The Pinnacle, March 2025

A weekend road trip to The Natural State

Sometimes you only have to take a few steps to feel like you are on top of the world. This is me atop Pinnacle Mountain in Arkansas.

“I stood where no man goesabove the din I roseLife is amusing, though we are losingDrowned in tears of awe…”
~The Pinnacle by Kansas, from the album Masque

Fellow journalist Dan Marsh invited me to take a road trip to his corner of the world, Little Rock, Arkansas. Dan loves the natural beauty of his home state, and wanted to make pictures and explore trails and attractions.

I made this frame in Atwood, Oklahoma, early in my drive. It only sort of worked, but it was an opening salvo in this weekend of imaging.

The Drive

I am a paper-map person, so when I began to plan this trip, I dug into my maps, revealing a large section of far eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas I had never seen. I decided to take the road less traveled, the winding highways from my home in Byng, Oklahoma east to McAlester, joining U.S. 270 east through towns like Hartshorn, Wilburton, Red Oak, Wister, Heavener, and into Arkansas.

The sky took on subtle color as the sun came up early in my journey east.

Most of these roads were marked “scenic” on my travel maps. I had no idea what I would see or photograph, but as I passed the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, the first thing I noticed was poverty. I drove through towns even more obscure in Arkansas, like Rich Mountain, Acorn, and Y City, eventually finding my way to Hot Springs, then up Interstate 30 to Dan’s home in Bryant.

I don't want to seem like I am picking on the poor, but there is something to be said with an image like this. There were a lot of sights like this near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. — I don’t want to seem like I am picking on the poor, but there is something to be said with an image like this. There were a lot of sights like this near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border.

As I drove, the minutes turned to hours with little in the way of scenery, and even less in services. No fuel. No hot food. No restrooms. It was just woods and run-down houses.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum and River Walk, The Old Mill, and The Big Dam Bridge

Dan and I grabbed a sub sandwich for lunch, then drove the short distance (as suburban distances go) to downtown Little Rock to see and photograph the Clinton Presidential Library, Bridge, and Park.

When we first arrived at the Clinton Library, the light was stubbornly grey, but it got sunnier as we walked around.

The day switched from gloomy to sunny not long after we arrived.

Your host poses at a monument at the Library.

The Library has globes in the pedestrian area outside, which made interesting images.

This globe was supposed to represent the inside of Earth, but I think it looks like a vomiting face.

This globe was supposed to represent sustainability, but it unintentionally looks like a WW2 underwater anti-ship mine.

The carpool globe had cars on it. When was the last time you heard anyone talk about car pooling?

The globes were fun to photograph in the evolving afternoon light.

This globe was covered in water faucets, and described strategies for water conservation.

The bluer sky and harder sunlight tempted me to shoot in black-and-white.

Cirrus, sunlight and a deep sky evoke memories of my black-and-white film days.

One globe even featured Edvard Munch's The Scream. This is not my first or last time to emulate The Scream. — One globe even featured Edvard Munch’s The Scream. This is not my first or last time to emulate The Scream.

Bicyclists make their way across the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge.

And this is your host at that same moment, photographed by Dan Marsh.

Dan looks at his camera on a bridge sponson overlooking the William E. "Bill" Clark Wetlands located in the Clinton Presidential Park — Dan looks at his camera on a bridge sponson overlooking the William E. “Bill” Clark Wetlands located in the Clinton Presidential Park

The wetlands is an interactive nature attraction.

This was chalked on the handrail at the wetlands. I don't know who it was for, but I like the message. — This was chalked on the handrail at the wetlands. I don’t know who it was for, but I like the message.

Water pools around the trunks of trees in the wetlands.

Our next stop was The Old Mill in North Little Rock, officially called T. R. Pugh Memorial Park. The light was harsh, and I found the attraction a little too… hm. Too easy? Too domestic? It made a few pictures.

The Old Mill is a popular attraction in North Little Rock.

Dan makes pictures of the water at The Old Mill.

Bright afternoon sunlight shines through the windows of The Old Mill.

Dan points his camera straight down through a window at The Old Mill.

