Up in the sky, it’s …
As luck would have it, 25 of Arkansas’ 52 state parks are in the Path Of Totality for the solar eclipse on Monday, according to Jack Schnedler’s reporting in the Democrat-Gazette.
You may have a hard time getting to the park of your choice with all the motorists expected to be on the road doing the same thing you’re doing. Nevertheless, it’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime event for many, considering the last total eclipse that crossed the state occurred in 1918, and the next will be in 2045.
Officials suggest setting out at the crack of dawn. Capacity limits have been established based on the number of parking spots available at a given park, ranging in size from DeGray Lake Resort with 1,281 to as few as Plantation Agriculture Museum with 33.
Not only does Plantation Agriculture Museum have the fewest spots, but it will also provide the least amount of time in the path of the eclipse at 36 seconds.
Pinnacle Mountain will have the long shadow of midday shade cast upon it for three minutes, 23 seconds; Petit Jean, Ozark Folk Center, Mount Nebo, Lake Dardanelle, Daisy, Mammoth Spring and Woolly Hollow will also need to light a candle for more than four minutes.
The longest dark period will occur at Cossatot River State Park, touted as an ideal viewing location “with over 12 miles of wild and scenic river, acres of wooded slopes and cascading clear waters,” and will last four minutes and 19 seconds.
But don’t expect to see this phenomena at a state park unless you already have an overnight reservation.
According to the paper, a recent check at DeGray’s website shows zero availability among the park’s 24 rooms, 33 cabins and 125 campsites.
Twenty of the state parks have campsites, if you like sleeping on the ground, but there’s no guarantee of securing one of them at this late date.
Park visitor centers are selling eclipse glasses, but it’s recommended that sky-gazers get glasses before April 8 to be safe.
As important as any of this is that the potential for rain stands at about 22 percent as of Wednesday, which means there’s a 78 percent chance it won’t rain.