Journies Outside

Category: Arkansas

  • Twin Knobs Trail

    Trailhead Marker

    Twin Knobs Trail

    Ozark-St. Francis National Forest

    Siloam Springs AR

    March 1, 2025

    Today was a beautiful day for a hike in the woods and I picked the Twin Knobs Trail near Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Before I tell you about the trail, let me mention that once you exit off the highway (412), you are pretty much on a gravel/dirt almost single lane road for about 4 miles to get to the trail head.

    The parking area at the trail head is very small but there is another parking area just before the trail head to the west that is a little bigger. There are no bathrooms so you might want to stop at the gas station on the corner of the Highway 59 and 412 intersections.

    The Twin Knobs Trail is rated as a moderate trail and I would have to agree although there are several areas that are much easier to walk. There are times when you will walk on larger rocks and other times smaller ones but all in all, a very easy moderate hike. There were a few places that were muddy or had standing water but I was able to avoid getting my shoes messy by walking on the rocks.

    The first Knob that you come to is very large and unique but the second Knob at the end of the trail where you will turn around and head back to the parking area was by far much better in my opinion. On the back side of the second knob there were faded blue markings leading up to the top and I being the curious sort, decided to investigate. It is almost a straight up climb but short. I wondered around a bit and discovered that there was a camp site and someone had tried to make a lean to for shelter. I didn’t want to miss any of the original trail so I climbed back down and continued on around the knob. You can see for miles in the distance on the second knob. When heading back around and down from here you will come to an area that has what looks like a square cut from the rocks. I decided to investigate and discovered that people have camped in this sheltered area as the fire ring was still there as well as the ashes.

    The trail markers are blue and you will see several off the walking path but the correct path is well worn and used by people walking, people on bicycles, dogs, deer, and other wildlife. Although today I didn’t see any wildlife other than the tracks that were left behind.

    Along the trail it is very peaceful and I can imagine that the fall colors are absolutely gorgeous but you will always hear the hum of the distant traffic.  

    When I reached the parking lot, I decided to continue following the trail for just a bit longer. The trailhead by the parking lot heading south is not marked but the path is well worn and visible. I followed this trail down to the bottom at the dry creek bed and then turned back to the trailhead. It was a very easy trail but very quiet. So, if you want to get away from all noise and not wanting to see anything but trees, I would suggest this trail. It was about a mile to the creek bed where I turned back.

    I only saw two other people on the Twin Knobs trail and that was as I was heading back to the parking lot. This does appear to be a very popular area for people to visit as there were three other vehicles there when I left.

    By following my route, you will do almost 8 miles round trip.

    You can see more photos from my hike on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Arkansas Missouri Oklahoma Tri-State Marker

    Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma Tri-State Marker

    March 1, 2025

    After hiking the Twin Knobs Trail today, I decided to return home via a different route and stopped at the place where Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma all intersect and depending on which side of the marker you are standing, you can be in a different state. There is a gas station on the east side of the road and the marker is on the west side. You will need to park at the gas station if you want to get up close to the marker. This area is very busy so be careful when crossing the road. The marker isn’t very big but it was something different to see while I was in the area.

    The marker is located on Arkansas 43 near Sulphur Springs, Arkansas and McDonald County Missouri.

    You can also see more photos on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Tunnel Vision – Tweety Bird – Landline Loop

    January 1, 2024

    This was a First Day hike for me. All in all I did about 7 miles or so. I had walked this trail before but due to the rainy and muddy conditions in the area, I decided to do this one again because the trail is usually pretty dry. The trail was a little wet at the start but that is usually the case because of the runoff along the Tunnel Vision path. I enjoy this trail. There was no one on the golf course today, but I also started pretty early. Last time I was on this trail, there was construction after the golf course but today that was completed and I was able to go through the tunnel, “You got this”.

    After I finished the trail on the All Trails app. I drove over to the beginning of the Tweety Bird trail and went to the left and through the tunnel which was decorated on both sides. After going for about a mile, I turned around and went back to the car as that was as far as I wanted to walk today. The Tunnel Vision trail seems to be rather long and I think I’m going to try and walk all of it some day and see how long it is.

    It was a cloudy and cool day. By the time I was finishing, it was starting to get cold even though the temperature was higher than when I started.

    The trails today were very easy for me. I enjoy going this time of year as you will sometimes see Christmas decorations along the trail.

    You can see more photos I took along the trail on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Hemmed Hollow Trail

    Buffalo National River

    Compton AR

    October 26, 2024

    When I arrived, which was just after sunrise, there were only two other cars in the parking lot. When I finished, and got back to the car, the lot was pretty much full. I never did see anyone on the way down, and only started seeing people when I was starting back up.

    It is rated a hard trail and but it was pretty easy to navigate. It wasn’t well marked but the trail to the waterfall was well used so I had no trouble finding it. There are a couple of signs along the way to help with direction.

    On the way down, it will be narrow in spots, rocky, and tree root covered but there are also stone “steps” that will help with some of the gravity as you will be descending about 1400 feet. It is so hard to describe the magnitude of the waterfall. Even though it was only a trickle the day I was there, the sheer size of it and the beauty is so nice and because I was there alone, so very peaceful.

