MENA, Arkansas — Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge on 2,681-foot Rich Mountain, Arkansas’s second-highest peak, reopened July 1 following a $9.6 million renovation.
“The improvements to this lodge that was opened by the state of Arkansas in 1975 should receive rave reviews,” said Arkansas state parks director Greg Butts. He noted that the lodge will feature all new larger windows that frame the views from Rich Mountain of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains. “Enjoying the panoramic scenery from the mountain is an important part of the Queen Wilhelmina State Park experience. Our visitors are going to enjoy the more wide-open views from all the lodge’s public rooms, including the restaurant and all the guest rooms.”
The exterior of the lodge features shingles and stonework. The lodge was expanded from 25,881 square feet to 37,029 square feet to include the addition of a new hearth room with a wood-burning fireplace; two additional guest rooms, increasing the total to 40; and more space within all the rooms.
The upstairs meeting facility was expanded and includes a balcony looking south from the mountain. An elevator was added to the lodge, as well as more stairwells. A wrap-around porch on the building’s south side will provide visitors with comfortable outdoor space. A new porch was added at the west end.
