Hiking
Hiking or Biking at Rattlesnake Ridge
Living in Central Arkansas, I’ve watched the sun go down many times from the top of Pinnacle Mountain. From my spot on the north peak, I’ve looked to the west and wondered “what is that other mountain over there?” And “it sure would be cool if we could hike to the top of it and look back this way.” Well, that mountain “over there” overlooking Lake Maumelle is Rattlesnake Ridge. And in 2018 it was opened to the public for hiking by the Nature Conservancy and Arkansas Dept of Natural Heritage. Finally, a much-needed new place to hike close to home! I love Pinnacle, but after you’ve been to the top 150 times (not kidding), it kinda loses its luster. In 2019, mountain bike trails were added so we can now go hiking OR biking at Rattlesnake R...
Hike to Magnolia Falls in the Ozarks
When it comes to hiking, I learned long ago to plan your hike, research it, and know what you’re getting into. I’ve learned this lesson several times. But every now and then I seem to forget it, and will go off exploring without a plan. Or I’ll plan a hike and change my mind on the way so I can see something else. Such was the case the first time I made the hike to Magnolia Falls between Deer and Fallsville. I had planned two other waterfall hikes near Ponca that day in early October. But after seeing that the area creeks would be low on water, I opted for Magnolia Falls. I had Magnolia Falls on my list for a while and even read a little bit about it. But I was still completely unprepared that day. I had not downloaded a map or read enough about how to access the other wa...
Sweden Creek Falls Hike in the Ozarks
For my first hike of the year I continued on my quest to hike all the major waterfalls in the Upper Buffalo River area. I decided to start the year off with the Sweden Creek Falls hike since it had been on my list for a while. And the conditions were perfect for a waterfall hike that day. The Kingston area had gotten some rain for several days before, and even some snow. On the day of my hike, the sun was out in full to warm things up to the mid-40’s. This meant there should be plenty of water in the falls from the snow-melt and previous rain. Full sun and water in the falls? I couldn’t ask for better conditions, especially for this hike. Driving up Hwy 21 from Clarksville to Boxley, I was pleased to see there was still a light dusting of snow on the ground. I haven’t see...
Hike to Winding Stairs on Eagle Rock Loop
I continue to be blown away by the natural beauty in our state. Just when I think I’ve seen the prettiest hike in Arkansas, I eventually go on another one that changes my mind. The hike to Winding Stairs on the Eagle Rock Loop Trail in the Ouachitas is the latest one. I’ll admit that I have not given enough attention to the Ouachita Mountain region so far. Sometimes I get in the habit of heading straight to the Ozarks for hiking waterfalls and paddling rivers. But there are areas of the Ouachitas that are just as great and in my opinion, very underrated. This area around the Eagle Rock Loop is right up there with some of the best spots in the Ozarks. Many people have gotten confused and lost trying to follow this trail. Unless you download a map, it can be easy to get off the t...
Alum Cove Natural Bridge
Many of the hikes I have written about so far are located in the areas between Russellville and Jasper, or Clarksville and Ponca. Nestled right in the middle of all those hills, creeks, and waterfalls lies Alum Cove Natural Bridge Recreation Area. In all my trips through this area, I’ve passed really close to Alum Cove probably a hundred times. And until recently, I had never stopped to visit – always in a rush to get somewhere else. But this past November, I made it a point to specifically stop in to check out Alum Cove. I was not disappointed. I had actually set out to do a different hike that day a little further north. But the road to that trailhead was flooded so I had to call an audible. I’d been saving the Alum Cove area trail as a backup plan for just such an occa...
Paige Falls and Broadwater Hallow Falls
I have written a few articles lately about hiking around the Upper Buffalo River. That’s because there are so many great places there to hike. And most of them are not that far from each other, so it’s easy to do several in a day. All the trails have something different to offer. Some of them have waterfalls, others have majestic views, and some have caves and weird rock formations. They range from easy to difficult, short to long. And some of them are barely a hike at all. Paige Falls and Broadwater Hallow Falls is one of those. Much like Six Finger Falls and Fuzzy Butt Falls, it’s really hard to call this one a hike because the falls are so close to the road. The hike may be really short, but that doesn’t make the waterfalls here less impressive. In fact, this is ...