    On the way back, I decided to follow the trail down to the river. It only added another 1.4 miles or so to the original 5 miles. The river trail is relatively easy. The river was mostly dry the day I was there so I was able to walk out into the center and across it. It too was very pretty.

    The fall colors added to the beauty of the entire hike. The hike back to the top did get me out of breathe a couple of times. The steps did help with the ascent. I did have to crawl over a few downed trees and over a few rocks but overall a very nice hike and well worth the drive.

    You can see a few more photos on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Center Point to Goat Trail

    Near Huntsville AR

    October 10, 2024

    To find the parking lot, which is very small, you will see a sign that says No Parking, look just to the right of this sign and you will see a small driveway. This will lead you to the parking lot. It isn’t very big but this seems to be a popular trail so I would arrive early if possible.

    This is rated a hard hike but until you reach the Goat Trail it really is pretty easy. You will be going down and walking on rocks and tree roots. There are a few times when you will crawl over or until a downed tree but this was a great fall hike and the colors were so pretty.

    When I reached the intersection of the Center Point Trail and the Goat Trail I did use the AllTrails App to see where I was. There really isn’t any markings along the way but the Goat Trail is very popular and the path is well worn. Just stay to the right to find the path. Once on it, the trail will become a little more difficult, steep, narrow, but beautiful.

    I was able to see the river below once I reached the rock cliffs. The height of just how far up you are and the distance you can see is just remarkable.

    The walk back to the car really wasn’t very difficult but this is when I started to encounter more visitors. While at the rocks, I only saw one other person.

    Overall, it was a great hike and a beautiful day.

    I have a few more photos on my Facebook page that you can check out as well. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Alum Cove Natural Bridge

    Alum Cove Natural Bridge

    November 15, 2024

    It was a beautiful day for hiking. I was on my way to Pedestal Rock/King’s Bluff (30 minutes further east) and thought I would stop here since I was in the area. I’m so glad I did. This was a pretty easy trail and I was the only one on it. There was a camper in the parking lot when I arrived and left but I never saw anyone. There is a nice sized parking lot, several picnic tables, and a primitive bathroom. Along the trail there are several benches where you can stop and enjoy the peace and quiet and see the beauty.

    The trail isn’t really marked but I didn’t have much trouble finding my way as the path is well used. Even with the leaves covering the path, you are still able to find it. The AllTrails app can also be of assistance.

    When you reach the top of the Natural Bridge, you can look down and see the area below. Keep going down the trail and to the left, you will see the underneath part of the bridge. Today there was a little water falling. I was able to get up closed and explore all around the base of the bridge. Just to the right of the bridge there is a path. If you follow it, you will go back to the top so turn around and go back to the path you just walked off and follow it around. It will take you to a water crossing and a cave and another waterfall. Here at the cave and waterfall, the path is really hard to see so be vigilant. The path will wind around and take you back to the Natural Bridge and lead you to the path that was on the right. This will take you back to the top of the bridge and you will back track your way back to the parking lot.

    The trail itself it only about a mile but well worth the stop if you have the time. I didn’t see any animals other than a few squirrels while I was there.

    You can see a few more photos of this beautiful site on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

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  • Kessler Mountain – Second Trip

    Kessler Mountain – Second Trip

    December 6, 2024

    This was my second visit to this area and I had planned to follow the original trails that I didn’t follow on my first visit. Well, this did not happen again and I made my own trail.

    I started on the Saddle Up trail which is just to the left of the entrance into the wooded area. When I came to the first intersection, I turned to the right and followed it to The Last Call Trail. When I reached the intersection of Terrapin Station, turned to the left and followed it. This trail will lead you passed several large rock formations. Where Terrapin Station and Chinkapin Oak trails join, I followed Chinkapin Oak. I really enjoyed this trail. It was very diverse and had different terrains to travel through. It follows along the edge of the mountain. (There is a place where it meets Bewitched. I hope one day to go back and do this trail.)

    Chinkapin Oak will intersect with Crazy Mary. I took the Crazy Mary trail to the left to the intersection of Trent Trail and Spellbound. There were workers working on the Spellbound Trail so I turned back to the intersection of Chinkapin Oak and Crazy Mary and followed Crazy Mary. Not far after starting Crazy Mary, I came across a “pond” on the top of the mountain. Crazy Mary will take you along the edge of the mountain at times and you can see quite a ways. I enjoyed this trail very much.

    When it intersected with Fayetteville Traverse, I followed the Fayetteville trail to Trent Trail. I knew the Trent Trail would take me back to the intersection of it, Spellbound, and Crazy Mary but I hadn’t walked this area before so I walked to the intersection and back to Serpentine and then followed it to Fayetteville Traverse.

    This path had me hiking almost 9 miles. It was a work out as most of the trails are difficult and moderate. The Last Call and Trent Trail are the easiest in that they are a little wider and smoother in several areas but there are still roots and rocks.

    It was a very enjoyable hike.

    When I arrived, two runners were leaving and as I reached the parking lot one person was starting out so I had the trails to myself.

    People have marked this area as having bathrooms but I still have not been able to find any.

    I have a few photos of the day on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836