Summer Escapes #1 - White Rock Mountain, Arkansas

With much of the Deep South gripped in a heat wave, I thought I would spend some time over the next week or so telling you more about some of my favorite summer escapes.

White Rock Mountain is located in the Ozarks of western Arkansas. An easy drive (if you don't mind a few bumps and dirt roads!) from Fort Smith and Fayetteville as well as the growing Northwest Arkansas Metro, the mountain is part of the Ozark National Forest and offers some of the most spectacular views in the region.

Historically, the mountain is unique because it overlooks some of the rugged land popular as hideouts for guerrilla bands during the Civil War and the rough years that followed. The park on the top, along with its beautiful old stone cabins and lodge, was a Depression-era project that is now more than 70 years old. The cabins and lodge have been restored and the park is among the most beautiful in the South.

What makes White Rock Mountain such a great hot weather escape, particularly for those suffering in the heat and humidity of the Arkansas River Valley, is the fact that the overlook on the point of the mountain projects out over two connecting valleys. The breezes swirling up to the point are cool and refreshing on almost any summer day. The temperature on top of the mountain is well below that down in the valleys.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/whiterock.

White Rock Mountain - Arkansas

Located deep in the Ozark National Forest in western Arkansas, White Rock Mountain provides some of the most spectacular views to be found in the South.

A part of the Ozarks region that covers large areas of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas, the mountain takes its name from the sheer rock cliffs that surround its crest. An unusual lichen that grows on the rocks give the cliffs a striking white appearance when viewed from a distance.

The drive to the mountain is a bit of an adventure. It requires navigating several miles of bumpy and often steep gravel roads, but the view at the top is well worth the journey. A recreation area that is now itself a historic site was built atop the mountain as a public works project during the Great Depression. Three original stone cabins and a beautiful old lodge are now available there for overnight guests. In addition, hiking trails lead past a series of overlooks built by Depression era workers to help visitors experience the spectacular mountain views.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/whiterock. One note, this area of the Ozarks experienced heavy damage in this year's ice storm. The cabins, etc., on the mountain are open, but cleanup work is continuing on roads, hiking trails and at other recreation spots in the area.