Find your escape at Mount Nebo State Park
Find your escape at Mount Nebo State Park
Ready for your next hiking trip or mountain biking adventure? How about a peaceful night in a cabin with sweeping views? If the answer is yes, yes and yes – then head to Mount Nebo State Park.
Just 45 minutes from Arkansas Wine Country, Mount Nebo exceeds all expectations for outdoor adventures. Enjoy 16 different hiking trails and 25 miles of mountain biking trails that offer views of Lake Dardanelle, the Arkansas River and surrounding mountain ridges. Go swimming at the park’s local pool. Play a game of tennis. Have a picnic at one of the pavilions. View deer grazing across the mountaintop and search for a wide range of butterflies. Sink into serenity at Sunrise or Sunset Point as the sky transforms to shades of pink, orange, red and yellow. Whatever you are searching for, Mount Nebo is pure outdoor bliss.
Come see how you can make this state park your home.
Discover the historic mountaintop lodging
Rising up from the Arkansas River Valley, this flattop mountain is a little slice of paradise that feels secluded from the rest of the world. Here, you can nestle into those feelings of adventure and escape for more than just an afternoon and stay in one of the park's 15 cozy cabins that all feature a large stone patio, fireplace, grill, fire pit area, updated kitchen, heat and air conditioning.
Did you know that Mount Nebo State Park had the first cabin rental in Arkansas State Park history? Today, you can still book Cabin 1 or any of the other historic 1930s-era cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Twelve of the cabins are cozied along the bluff and provide spectacular views of the surrounding valley. Not only can you take in far-off views, but each cabin is a prime spot for nature and wildlife viewing — especially at dusk when the deer are out grazing next to your cabin. At night, you can also watch the city lights glitter from the towns below and look up at the stars shining in the sky above. It is truly a charming and historic retreat.
Looking for a more primitive experience? Then pitch a tent at one of the state park’s 34 campsites. Each site has spectacular views that look out to the valley below while still being surrounded by groves of trees that provide a cool and shady place to relax. Choose from 24 Class B campsites along the bluff or 10 hike-in tent sites within the forest if you are looking to stay in the thick of adventure.
Book your cabin or campground through Arkansas State Parks.
Hike to your new favorite spot
Hike to grand overlooks and small waterfalls, through lush forest pathways and along steep slopes and cliffs at Mount Nebo State Park. On your journey through the elements, you might even see various reptiles, raccoons, opossums, groundhogs, songbirds and butterflies. But you will most definitely spot some deer!
At the park, there are a total of 16 interconnecting hiking trails that are used for hiking, mountain biking and even horseback riding. Check out two of the most popular routes below.
Rim Trail — Circling the top of the mountain, the 3.5-mile Rim Trail provides a 360-degree view of the Arkansas River Valley. On this trail, you will dip in and out of the tree line and walk right along the edge of cliffs and rock overhangs. Always watch your step on this trail! To make the journey even more unique, hike the trail towards the end of the day when golden hour is setting across the mountain and end at Sunset Point for a colorful finale.
Bench Trail — Three hundred feet below the Rim Trail, the Bench Trail completely circles the mountain through the forest for a more secluded hike into nature. Enjoy 4 miles of easy-going hiking that’s beautiful all year round, especially in the fall when the colors are changing. The Bench Trail is also where you’ll find all the hike-in campsites and connecting trails to nearby springs and Fern Lake.
Mount Nebo is for biking!
Whether you are a road cyclist or mountain biking enthusiast, Mount Nebo is the place to be if you’re looking to shred some trails.
Road Cycling — Are you ready to feel the burn? Then test your metal and take on this challenging 6-mile ascent to the top of Mount Nebo. Start with 3 miles of rolling hills and then rise up the mountain on several sharp switchbacks and 1,294 feet of gain. On the ride, enjoy the hardwood and pine forest, panoramic views and historic buildings constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Find this ride and more in your Arkansas Cycling Guide.
Mountain Biking — If you’re going to do any mountain biking trail in Arkansas, make sure it’s the Mount Nebo State Park Monument Trails. This 25-mile trail system offers stunning views, tough technical trails, switchbacks and amazing flow across Arkansas’s historic flattop mountain. If you’re not up for completing the entire 25-mile route, check out popular sections like Sunrise Loop, Lizard Trail, Chickalah Downhill and Hayes Creek Run.
The perfect vacation
Whether you are coming for just an afternoon escape, an overnight stay or a weekend-long retreat, Mount Nebo State Park has the calming views and grand adventures waiting for you around every curve of the mountain. Plan your trip today.