hike | Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River

Posts Tagged ‘hike’

Double Falls at Camp Orr about 10 days ago

Posted in Mountain Scenery, mountains, The River, Wildflowers, tagged Arkansas, at Camp Orr, Double Falls, hike, near Jasper, Newton County, Royal Catchfly on April 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Just a few photos from April 19, 2014. Double falls is a misnomer since there are usually three (3) pour-offs after a rain. The rains an inch 2 days prior to this hike. The hike is only 1/4 miles from the parking area, and if you also take to loop to the top of the falls, that adds about 1/2 mile. So the total hike from the parking lot is about a mile, exploring added in. It is a beautiful spot ! Lots of wildflowers earlier than in the surrounding countryside. Pictured are Royal Catchfly, and Jack in the Pulpit. Also, Trilliums abound. Taken by my sister with a Canon point and shoot.

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Kings River Falls hike

Posted in Caves and Waterfalls, Mountain Scenery, mountains, Wildflowers, tagged Arkansas, dripping springs school, hike, Kings, Kings River falls, nature, near Boston, outdoors, River falls, spring beauties on March 19, 2013| 8 Comments »

I made a hike, with my sister, to Kings River Falls over in Madison County last Thursday morning very early. I forget how beautiful Kings River Falls is, now I have visited it at every season (we will call this one winter; even thought it was a beautiful early spring day). Taking Highway 16 to the diminished town of Boston, we turmed north for about 5 miles and worked our way downhill to the Kings River near the old Dripping Springs School House (1921) . The schoolhouse is still on the river bank. There is a new parking area (about 2 years old for the Kings River Nature Area), enough space for maybe 4 cars. Nice ! The hike is easy and short and well worth every step. From the car to the falls is 1.2 miles; so the loop is 2.4 miles round trip. The trail is nice but full of boulders and water pools in spots due to the previous weekends rain. There has been attention paid to trail erosion in 2 areas with large boulders being set in place.

NOTE: Four major Arkansas Rivers have their origin within 10 miles of this spot. The Mulberry (flows SW), the Buffalo (flows E), the Kings (flows N), and the White (flows NW).

This is also a historic site, being the property of the Williams Family and the Ledbetters before them (1850’s to 1900’s). The original reasidence was burned by bushwackers after the Civil War and has gone through various stages recontruction with new barns and out buildings through the years. There is a nicely built “pioneer wall” alomg the trail. There were a few very early wildflowers in bloom along the trail; trout lillys, johnny jumps-ups, bluets, and spring beauties. Not many yet; just a few scattered around. The old overhand used as a home, barn, etc., is clearly visible on the hillside this time of the year.

The cascading waterfaill next to the major falls, was flowing much better than I had seen before, but the Kings River was maybe a foot or so lower than last April when I visited. It is really a scenic spot and rates very high on my list of “most loved” hikes. The Kings River enters a shut-in that last about 2 miles starting just upstream from the main falls.