Thirty-three TrailBlazers, one canine (Harpo) and one cockatiel (Golda) took the scenic drive over to Paris to do some hiking on Mt. Magazine. As we drove up the mountain it was foggy with occasional clearings with sunlight, but by the time we reached the Visitors Center it was downright foggy – déjà vu all over again!. It was windy, gray and humid, but the temps were actually mild. We had planned to do a hike involving a shuttle, but proving that old dogs can learn new tricks, we shifted gears and did something different. There wasn’t much point in hiking to Cameron Bluff if the view was going to be enveloped in a cloud!
Heading out from the Visitors Center, Becky lead us up Mossback Ridge to the Signal Hill Trail to the highest point in Arkansas where we duly memorialized this achievement with another group picture in the fog. Along the way we did see signs of fall color and a few lingering wildflowers. Next we hiked down to the lodge to eat lunch either outside or in the restaurant. From the terrace there was no view at all on arrival, but there were a couple of brief lifts of the fog allowing for some hazy pictures. The lodge and its gardens are a neat place to explore. Not considered to be service animals, Golda and Harpo were banished to the terrace – no punishment at all! Afterwards we hiked back to the cars, and by this time the fog had lifted, so we were treated to some neat views at the overlooks. It turned out to be a good day!