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Arkansas State Parks has completed the restoration and improvement project for the Rim Trail at Mount Nebo State Park with support from the Walton Family Foundation and the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation (APRF). The completed project initiates a new era for the popular, 86-year-old hiking trail by adding it to the state’s growing system of Monument Trails.

“Exceptional hiking and mountain biking trails are hallmarks of Arkansas’s State Parks,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “Restoring the Rim Trail perfectly captures the passion of our Department by ensuring this treasured experience from our past will be used by Arkansans and our guests for years to come.”

Rock Solid Trail Contracting, the firm that helped develop the 25-mile master plan for trails at Mount Nebo State Park, completed the substantial rehabilitation work to restore the trail to its original glory and improve the hiking experience for visitors.

“The new rockwork is very impressive,” said Grady Spann, director of Arkansas State Parks. “The natural rock steps and rebuilt switchbacks will allow visitors to safely navigate this beautiful landscape, taking generations of new park visitors to the special places that previous generations have enjoyed for more than 80 years.”

Originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933, the trail has long been a fixture at the state’s second-oldest park.

“It is a privilege to not only be a part of the birth of the new Monument Trail system in state parks but also to honor historic trails by restoring them,” Executive Director of the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation Suzanne Grobmyer said. “These trails have been a part of making our state parks some of the best in the country.”

The Monument Trails, a collaboration between Arkansas State Parks, the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation (APRF), and the Walton Family Foundation, is a world-class trail system including trails at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Devil’s Den State Park, and Mount Nebo State Park.

“It goes beyond the safety aspects to also enhance the visitor experience. These improvements will allow more of our guests to access the views and other special places in the park,” said Mount Nebo State Park Superintendent Scott Waniewski.