Mt Magazine North Rim and Mossback Trails

"And into the forest I go; to lose my mind and find my soul" - John Muir

Difficulty - ✹✹ (Out of 5)

Scenic Beauty - ✰✰ (Out of 5)

Directions - click here

Mt Magazine is the tallest point in Arkansas and this aptly named trail skirts around the North end of the mountain.   The actual trek we made on this day was a combination of both the North Rim and Mossback trails which form a loop that begins and ends at the Mt Magazine visitors center.  It is approximately 15 miles southeast of Paris, AR on AR highway 309

Inside Info - This is a relatively simple little hike of 4.2 miles starting and ending at the Mt Magazine visitors center.   The visitors center is not to be confused with the Mt Magazine Lodge and Restaurant so if you make it there you've gone too far.  The first mile of the hike is definitely the highlight as the trail follows the cliff line of the North side of the mountain.  There are a few side trails that lead down to rocky crags overlooking the valley below and these are worth exploring.   It was summer when we were there so the overlooks were mostly obscured on the trail itself and I suspect that the scenery and views would be better in the dead of winter when the leaves are on the ground.  Once you get past the bluffs after the first mile or so, the trail becomes rather monotonous in that the scenery is nothing more than you would expect on a walk through the woods.  There are no steep elevation changes so other than the 4.2 length of the trail, there is really nothing to cause any undo exertion.  After a couple of miles you switch from the North Rim trail to the Mossback Ridge trail and there is good signage to let you know when this occurs.  We saw several deer on the trail but the trail was also criss-crossed with literally dozens of spider webs during the rest of the hike.  This was more than a little frustrating.  

Final Word - Definitely not one of my favorite hikes and is basically ordinary.  There are a few good overlook views but mostly it's a fairly level hike through wooded areas offering little variety.   Always good to be outdoors and in the woods though.  This is not a physically taxing hike at all but keep a close eye on the kids near the bluff line.  

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Trailhead Pic

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