Posted by Bryan Simpson on November 2, 2011 at 8:16 AM
Hello all. I've been absent from the forums for awhile and unfortunately absent from the woods as well thanks to a new job. That is about to change this weekend if all goes as planned.
I know I've missed the peak for the Ozarks, but I wonder if anyone can give me an update on conditions in the Ouachitas. I am thinking about either the Cossatot or Little Missouri River areas thanks to some suggestions from John Moore.
Any help would be appreciated. Hopefully I'll be posting some pics next week.
Thanks,
Bryan
Posted by Bill Dark on November 2, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Hey Bryan, good to hear from you! I don't have any first hand reports, but I'll bet things are looking pretty good in the Ouachitas right now. You might try calling Cossatot State Park at 870-385-2201 to find out for sure. They have a website, http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/cossatotriver/ that you might also check for more information, along with a live web cam. Let us know what you find out if you can. Looking forward to seeing some of your work.
Posted by Bryan Simpson on November 7, 2011 at 11:29 AM
I made a quick trip up this weekend to the Little Missouri Falls area and then Cossatot. The area at the Little Missouri was in great shape with the foliage around the river at peak and the surrounding hillsides at near peak. Also, the road to Shady Lake was spectacular. Some of the trees along the lake shore had dropped their leaves, but there was still good color. On a side note, what a nice campground (including sites with electricity for those camera batteries). I'll probably be staying there some in the future. We drove further up past the Buckeye trailhead to an overlook on the side of the road. The valley below was still not at peak but was approaching it. There were some very vibrant red maples dotting the surrounding hillside.
Cossatot was hit & miss. The road to the Falls campgroung was in full array -- the trees at the trail bridge were gorgeous as well -- but the hillsides above the river had already experienced quite of bit of leaf drop. There were still individual trees (primarily yellows with a few oranges and reds scattered in) along the bank for good reflection shots. The hills closer to the visitor center near Wickes showed less leaf drop.
All-in-all, there is still a lot of opportunity in these areas. Based on a quick look at my files last night, I'll say it was a successful trip. I'll try to get some pics posted in the next few days.
Discussion
2 repliesI know I've missed the peak for the Ozarks, but I wonder if anyone can give me an update on conditions in the Ouachitas. I am thinking about either the Cossatot or Little Missouri River areas thanks to some suggestions from John Moore.
Any help would be appreciated. Hopefully I'll be posting some pics next week.
Thanks,
Bryan
Oh yeah, here's a report from the Forest Service yesterday...http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5335539.pdf
Cossatot was hit & miss. The road to the Falls campgroung was in full array -- the trees at the trail bridge were gorgeous as well -- but the hillsides above the river had already experienced quite of bit of leaf drop. There were still individual trees (primarily yellows with a few oranges and reds scattered in) along the bank for good reflection shots. The hills closer to the visitor center near Wickes showed less leaf drop.
All-in-all, there is still a lot of opportunity in these areas. Based on a quick look at my files last night, I'll say it was a successful trip. I'll try to get some pics posted in the next few days.