Hike to Hideout Hollow
As much as I hate for summer to end, there is a silver lining to Fall and cooler weather getting here. It’s my favorite time of the year to go hiking, for so many reasons. Overgrown trails become more clean. Ticks, chiggers and snakes go away. I can hike all day without sweating my ass off. The fall colors make the drive and the hike even more scenic. And late Fall means more rain, which means the waterfalls are running! This Fall I picked the perfect day to make the hike to Hideout Hollow. Hideout Hollow is a huge grotto/gorge (a hollow) encased in steep bluff walls with a 40 foot waterfall in the middle. Beneath the cliffs you can find the remains of an old “hideout” structure used by outlaws years ago. Hence the name “Hideout Hollow”. Stories vary on who th...
Hike to Balanced Rock Falls
The Buffalo River is well-known as probably the most popular floating and paddling river in Arkansas. But the lands around it are home to some of the best hiking spots in the state. In particular the Upper Buffalo area near Ponca, Boxley Valley and Compton is where you’ll find a lot of the most popular trails. There is a lesser-known hike in this area that is worth a look and that is the hike to Balanced Rock Falls. You won’t find the trailhead for this one on Google maps like the other ones. Nor is it listed on the Buffalo River NPS hiking page or the Hiking Project App. But you can find it on the AllTrails app I found this hike when I saw pictures of Balanced Rock Falls posted on some of the Facebook hiking pages that I follow. I like interesting rock formations as much as I ...
Climbing and Hiking at Sam’s Throne
Summer is over, and before long the Ozarks will be covered up with the colors of Fall. And one of my favorite spots to see all the Fall colors is Sam’s Throne. This is a hike along the top of a bluff line to a point overlooking a valley, and the views here are gorgeous! Hiking at Sam’s Throne can be a very short hike, or a longer hike depending on what you want to see. Either way, it’s a great place to hang out for a while and enjoy the views. Sam’s Throne is also a popular rock climbing destination. I’m not a climber myself, so I won’t write any about that and risk putting bad info out there. But it’s worth mentioning to anyone interested in climbing…and I do like watching the climbers scale the walls. Between that, the views, and the drive ...
Hike to Whitaker Point(Hawksbill Crag)
If you do a lot of hiking in Arkansas and haven’t made the hike to Whitaker Point, you have to add this one to your to-do list. It’s one of the more popular hikes in the Ozarks. Even if you don’t know what Whitaker Point is, you’ve probably seen a picture of it somewhere. Also known as Hawksbill Crag, it is one of the most photographed scenic spots in Arkansas. Lots of marriage proposals happen here and people actually pay photographers to capture the moment from far off. So what is it? Hawksbill Crag is a large rock outcropping sticking out from the top of a really high bluff. The bluff overlooks Whitaker creek in the valley below. On the AllTrails app, it is listed as “Whitaker Point Trail (Hawksbill Crag)”. On Google maps, you’ll find both ̶...
Hiking the Big Bluff Goat Trail on the Buffalo River
I have written a few articles about certain popular hikes or floats that have always eluded me for whatever reason. Hiking the Big Bluff Goat Trail is one of those that has been on my list for years, but just never happened. But this summer, I finally got to mark this hike off my list. And it was everything I expected it to be. In a time where waterfall hikes are all the rage, this a great hike to do when those falls are all dried up. What a great hike this one is. It’s not too long, not too short, slightly challenging, and definitely one of the most rewarding. If you have not made this hike yet, I highly recommend adding it to your list. If you use the AllTrails app, this hike is called Centerpoint to Goat Trail. I think you can get all the way to Hemmed-In Hollow from this trail, b...
Hike to Pedestal Rocks
Well, here we are in the middle of Summer – the dog days. Most of the rivers are really low for floating. Most of the waterfalls are just a trickle, if not dry. And man, is it HOT! If you don’t have a pool, or a boat for enjoying the lake, don’t worry. There are still some fun things to do outdoors. Even in the low rivers, there are still some swimming holes out there. So why not do a hike and swim? During another sweltering summer a few years ago, some friends and I did exactly that with a hike to Pedestal Rocks. You may be thinking “wait a minute…Pedestal Rocks doesn’t have a swimming hole. It doesn’t have any water at all!” You would be correct. It doesn’t. But just 13 minutes down the road is the ever-popular swimming hole at Fallin...
