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Major city · United States

Paris, ArkansasParis

One night, two at most: use Paris as a cheap bed for Mount Magazine and the Ouachita byways, not as a town to sightsee.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), ice in Jan–Feb
Airports
FSM · LIT
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Paris is the Logan County seat in the Ouachita Mountains, population about 3,500, and the closest town of any size to Mount Magazine, Arkansas's highest point at 2,753 ft. The town itself is a short stop — a small Eiffel Tower replica downtown and a jail museum — while the real draw is the state park and the AR 309 scenic drive. Most travellers sleep one night here, or two if they want a full day on the mountain.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Paris, Arkansas, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$2–4
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, one personTip 18–22% on top.$15–28
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$8–14
  • Budget bedTown motel double room, a night, per roomUS$70
  • Mid-range bedTown motel double room, a night, per roomUS$110
  • High-end bedTown motel double room, a night, per roomUS$160

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$120 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mount Magazine State ParkEiffel Tower Park replicaLogan County Old Jail MuseumAR 309 Mount Magazine Scenic Byway
Airports
FSM Fort Smith Regional (About 1 h 15 min by car; the nearest airport with scheduled service) · LIT Bill and Hillary Clinton National (Little Rock) (About 2 h by car; more flights and often cheaper)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Paris, Arkansas: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

10°C

−3°C

7 rd

Feb

13°C

−1°C

7 rd

Mar

18°C

4°C

9 rd

Apr

23°C

9°C

9 rd

May

27°C

14°C

11 rd

Jun

31°C

19°C

8 rd

Jul

34°C

21°C

7 rd

Aug

34°C

21°C

7 rd

Sep

30°C

16°C

7 rd

Oct

24°C

10°C

7 rd

Nov

17°C

4°C

8 rd

Dec

11°C

−1°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. There is no useful public transport in Logan County; AR 309 climbs from Paris to Mount Magazine in about 20–25 min. Fuel up in Paris before heading up — services on the mountain are limited.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mount Magazine State Park

go

Door to door: About 25–35 min

Drive AR 309 north from Paris

Arkansas's highest point; trails, overlooks and hang-gliding launch.

Cove Lake Recreation Area

go

Door to door: About 20–25 min

Drive south-east from Paris

Boating and swimming; a half-day in warm weather.

Mena, Arkansas

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive US 71 south

Talimena Scenic Drive country; better as its own stop.

Arkadelphia, Arkansas

skip

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min

Drive AR 309 and US 70 south-east

Too far for a comfortable return day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Paris town centre

Small motels and short-term rentals near the courthouse square; cheapest beds and a 20–30 min drive to the mountain.

Mount Magazine State Park

Lodge rooms and cabins inside the park; book weeks ahead for autumn weekends.

Cove Lake Recreation Area

Campground on the mountain side, about 15 min from Paris; basic sites, bring supplies.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Town motel double room1 × 1 night × US$110US$110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$120US$240
Rental car, one day1 × US$70US$70
Fuel, about 100 km of local driving1 × US$12US$12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$46
Trip total≈ US$254 per person per day, bed includedUS$508

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices shown before sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–4
Diner breakfast$8–14
Lunch, burger or sandwich$10–16
Sit-down dinner, one personTip 18–22% on top.$15–28
State park lodge buffetcheck$18–30
Gallon of fuelcheck$3–3.60

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Small-town safe; the real risks are rural driving — deer, curves on AR 309 and no phone signal on the mountain.
  • Distances are long and phone signal drops on the mountain roads.
  • Deer on the road at dawn and dusk, especially on AR 309.
  • Summer heat and humidity: carry water on any trail.
  • Park lodge and cabins sell out on autumn weekends and holidays — book ahead.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Paris, ArkansasParis

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in Paris; nearest are in Little Rock or Dallas. US emergencies: 911.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Fort Smith airport → Paris by car: about 1 h 15 min, roughly 100 km (check)
  • Little Rock airport → Paris by car: about 2 h, roughly 190 km (check)
  • Paris → Mount Magazine summit: about 20–25 min on AR 309

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is there fuel nearby? — Is there fuel nearby?
  • How far to Mount Magazine? — How far to Mount Magazine?

Cell coverage is patchy on AR 309 and inside the park.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Paris, Arkansas. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), ice in Jan–Feb · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources