The breathtaking ride up Mt. Nebo
The summit of
Mt. Nebo is just breathtaking. So is the ride up. So breathtaking in fact, that the park brochure recommends “no trailer or RVs over 24-foot long attempt the climb. Be sure your vehicle is in good condition, use low gear and turn off A/C to avoid overheating. At the Bench Overlook, you can stop to enjoy a panoramic view and rest your vehicle.” But the view though. Seriously, the view is just amazing. A horrendous bout of vertigo a few months before our trip up Mt. Nebo had left me with random dizziness. Guess what? Yep.
It reared its ugly head and completely ruined the ride up for me. Our daughter, on the other hand, had an unforgettable trip made all the more “fun” by mom’s death grip on the “oh no” handle, serious swearing and the inability to open her eyes for more than a few seconds at a time.
She got the bright idea to video me and her daddy made her turn it off. I think he was worried about what I might say. I was too scared and too sick to even know what words were coming out of my mouth. My husband is an excellent driver and I trust him with all of my heart, or I would have just bailed out and waited at the bottom.
Once we reached the top, I stayed put, only getting out a few times, especially when I thought Cassie was getting too close to the edge. And for heaven’s sake, she was wearing flip-flops. My hubby said that they weren’t as close to the edge of the mountaintop as I thought they were.
Me: Too bad. Get your behind away from the edge anyway. Now!
Yep. It was beautiful and one of these days, I do want to go back. I decided to read up on Mt. Nebo because my memory is really biased. Hubby and daughter loved it! We want to get a cabin. Yes, they have cabins on the top of ole Mt. Nebo.
The Mt. Nebo State Park is atop the mountain plateau, “fringed by the Ozark National Forest, featuring 11 rustic and four modern A-frame housekeeping cabins.” The cabins are located a “scenic points around the mountain and provide year-round vacation comfort.” The kitchens are allelectric and the cabins are described as having spacious rooms, fireplaces, linens, kitchen utensils, and heating and air conditioning.
Mount Nebo rises 1,350 feet above the mountain valleys of west-central Arkansas and offers visitors a spectacular view of 34,000-acre Lake Dardanelle, the Arkansas River, and surrounding mountain ridges.
Mt. Nebo has been inhabited since pre-Civil War years and has always been a favorite vacation spot. During the 1890s, a resort hotel was built to house steamboat passengers from the Arkansas River.
The summertime travelers enjoyed the mountain’s cooler temperatures, lush vegetation, abundant wildlife and breathtaking (there is that word again) scenery.
In 1927, Mount Nebo was designated as a state park. The majority of the park’s trails, cabins, bridges and pavilions were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of the New Deal of the early 1930s.
The brochure says the “approach to the summit of Mount Nebo is as breathtaking as the park itself.” Although Highway 155 is paved, it does zigzag up the eastern side of the mountain. This is where those “hairpin” curves come in and why the above recommendations are cited.
There is a wooded campground, picnicking and a large enclosed pavilion that may be rented, a swimming pool and playground area. A smaller pavilion is also available for rent by smaller groups. There is a tennis court and a ball field. Located near an amphitheater are horseshoe pits. The modern pool with bathhouse is open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Campers must register at the Visitor Center before occupying a campsite and may be reserved up to a year in advance. The center provides a small store stocked with camping and picnicking supplies and gift items. Bicycles may be rented.
The park has seven trails that provide more than 14 miles of “hiking pleasure.” Some of the trails, built by the CCC, follow the “Bench” around the mountainside. Others lead to the park’s fascinating historical and natural features. The 4.5-mile Bench Trail is also open to mountain bikers.
There are several historic residences located within the Park that are privately owned. Some of these houses are located just a few feet of the trail.
You may contact the park at 479229-3655 or find them online at www. ArkansasStateParks.com.
Don’t let my vertigo-biased descriptions scare you away. I have looked back at our photos and the scenery was worth the moments I braved shaky legs and dizziness to get out of the vehicle and use my camera. I am very glad we went and I am very glad to have experienced my own “breathtaking” moments to “see what we saw.”