Mountaintop retreats

LITTLE ROCK — Who among us doesn't have warm memories of fall days when we'd gather with our families in a mountain cabin, sharing quality time and stories by the fire?

Well, me. I was raised in the suburbs of Baltimore by not particularly rugged people. My childhood recollections are of Hershey Park, the Smithsonian Institution and shopping malls and stuff.

So for a fall A-to-Z road trip installment, I attempted to change that, spending a night in a cabin with my husband in two different Arkansas state parks - an older but updated unit at Mount Nebo, west of Dardanelle, and a new unit that opened last spring at Mount Magazine, southeast of Paris - to see what we've been missing.

ACCOMMODATIONS Anyone expecting to be roughing it in an Arkansas state park cabin is either going to be very disappointed or beyond delighted (put us in the second category) to realize that the facilities - for all their wood paneling and rustic decor - are quite modern to downright posh. At our quaint, cozy Mount Nebo cabin, we had an equipped kitchen, complete living room, TV, nicely appointed bedrooms, a spacious bathroom with a whirlpool tub and a fireplace. At our luxurious, contemporary Mount Magazine cabin, we had all that (minus the whirlpool tub) plus a washer/ dryer, a dishwasher, leather furniture, a safe and an outdoor hot tub - everything, except maybe room service. (At least it's not being offered at the moment because the staff is too busy, but a restaurant employee told us it will likely be available come winter.)

BEDROOMS With a heavy wood bed and bureau and rural-chic comforter, our Mount Magazine room offered easygoing elegance and an amazing view, via glass doors that connected to the deck. Because all the one-bedroom cabins at Mount Nebo were reserved when we wanted to visit, we settled for a two-bedroom, two-story A-frame cabin, which meant cramming into one of the two smaller double beds instead of a much roomier king. (We might have used the queen sleeper sofa in the living room had the mattress felt the least bit sturdy or comfortable.) But cabins are supposed to be about togetherness, right?

COST Cabin prices can vary greatly based on amenities, occupancy, day of the week and time of year. Year-round prices at Mount Nebo range from $87 for a one-bedroom (sleeps four) to $180 for a three-bedroom (sleeps eight). Cabin stays at Mount Magazine are cheaper on weekdays and during the spring and winter; they're more expensive on weekends and during summer and fall. Prices range from $149 for a one-bedroom cabin (sleeps two) Monday through Thursday during the winter to $499 for a three-bedroom cabin (sleeps six) Friday through Sunday spring through fall. Rates do not include tax.

DRIVE For directions, travelers can use the parks' Web sites' handy mapping features. But be advised that the route given isn't always the fastest or most scenic. So talk to park personnel or friends before going. We were glad a friend advised us to take bucolic Arkansas 10 vs. bustling Interstate 40 out to Mount Magazine. (We wish there were some other way to get up Mount Nebo than steep, tight Arkansas 155, which gave us a few good frights.) 'ELLO?

We got a kick out of the guest services booklet at Mount Nebo telling us to dial 911 in case of an emergency. Um, how? There are no phones in the cabins. (There is, however, a pay phone at the visitors' center. And our cell-phone reception was good.) At Mount Magazine, we were spoiled with phones in the living room andbedroom (which could even be used to order automated wake-up calls), as well as clear wireless phone connections.

FIREPLACE Not only did the cabins we rented have fireplaces, they came with a bundle of firewood, a fire-starter, matches and fireplace tools, too. If the fire doesn't produce enough warmth, there's always central heat. And if it produces way too much warmth, there's always air conditioning.

GUEST BOOK Our Mount Magazine cabin did not have a guest book for visitors to sign. Which is fine, because we got enough chuckles from the scrawling in the Mount Nebo book: "I am Mr. Blashmible. I am from Planet Ultan. I stayed in this cabin 367 years ago." Then "Lord Kromdor" had this to say: "Day 11 here on Toilet Earth. This cabin was nice ... for a primal humanoid dwelling."

HOURS At both places, check-in is at 4 p.m. and check-out is at 11 a.m. At Mount Nebo, the visitors center closes at 5 p.m. (7 p.m. during the summer season). For those who don't time it just right to check in during that precise window (we didn't), the key will be in a late-arrival box (four digits of your phone number act as a code, so make sure they have the correct combination) along with a map.

INVENTORY Besides food, clothes and toiletries (and even some of those are provided, like soap and makeup remover toilettes), there's not much that one needs to pack for a cabin stay. Towels, pots, oven mitts, can openers, plates, glasses, mugs, measuring cups, silverware - it's all there. (And if it's not there, like detergent for the washer at Mount Magazine, you can buy it on premises.) Just make sure it all stays there or expect your credit card to get billed.

JUVENILE FUN What is there for kids to do? What isn't there? Mount Magazine's lodge boasts an indoor pool and a game room. Kids can even play Nintendo games or, if they have a laptop with them, take advantage of high-speed Internet access in the cabins. During the summer season, Mount Nebo's outdoor pool is open, and there are tennis courts, bike rentals and a ball field.