We drove a few miles down the road to Two Rivers Park Bridge, where we walked the Arkansas Trail about 1.2 miles to the Big Dam Bridge, a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Arkansas River.

Photographing infrastructure like this bridge that carries six lanes of Interstate 430 over the Arkansas River can vary between utility and art. I hoped this rendition is artful.

The Big Dam Bridge was festooned with flags.

A barge and tug are visible in one of the locks below the Big Dam Bridge.

Late afternoon light casts deep shadows on the Big Dam Bridge.

Dan uses a telescope on the walkway over the Bridge.

As the end of the day approached, we headed to Dan’s apartment. He and I are armchair movie critics, so we watched one we’ve been discussing for years, Interstellar.

I crashed in one of my sleeping bags in an extra room, and slept fine.

Pinnacle Mountain and Petit Jean State Park

We started our day hoping to get breakfast at a local restaurant, but when they were not yet open for the day, we found a nearby Waffle House.

Breakfast really is the best way to start the day, and Waffle House is a great place for breakfast.

Dan’s long-time friend and fellow music critic Jerry joined us, and we headed over to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, where I hoped the hike to the top would be fun, a bit challenging, and beautiful.

Dan armed himself with his "Arkansas toothpick," though a real one would be a knife. — Dan armed himself with his “Arkansas toothpick,” though a real one would be a knife.

Hikers head up Pinnacle Mountain in beautiful spring sunshine.

Reference signs were made of weathering steel and welds.

Dan makes a picture of fellow hikers crossing one of several boulder fields.

The morning sky was super blue and clear.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather for the climb to the top of Pinnacle Mountain, a regional high point visible from all around Center Arkansas. We weren’t the only ones who thought this, and the trails were populated by friendly hikers, many with friendly dogs, eager to welcome springtime.

Your host smiles for a picture near the top of Pinnacle Mountain.

The West Summit Trail ascends 761 feet in about a mile and a half, crossing through several boulder fields.

I made this panograph using my iPhone at the top of Pinnacle Mountain. This view stretches from west on the left to the east, showing the landscape, and the Arkansas River from horizon to horizon.

The air was cool, the sky was clear, and the sun was beautiful. If there were a mountain like this near where I lived, I imagine I would be up and down it all the time, probably with my dogs.

Despite our excellent breakfast, we were all very hungry for a big lunch, so we found a Golden Corral. Some people love it, and some people hate it, but despite the spike in prices in recent years, Golden Corral is a good place to fuel up your body with, if you know what you are doing, a very nutritious selection.

Petite Jean State Park

Dan wanted to show me his favorite spot in Arkansas, Petite Jean State Park. Pronounced “Petty Jean,” the park, about 30 miles directly west of Little Rock, is centered around Petit Jean Mountain.

From the top of Petit Jean Mountain, you can see the road in.

The windscaped land at the top of Petit Jean creates a rugged look.

This was the third bride we saw being photographed in and around the area. She looks a bit impatient.

Cedar Falls looked, and sounded, beautiful, and I would love to hike down to it, maybe in the fall. In this image, you can see at least two people near the base of the falls.

Cedar Creek features a handsome waterfall, but we hadn’t planned our day around it, and hiking down to it will have to wait for another visit.

The next time I am in the area, I need to ask someone at the visitor center about these stones, which were everywhere.

There is a town marked “Ada” (I work in Ada, Oklahoma) in the Arkansas map, but it doesn’t appear to have more than a few residents.

I work in Ada, Oklahoma, so I wasn't going to miss and chance to photograph this. Ada, Arkansas, however, seems to be a tiny church at an empty intersection. — I work in Ada, Oklahoma, so I wasn’t going to miss and chance to photograph this. Ada, Arkansas, however, seems to be a tiny church at an empty intersection.

Back at Dan’s place, we watched the incredible No Country for Old Men, a movie on both our top ten lists.

The Drive Home

I had been away from my dogs for two nights, and although I knew they’d be fine, I knew they would be missing me, and I missed them. I was up and out the door early, and took the faster, less-interesting route home, mostly on Interstate 40.

Our Adventures

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