Headed East: Are you sure that's the trail?

6/19

I don't know about you, but I love panoramic viewpoints atop a mountain. For my last stop in Arkansas, I got my awesome viewpoints, and a whole lot more.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park created a beautiful reward filled afternoon. I started along the Rocky Valley Trail, right across from the visitor center, which would then lead off onto the East Quarry Spur. I was promised great overlooks, so I packed up my fanny and headed out. After a quiet and forest filled easy trail, I made it to loop turn around. Where was the Spur? Had I missed it? I looked up and saw some yellow letters. Yep! There she was! Hiding in the trees, there was a brown sign blended naturally with nature. I walked back up and found a gravel road. This was it? As I looked left, I saw the red blazes along the trees. At first, I wasn't impressed. I mean, I was following a gravel road. But then, I made it to the top. I apologized quickly to the red blazes I had been questioning for their worthiness.

The Spur provided not one, but two, gorgeous displays of Mount Pinnacle and the Arkansas River. What a way to start my day! I looked across the lush green canopy of trees at the mountain. She called my name. As the popular quote says, "the mountains are calling and I must go", I completely agree. I wasn't just going to gaze out at that mountain. I was going to climb her! Back down the trail I went. My last challenge of the day await!

Pictures can not capture the rock quarry climb up the Western Summit Trail of Pinnacle

Mountain. "Follow the yellow blazes", the sign said, and I did. The climb itself, only ¾ of a mile, ascended up a rock and rooted dirt path until the path abruptly halted. I stood, seriously looking up at a pile of rocks. They went all the way up the mountain and seemed to touch the perfect blue sky above. This was the trail? Are you sure?

Yes. It was. The yellow blazes, painted across this all natural rock quarry as far up as I could see, summoned me to climb. So, I climbed. I climbed some more. Thank you, Lord, for trekking poles.

Note: I laughed later at myself when I realized that the trail had split off to the left before the rock ascent had begun. It gave climbers a chance to continue to take an easier, dirt and rock trail to the summit. Guess I should have read the sign. I thought people were just going the wrong way; trying to cheat. I am not a fan of cheating. Wait. When and where was the sign?

I carefully made my way up and across the jagged rocks. And once at the top? Wow! The views, the realization that I had climbed a mountain, the fact that I was at the summit of Pinnacle, made it all worth it. Perched atop the rocks, I felt like I was on top of the world as the Arkansas River flowed below. I was on top of a mountain! This was gonna be one beautiful photographic memory!

After a long conversation with a young, free spirit couple, and taking pictures for each other, I started my descent back down the mountain. And, of course, the competitive side of me chose to face that rock quarry head on once more. Who needs a sign! I have yellow blazes to follow!

After a much needed stretch out, I was back in my car, getting my google map set and ready to go. I finished the day heading east across Hwy 40 once more. I said a fond and loving goodbye to Arkansas. Wow! She had been good to me. But, getting to the Smokey Mountains, my final and most sought after adventure east, meant I had to keep heading, well, east. So Tennessee and Memphis, here I come!