I need some help from you Arkansas folks. My husband is participating in the Ouachita Challenge (mountain bike race) this coming weekend. Since it is a 60-mile race, I'll have quite a bit of time to wander around the local area. My husband may need me to give him extra water about halfway through, so unfortunately I can't wander too far. The race begins/ends at Oden, Ark.
Anything interesting to photograph that's close? How are the wildflowers/dogwoods coming along? Things seem to be slow in blooming in KS this year so am curious how they are coming along down there. We've done this race before and have always missed the dogwoods by about a week.
Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Posted by John Moore on March 31, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Hi Angela
I can recommend a drive of around 50 miles that will take you south of Mt. Ida, through the Crystal Mountains, then back to Oden, if you're interested. You'll drive along several small mountain streams and there is at least one nice vista that I recall. There is a forest service campground along the way with a pretty moss-covered rock dam and man-made waterfall. There's also a small cascade next to a picnic area named Collier Springs. If you'd like I can give you driving directions.
Angela, I just got back from southern and central Arkansas. I'd say from what I saw this past week that you should be there about the right time. The area around Lake Millwood, quite a bit further south, was really getting thick with dogwoods this past week. As we drove north on our way out of Arkansas, I noticed the areas around Arkadelphia starting to show more dogwood blooms. So the Hot Springs area should be getting there by the weekend, I would think, but any time you could meander south would certainly be productive. And you should definitely see redbuds blooming pretty well. I would suggest John Moore or Tom Kennon for finding a specific place around there. I think they are the closest to that area and could keep you updated.
Posted by Randy Wilson on March 31, 2008 at 2:45 PM
You might enjoy the Talimena Scenic Drive west of Mena. There are pullovers every few miles along Highway 8 as it follows the spine of Rich Mountain. Its appropriateness for photography would depend on time of day and weather conditions, of course, but it would be a fun drive one way or the other.
Posted by Tom Kennon on March 31, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Angela, one area that is relatively close by is the Jack and Sugar Creek areas in the Ouachita National Forest, just south of Booneville. There should be plenty of photo opportunities with the current water conditions and the dogwood and redbuds are begining to bloom down there. If you are interested, let me know and I will see if I can send you a map of the area.
If you have Tim Ernst's book ,Arkansas Nature Lovers Guidebook, you can find more options starting on page 170. Tim once told me that this book is a secret guide to great places in Arkkansas for photographers and he is correct! If you do not have a copy, I highly recommend it. I keep one in my vehicle at all times.
John, Give us all driving directions. That sounds like a great drive.
Ditto on Tim's book. The waterfall guide is also excellent. I took one of his hikes and got the worst case of chiggers in my life but that won't happen this time of the year.
Hey Ed, I'm blessed by not being affected by chiggars or poison ivy, however ticks love me and I just pulled off the second one of the season this morning - since we didn't have any real winter again this year I have a feeling we'll have a banner bug year in 2008!
Angela:
Little Missouri Falls is just south of where you will be and it is a terrific area for both waterfalls and wildflowers - see the guidebooks noted above or just ask anyone. I'll probably be down that way myself in the next week or two...
Here are some directions to the Crystal Mountains. I used National Geographic TOPO for road names and approximate mileages, so they aren't exact.
From Oden drive east on Hwy 88, then south on 270 to Mount Ida (quartz crystal capital of the world) - 12 miles.
Take Hwy 270 south for 8.0 miles, turn left onto Crystal Park road. There should be a sign there for the Crystal Recreation Area.
Drive east 2.9 miles to the recreation area. The spring-fed pond, dam, and waterfall are on the western end of the picnic area.
Continue east and north 3.2 miles to the Collier Spring picnic area, with the small cascade in the stream down below. The picnic shelter is built on top of a spring, and the water gushes out of a hole on the side.
Continue north 1.3 miles to a T intersection, turn left (west) onto Forest Road 2237/Owley Road. Drive west 5.6 miles to meet back up with Hwy. 27. A righ turn will take you back north to Mount Ida.
If you wanted to visit the Little Missouri river area, instead of turning onto Crystal Park Road, go another .7 miles to the town of Norman. Turn right onto Highway 8 and drive west 12.6 miles.
Turn left (south) onto Crooked Creek Road. Drive 4.8 miles south and west, then turn right onto Mine Creek Road. The turnoff to the Little Missouri Falls recreation area is .8 miles to the west.
Discussion
7 repliesAnything interesting to photograph that's close? How are the wildflowers/dogwoods coming along? Things seem to be slow in blooming in KS this year so am curious how they are coming along down there. We've done this race before and have always missed the dogwoods by about a week.
Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
I can recommend a drive of around 50 miles that will take you south of Mt. Ida, through the Crystal Mountains, then back to Oden, if you're interested. You'll drive along several small mountain streams and there is at least one nice vista that I recall. There is a forest service campground along the way with a pretty moss-covered rock dam and man-made waterfall. There's also a small cascade next to a picnic area named Collier Springs. If you'd like I can give you driving directions.
If you have Tim Ernst's book ,Arkansas Nature Lovers Guidebook, you can find more options starting on page 170. Tim once told me that this book is a secret guide to great places in Arkkansas for photographers and he is correct! If you do not have a copy, I highly recommend it. I keep one in my vehicle at all times.
Ditto on Tim's book. The waterfall guide is also excellent. I took one of his hikes and got the worst case of chiggers in my life but that won't happen this time of the year.
Angela:
Little Missouri Falls is just south of where you will be and it is a terrific area for both waterfalls and wildflowers - see the guidebooks noted above or just ask anyone. I'll probably be down that way myself in the next week or two...
From Oden drive east on Hwy 88, then south on 270 to Mount Ida (quartz crystal capital of the world) - 12 miles.
Take Hwy 270 south for 8.0 miles, turn left onto Crystal Park road. There should be a sign there for the Crystal Recreation Area.
Drive east 2.9 miles to the recreation area. The spring-fed pond, dam, and waterfall are on the western end of the picnic area.
Continue east and north 3.2 miles to the Collier Spring picnic area, with the small cascade in the stream down below. The picnic shelter is built on top of a spring, and the water gushes out of a hole on the side.
Continue north 1.3 miles to a T intersection, turn left (west) onto Forest Road 2237/Owley Road. Drive west 5.6 miles to meet back up with Hwy. 27. A righ turn will take you back north to Mount Ida.
If you wanted to visit the Little Missouri river area, instead of turning onto Crystal Park Road, go another .7 miles to the town of Norman. Turn right onto Highway 8 and drive west 12.6 miles.
Turn left (south) onto Crooked Creek Road. Drive 4.8 miles south and west, then turn right onto Mine Creek Road. The turnoff to the Little Missouri Falls recreation area is .8 miles to the west.