FROM HER

Crisp fall weather brings about a sense of tradition and togetherness leading into the holidays. However, as the leaves start turning and falling here in central Arkansas, more people are heading outdoors to take in the cooler temperatures.

November in Hot Springs has many women lacing up their running shoes and fine-tuning their mountain bikes in preparation for some of the best weather for outdoor active lifestyles.

In this issue, we’re highlighting the trailblazers who take the path less traveled and return with the stories that make everyone want to grab a day pack and seek out their next adventure.

The “Natural State” only recently landed on the radar of the mountain biking community but, like anything we do here in Arkansas, it’s in a big way. The first section of the Northwoods Trail is set to open on Nov. 17 and with that, mountain biking enthusiasts like Jona Parker are teeming with excitement and anticipation.

Parker and her entire family are dedicated mountain bikers and instrumental to the development of the 44.6-mile project that may someday reach from Hot Springs all the way to Little Rock. She sat down with HER this month to educate us on all things mountain biking and share why the sport is so near and dear to her heart.

Keeping in the spirit of fitness, the 37th annual Spa Running Festival also takes place on Nov. 17. The festival includes a 5K, 10K, and half-marathon race, making it the perfect event for runners of all experience levels.

This year, the festival features United States Olympian, American-Marathon record holder, The New York Times best-selling author, and University of Arkansas alumna Deena Kastor, as the race starter.

We’ve also included profiles on a group of sisters who eat, sleep, and breathe volleyball, our new national park superintendent, an avid hiker who turned her passion into profit, and other extraordinary women in our community.

We hope these local women inspire you to get outside and enjoy all that fall in Hot Springs has to offer.