Pinnacle Mountain State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Lake Maumelle from Pinnacle Mountain (February 2015)
Pinnacle Mountain State Park Location in Arkansas
Location	Pulaski County, Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, United States
Area	2,356 acres (9.53 km2)
Established	1977
Named for	Pinnacle Mountain
Governing body	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
Website	Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Panorama view from the top of Pinnacle Mountain in Arkansas. The shadow of the mountain is visible.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park is a cool place in Arkansas, covering 2,356 acres. It's located in Pulaski County, right outside the city of Little Rock. The park's main feature is Pinnacle Mountain itself. This famous mountain stands tall, surrounded by the flat lands near the Big Maumelle and Little Maumelle rivers.

History of Pinnacle Mountain Park

The first people who lived in this area called Pinnacle Mountain "Mamelle." This is a French word for a hill shaped like a breast. Over time, "Mamelle" changed to "Maumelle." Today, this name is used for the Big Maumelle and Little Maumelle rivers. It's also the name of the nearby city of Maumelle.

Visiting Pinnacle Mountain became a popular activity in the 1800s. More people started climbing the mountain when a local railroad was built in the 1890s. Even more visitors came in the 1900s as cars became common.

People started digging for sandstone and shale in the park area around 1920. The eastern side of Pinnacle Mountain was a big source of materials. These materials were used to build the Lake Maumelle dam in the 1950s. Lake Maumelle is just northwest of the mountain. It provides clean water to almost 398,000 people. The reservoir started working in 1958. You can still see where some quarrying happened near the visitor center. There's a pond there now.

The idea for a park had been thought about for many years. But it didn't become a reality until the 1970s. In 1973, the Arkansas General Assembly decided to create Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Since then, 2,356 acres have been set aside. This land is used for learning about nature, outdoor fun, and protecting the environment.

Hiking Trails at Pinnacle Mountain

Ouachita Trail sign at Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Pinnacle Mountain State Park has many different trails for hiking.

West Summit Trails

If you start at the West Summit parking lot, you'll find two trails:

• The Kingfisher Trail is 0.5 miles long. It goes past the Little Maumelle River.
• The West Summit Trail is 1.5 miles long. It's marked with yellow blazes (paint marks). This trail is the usual way to climb Pinnacle Mountain. It's one of the busiest trails in Arkansas.

East Summit and Base Trails

From the East Summit parking lot, you can find:

• The East Summit Trail is 1.5 miles long. It's marked with red and white blazes. This trail also goes up Pinnacle Mountain.
• The Base Trail is 2.5 miles long. It's marked with light green blazes. This trail goes all the way around the bottom of Pinnacle Mountain. It connects the East Summit and West Summit trailheads.

Visitor Center Trails

Trails starting at the visitor center include:

• The Rocky Valley Trail is 2 miles long and marked with green blazes.
• The East Quarry Trail is 1 mile long. It's a shorter path that branches off the Rocky Valley Trail.
• The 223-mile Ouachita Trail also begins here. It's marked with blue blazes. This long trail crosses Pinnacle Valley Road and then joins a part of the Base Trail. It then continues west towards Lake Maumelle.

Arkansas Arboretum Trail

The Arkansas Trail is 0.75 miles long. It's located inside the Arkansas Arboretum. This arboretum is a 71-acre area that shows off plants native to Arkansas.

Camping Near the Park

You cannot camp inside Pinnacle Mountain State Park itself. However, you can camp at Maumelle Park. This is a public campground nearby. It's run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Mountain Biking Adventures

New mountain biking trails opened in 2020. This trail system now has 13 miles of trails. They include trails for cross-country, downhill, and flow riding. There are also sections for beginners. These trails are part of the Monument Trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. They were built using the newest technology for fun rides and to protect the environment. These new trails also let you explore parts of the park that were not open before. Most of these trails are great for hiking and trail running too.

Popular Mountain Biking Routes

• NICA Loop
• Joe's Pinnacle Ride
• Jim Allen’s Cool Man Loop

Mountain Biking Trails List

• Armadillo Run
• Carnasaw
• Centipede
• Coachwhip
• Dynamite
• Glade Runner
• Jackfork
• Lower Stick
• Middle Mountain Run
• River Trail Connector
• Turkey Tracks
• Twistflower
• Upheaval
• Upper Stick

Parking for Mountain Bikers

There are three main parking areas:

• The visitor center has the largest parking lot.
• The Middle Mountain Trailhead has limited parking. This is where the visitor center road splits.
• The lower trailhead is where the Visitor Center Road first turns off Pinnacle Valley Road.

You can also find some extra parking at the Arboretum on Pinnacle Valley Road. If you ride the Arkansas River Trail from Two Rivers Park, there's a trailhead at the Pinnacle Mountain State Park sign. This trail will take you to the Jackfork Trail.