KITCHENS Both cabins we visited offered kitchens that were just as nice as ours at home. Actually nicer, as they were cleaner.

LAVATORIES At Mount Magazine, our clean, modern bathroom connected to the bedroom. In our two-story cabin at Nebo, the bathroom was not only not next to the bedrooms, it wasn't even on the same floor. The cabin's only bathroom was on the first floor. Down the staircase. Down the sort of tricky spiral staircase. Not exactly convenient for nighttime use.

MAID SERVICE Housekeepers handle the before and after work but do not clean cabins during guests' stays. They will, however, exchange used linens if they are stashed in a provided laundry bag and hung on an outside hook.

NOSHING At Mount Nebo, visitors eat whatever they bring or buy nearby. There is no lodge with a restaurant, though the visitors center does sell some snack items. We cooked some decent burgers on the grill, which was located just far enough away from the cabin's outdoor light to be hard to see. For our Magazine stay, we opted to leave the cooler and all the groceries at home and enjoy the lodge's handsome Skycrest Restaurant, just a short walk from the cabin. The Grilled Shrimp and Scallops ($21.95), plump bacon-wrapped shellfish finished with a fiery bell pepper sauce and served with tasty sweet potato grit cake triangles and asparagus spears, was a winner. Even if the Fried Frog's Legs ($7.95) had a bit too much coating and even if the Grilled Ribeye ($25.95) was blander than expected (we knew we should have tried the aromatic ribs our cheerful server raved about, either as a dinner for $19.95 or as featured on the dinner buffet for $10.95), we much preferred being babied to buying, packing, unpacking, preparing, cleaning up after and repackaging our own food. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES Whether cabin guests want to be adventurous and try hang-gliding or keep their nature exposure to a low-key trek up and down a relatively easy trail (like the gradual 1.5-mile Signal Hill Trail to the high point at Mount Magazine), they are only limited by their courage, physical ability and daylight hours. For maximum outdoor fun, don't wait until after you've settled in your cabin to go exploring; it will be dark by then this time of year. Arrive at the park early, be active and then check in.

PETS With the exception of trained service animals, furry four-leggers are not welcome in cabins. And sneaking them in is an offense punishable by a cleaning fee and banishment without a refund.

QUIET With no neighbors too close by, cabin guests can relish the glorious nighttime stillness, interrupted only by bursts of winds and chirps of insects ... and barks of any forbidden dogs. (See how easy it would be to get caught?)

RESERVATIONS They're not easy to get this time of year. Especially for weekends. But there might be vacancies during the week or on Sundays. And cancellations do happen. Nebo doesn't have a waiting list, so calling is key. Magazine does have a waiting list, but an employee tells us it's very long.

SMOKING Puffing is not permitted inside cabins. So take your butts outside where there are handy disposal urns on decks.

TELEVISION The cabins we visited each had color TVs in the living room. Each had their advantages. Equipped with satellite television, Magazine offers a good number of crystal-clear channels, including HBO, and even pay-per-view movies. While we could only get one channel to come in strong with the rabbit ears on the Nebo TV, it had a built-in DVD player. (Forgot your discs? Some are available for rent at the visitors center.)

UNINVITED GUESTS You're sure to experience at least a couple of crawly or winged nuisances per cabin trip. At Mount Nebo we had just one ladybug and no use for the swatter and bug spray in the downstairs closet. At Mount Magazine, where we could have really used the swatter, we had the world's most insistent fly and a moth.

VISITORS CENTER This is the place to start any cabin stay. Not only because you can ask questions and collect brochures, but also because they often have way cleaner restrooms than any other place along the way. Mount Nebo's center functions as the very heart of the park. While all sheltering matters are handled by Mount Magazine's lodge, the visitors center has an information desk, a gift shop and a worthwhile exhibit about the mountain's natural resources.

WILDLIFE The closest you'll probably get to, say, a black bear is the one in Mount Magazine's visitors center exhibit. But critters are out there. And it's good to keep your eyes open for them. Especially while driving at night - that's when we spotted three deer at Mount Nebo.

XCLUSIVE To have a drink - either beer or Arkansas wine - at Mount Magazine's restaurant, located in a dry county, you must become a free private club member by filling out a form with information like your name, birthday, and driver's license number. To have a drink at Mount Nebo, you must have brought it from home.

YOUR CHOICE The 13 Mount Magazine cabins and 14 Mount Nebo cabins aren't the only options. Cabins are also available at seven other state parks: Crowley's Ridge, Devil's Den, Lake Catherine, Lake Chicot, Lake Ouachita, Petit Jean and Village Creek. Many of the log and stone structures were built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal.

ZEE SPECIFICS For information on Mount Magazine State Park, call (877) 665-6343 or visit the Web site www.mountmagazinestate park.com. For information on Mount Nebo State Park, call (479) 229-3655 visit www.arkansasstateparks.com/ mountnebo. For information on other Arkansas state park cabins, or visit www.arkansas.com or call (800) 628-8725 or (501) 682-7777.