![Pinnacle Mountain Sunrise Panorama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Pinnacle_Mountain_Sunrise_Panorama.jpg)
Pinnacle Mountain State Park is a 2,356-acre state park located in
Pulaski County, Arkansas
Pulaski County is located in the U.S. state of Arkansas with a population of 399,125, making it the most populous county in Arkansas. The county is included in the Little Rock–North Little Rock– Conway metropolitan area. Its county seat is L ...
just outside of
Little Rock
( The "Little Rock")
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, leader_title = Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_party = D
, leader_title2 = Council
, leader_name2 ...
.
The main attraction is
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
, an iconic landmark surrounded by the bottomlands of the Big Maumelle and Little Maumelle rivers.
History
The first people to settle the area referred to
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
as "Mamelle", the French name for a breast-shaped hill.
"Mamelle" eventually became "Maumelle", which is the name used for the Big Maumelle and Little Maumelle rivers, as well as the nearby city of
Maumelle.
A trip to
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
was a popular activity in the 1800s.
Climbing became even more popular with the construction of the local railroad in the 1890s and common use of the automobile in the 1900s.
Quarrying for sandstone and shale within the modern park began in
about 1920.
The eastern slope of
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
was a major source of material for the construction of the
Lake Maumelle
Lake Maumelle is a man-made lake in central Arkansas, United States, in Pulaski County, and covers 8,900 acres. It is one of the primary drinking water sources for Little Rock, Arkansas
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = C ...
dam in the 1950s.
Located immediately northwest of
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
,
Lake Maumelle
Lake Maumelle is a man-made lake in central Arkansas, United States, in Pulaski County, and covers 8,900 acres. It is one of the primary drinking water sources for Little Rock, Arkansas
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = C ...
is a high-quality raw water supply serving a population of almost 398,000; the reservoir went online in 1958, at least two years after the Big Maumelle River was impounded.
In the 1960s, extensive quarrying of
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
took place at the modern visitor center, the result of which can be seen by the quarry pond.
The idea for a park had been considered for many years, but did not get off the ground until the 1970s.
In 1973, the Arkansas General Assembly approved the creation of Pinnacle Mountain State Park.
Since then, 2,356 acres have been set aside for various purposes including environmental education, outdoor recreation, and preservation.
Hiking
![20171103 1819 Pinnacle Mountain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/20171103_1819_Pinnacle_Mountain.png)
Pinnacle Mountain State Park features a number of hiking trails.
Trails that start at the West Summit parking lot are the 0.5-mile Kingfisher Trail, which passes by the Little Maumelle River, and the 1.5-mile West Summit Trail (marked by yellow blazes).
The West Summit Trail is the standard route up
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
and is easily one of the most trafficked trails in Arkansas.
Trails that start at the East Summit parking lot are the 1.5-mile East Summit Trail (marked by red and white blazes), which also ascends
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
, and the 2.5-mile Base Trail (marked by light green blazes).
The Base Trail loops completely around the base of
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
and connects the East Summit trailhead to the West Summit trailhead.
Trails that start at the visitor center are the 2-mile Rocky Valley Trail (marked by green blazes) and the 1-mile East Quarry Trail, a spur of the Rocky Valley Trail.
The 223-mile
Ouachita Trail (marked by blue blazes) also starts at the visitor center, crosses Pinnacle Valley Road at the East Summit parking lot after 1.5 miles, and overlaps a 0.5-mile section of the Base Trail before continuing west towards
Lake Maumelle
Lake Maumelle is a man-made lake in central Arkansas, United States, in Pulaski County, and covers 8,900 acres. It is one of the primary drinking water sources for Little Rock, Arkansas
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = C ...
.
The 0.75-mile Arkansas Trail is located near the center of the
Arkansas Arboretum
The Arkansas Arboretum is a arboretum within Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. Situated below Pinnacle Mountain along the Little Maumelle River, the arboretum's flora and tree plantings correspond to Arkansas's ...
, a 71-acre site exhibiting native Arkansas flora.
Camping
Camping is not allowed inside Pinnacle Mountain State Park, however, it is allowed at Maumelle Park, a nearby public campground operated by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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, anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day)
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.
Mountain Biking
New mountain biking trails opened in 2020. This trail system currently consists of 13 miles including cross-country, downhill, flow, and beginner sections. Called the Monument Trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park; built with the latest technology to improve ride enjoyment and sustainability. These new trails also take you to places never before accessible in the park. While these trails are optimized for mountain biking, all but a few are open to hiking and trail running.
Popular Routes:
NICA Loop
Joe’s Pinnacle Ride
Jim Allen’s Cool Man Loop
Trails
Armadillo Run
Carnasaw
Centipede
Coachwhip
Dynamite
Glade Runner
Jackfork
Lower Stick
Middle Mountain Run
River Trail Connector
Turkey Tracks
Twistflower
Upheaval
Upper Stick
Access/Parking areas: There are 3 parking areas currently, the visitor center has the largest parking area, The Middle Mountain Trailhead has limited parking (where the visitor center road has a "Y" intersection). Also, the lower trailhead where the Visitor Center Road first turns off Pinnacle Valley Road.
There is some overflow parking at the Arboretum on Pinnacle Valley Road. Also, when riding the Arkansas River Trail (along Pinnacle Valley Rd) from Two Rivers Park, there is a trailhead at the Pinnacle Mountain State Park sign that will take you to the Jackfork Trail.
See also
*
Arkansas State Parks
*
Little Rock, Arkansas
(The Little Rock, The "Little Rock")
, government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager
, leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_ ...
*
Pinnacle Mountain Pinnacle Mountain may refer to:
*Pinnacle Mountain State Park
*Pinnacle Mountain (Arkansas)
*Pinnacle Mountain (South Carolina)
Pinnacle Mountain is the tallest mountain contained entirely within the state of South Carolina (the state's highest p ...
*
Shinall Mountain
Shinall Mountain is a peak in Pulaski County, Arkansas, located in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains on the western edge of Little Rock, the capital and most populous city of Arkansas. At an elevation of above mean sea level, it is the hig ...
References
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Arkansas Heritage Trails System
Landforms of Pulaski County, Arkansas
Mountains of Arkansas
Ouachita Mountains
Protected areas of Pulaski County, Arkansas
State parks of Arkansas
1977 establishments in Arkansas
Protected areas established in 1977