. Arkansas wine...winning! That is until we tried every other white wine at the other wineries. Simply not our cup of tea: VERY sweet, VERY VERY sugary. But that's part of the fun! We even got to sample some Muscadine wines at Post Familie Village. Great side trip!
// arkansas wine country //
Mt. Nebo State Park sit atop a 1,350-foot summit with awesome views of the Arkansas River Valley. The park is dotted with cabins and other structures built from Arkansas stone by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. We lucked out with a campsite (#17, but #16 is ideal, followed by #14) on the edge of the mountain - views for days! The friendliest rangers at the visitor center made some recommendations for our 24-hour stay. Take a sunset walk to Sunset Point - about a 25 minute walk from the campground - and keep an eye out for deer! We saw LOTS and they are not scared of people. The one logistical mistake we made was our route to and from Sunset Point. Take the Rim Trail FROM the campground TO Sunset Point, and RETURN on the main road back to the campgroun...WITH headlamps or flashlights. We wound up on the Rim Trail after dark, and parts are a bit precarious. Especially with a little beagle in tow that's on the hunt for all sorts of critters. But the sunset view could not be beat, it was the highlight of the trip.
// campsite no. 17 // sunset point //
Back at camp, D proved his manliness and Eagle 'scoutiness' by building us a proper fire and revving up his backpacking stove. Gourmet meal of mac and cheese and some foil packets, topped off with s'mores of course!
// quiet night by the campfire //
Sunrise came early and we were able to peek out of the tent to see it. Thanks to the rangers at the visitor center, we were given the perfect site to catch the sunrise form the comfort of our sleeping bags. And thanks to the camp stove, we were spoiled with french pressed coffee to boot!
// sunrise from our campsite //
Our morning hike circled the Rim Trail going the opposite direction around the mountain, taking us to Sunrise Point and past the private cabins. If tent camping is not your thing, or you can't secure one of the primo sites, opt for a log cabin. The views are amazing and they've been renovated within the past couple years: modern kitchens and jacuzzi tubs. Perfect option that we will head back to make use of!
// hiking the rim trail //
All in all, Nebo was a great two-day trip. The hiking trails are a perfect length for us amateur hikers, but offer a great combination of interesting views and some elevation changes and rocky passes. Can't wait to go back to this area...Mt. Magazine is next!
// Side note: If Indian food is your cup of tea (it's ours to be sure), don't miss the Kountry Xpress in Mulberry, off the Dyer exit on I-40 //
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