We kicked off the trip at Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Mena, Arkansas because we read that the views are incredible. We were not disappointed either as the park literally sits on top of a mountain and has views for days.
We arrived at sunset on the first day just in time to capture this lovely shot above with snow still on the trees and mountains in the distance. There is a nice, newly remodeled lodge at this state park which was impressive considering it held a distinct hotel feel. The lobby was large with floor-to-ceiling windows displaying the natural artistry that is the Ouachita mountains and a huge log burning stone fireplace with cozy couches nestled nearby. The park also has putt putt golf, a small train for children that goes around the ridge, an antique steam engine, playground, and a restaurant on site.
A little surprisingly, we were the only campers outside of the lodge with 30ish spots to choose from. This time of year, the park had turned off the water to the bathrooms so we had to fill up the water tank and use the pump to get water. No big deal for us...it's still luxury camping in my book when you can be a little more self sustaining! It stayed in the 20-30 degree range while up on top of this mountain for a couple of days, and looking at the below picture, I guess I can see why we were the only crazies camping in this weather.
Our trailer heater works wonders, even after 6 full days of camping and leaving the propane on around the clock, cooking and using it to heat the water, we didn't even drain one tank. We passed the time by reading while the girls played with Play-doh and marker kits I found on clearance at the grocery. I will admit as well, that once you drive down the mountain and into Mena, the weather is much more accommodating, up into the 40 degree range and no fog or wind chill.
We passed the time exploring Mena, which was a cute little railroad town. There was a great place for coffee at Ouachita Roasters...I'm talking true artistry here...see the below picture for my cardamom vanilla bean latte (swoon!):
There's a cute little visitors center at the old train depot which contains brochures for nearby things to do and some history about the area. Some very kind Mena locals worked inside the visitors center and recommended the Skyline Café for lunch, which was delicious home cooked southern food - I had chicken fried steak, and the hubby got a pork chop with fried egg on top - it did not disappoint.
Queen Wilhelmina State Park is an absolute must and is only about 4 hours from Dallas - crazy! I want to go back in the summer time and see it with all the buzzing activities. I could totally picture our in-laws coming because they could "camp" in the beautiful lodge and meet up with us by the campfire at night.
Next up...I'll share details about our time at Cossatot State Park in Arkansas - just a short day trip from Mena.
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