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234 Big Bluff Trail and aimless meanderings

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       Progressive Trails completed the expansion of the Oakridge Mountain Bike Trail System at Bull Shoals-White River State Park in early October last year.  The 14 miles of bike trails are adjacent to good ole Big Bluff Trail for hikers only.  The lake opened in 1952, the State Park came in 1955 on land leased from the Army Corp of Engineers.  Beginning in 1975 the park underwent major development, making Big Bluff Trail possibly as much as 50 years old. White River below Bull Shoals Dam      Today I want to hike Big Bluff Trail loop and check out some of the Oakridge MBT System.  I’ll start at the main trailhead/parking for Oakridge Bike Trails, less than half a mile down Powerhouse Road, the trailhead/parking for Big Bluff Trail is about 1.25 miles further down the road.  After a quick visit with two ladies who just finished an early morning hike, I head north on Cutthroat Shoals Trail. Cutthroat Shoals Trail soon after ...
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233 Sugarloaf to Carrollton Castle

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       A couple weeks ago, it finally cooled off enough to get outside for a little hiking (see: 231 Coursey , and 232 Calf Creek ) but it didn’t last long.  The mornings have been nice, but it warms up quick into the eighties, too hot for me to hike.  So we have been catching up on yardwork lately, but today I decide to ‘try’ to get a little hike in before the thermometer hits 80.  The trick to this, is to keep the drive time minimal which means stay close to home . dry West Sugarloaf Creek Highway 14/W. Sugarloaf bridge      Bull Shoals Lake is pretty close to the house, since it’s been a very dry summer the lake level is down below normal conservation pool (659’), today’s elevation is at 652’.  Often in the spring lake levels reach top flood pool elevation of 695’ and can stay there for weeks or longer, but that never happened this year.  When water levels are down the shoreline is transformed into an off-road playground f...
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Location: W. Sugarloaf parking spot: 36.41948, -92.93507
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232 Exploring Calf Creek from Peter Cave Road

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       Day before yesterday I got back out on the trail for the first time in over five months, before then it had been too hot to even think about going outside let alone go hiking.  This coming week, the daily highs are predicted to gradually rise every day, back to ‘unseasonably warm’ by the end of the week.  So, I better get back out there, take advantage of the good weather while I can. Calf Creek      On the hike Friday (see: 231 Coursey to ORT ) I was pleasantly surprised that the Old River Trail was in such good shape.   I easily made it down to the Buffalo River but couldn’t find anything resembling the trail on the other side of the river.   Today I’ll try to find the Old River Trail from the south side of the river, beginning somewhere around Peter Cave Road.   I end up parking off an old road now seldom used for hayfield access. old road off of Peter Cave Rd.      From here at my parking spot, it’s c...
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Location: Calf Creek parking spot: 35.96895, -92.77176
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