Mena, Arkansas -- Arkansas' "Castle in the Sky" has never looked more regal.
Travelers are anxiously awaiting the reopening of Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge on July 1, 2015, following a $9.6 million renovation that included expansion from 25,881 square feet to more than 37,000 square feet.
For many Texans, no trek along Talimena National Scenic Byway can be complete without a visit to this scenic lodge perched atop Arkansas' second highest peak, 2,861-foot Rich Mountain. However, Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge closed March 5, 2012 to undergo a major renovation.
But vacationers will soon agree the wait has been worth it, because the grandeur of this mountaintop inn offering panoramic views is even more compelling after a three-year renovation designed to feature the stunning views of the Ouachita Mountains.
Large windows in the public areas and guest rooms frame the vistas that have been bringing visitors here since the original lodge opened June 22, 1898. Other amenities include the Hearth Room with a wood-burning fireplace, an elevator, a spacious modern kitchen, and a larger meeting room with a balcony that overlooks the valley below.
Two guest rooms on each floor offer gas fireplaces and spa tubs. A shaded, wrap-around porch on the south side of the lodge, complete with comfortable rocking chairs, is the perfect place to enjoy the morning's first cup of coffee.
And speaking of delicious, full-bodied coffee, all Arkansas state parks are now serving coffee that originated in the high-altitude volcanic soil of Rwanda. This ingenious plan by Arkansas Parks & Tourism benefits workers in the East African country, creates jobs in Arkansas because the coffee beans are roasted and processed at Westrock Coffee in North Little Rock, and guarantees visitors to all state parks in The Natural State will enjoy the same spectacular blend of Rwandan coffee. This coffee blend, named "A Taste for Adventure," is also available for purchase in some state park gift shops.
This popular Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge is located on the breathtaking Talimena Scenic Drive, a 53-mile stretch of highway that compares favorably with the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley or other well-known routes in the Smoky Mountains. The Talimena Scenic Drive follows the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains from southeastern Oklahoma into Arkansas and every season in the high country has something special to offer.
Queen Wilhelmina Lodge was built by Arthur Stilwell, vice president of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (KCP&G). Stilwell had decided to build the first north-south railroad, running from Kansas City, Missouri to Port Arthur, Texas, and providing rail access to the Gulf of Mexico. That meant the railroad's route passed through Arkansas, and the Ouachita Mountains. As construction through this rugged country progressed, an appealing location near the top of 2681-foot Rich Mountain was discussed as a site for a grand hotel that might possibly create more rail travel through the area. Many of the railroad's investors were Dutch, and in 1898 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was to be crowned. So this windswept mountaintop retreat was christened "Wilhelmina Inn."
Soon, visitors will once again make the journey up Rich Mountain to escape the summer heat, enjoy fine dining at the lodge's restaurant or hike trails that pass through wildflowers.
Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge is one of four lodges operated by the Arkansas state park system, along with historic Mather Lodge at Petit Jean State Park, DeGray Lake Resort State Park and The Lodge at Mount Magazine.
To make reservations at the newly renovated Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge, please visit www.QueenWilhelmina.com or call 1-800-264-2477.
photos by Allen Rich