Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

      Three week later we’re back, and again we start our hike at Boxley Trailhead. This time after reaching the Whiteley Cemetery we keep going up the trail  passing a long rock wall as we continue uphill.   At the top the trail follows an old road with the Whiteley School across the road.   At the school which is now just a tall rock foundation we turn right (west) and soon pass through a gate marking the Upper Buffalo Wilderness boundary. ruins of Hedges Homestead      Another 100 feet or so, on the left is an old homesite. Not much is left other than a root cellar and foundation, there is a television in the front though!   In about 0.2 miles past the gate a small steep stream crosses the trail. Today with the recent rains, there are small waterfalls everywhere.  I count at least nine, just from where I'm standing on the trail.   From here we continue to a faint intersection where we turn right (west). The 'r...

    This morning started out with wind, sleet, and temperatures just below freezing. It didn't seem to be a good day to go hiking, but we wanted to get out and do something anyway. I guess 'cabin fever' is setting in. We decide to go on a drive to the Madison County WMA, (having never been there) and just check it out. Upon arrival at the Wildlife Management Area the weather hasn't improved much, so we drive to a couple 'roadside falls’ as Tim Ernst calls them. Glory B Falls     First, we visit Glory B Falls; a true roadside waterfall, less than 50 feet from the road.  You can't really consider this a hike, just a short walk down from the road to the base of the falls.  It's a very pretty little falls, about eight feet tall and maybe six wide.  Well worth the effort even though there is none (effort that is), from Glory B we drive up to Road 299 and Road 299 Falls. Road 299 Falls      It's harder to find the road than the fall...

     We begin our hike today at the South Boxley Trailhead off Highway 21. First, we head up the fairly steep hill to visit Whiteley Cemetery.  Not a big cemetery its 'occupants' are mainly Whiteley and Edgmon family members with about twenty visible graves.  Then it’s back down past the spring with a pipe extending out for easy bucket filling. (taken 2/25/19)      We continue on, into Luallen Field passing some sort of pen possibly for feral hogs.  Farther on we come to a gauging station on the Buffalo River that measures water flow and river level. From there we work our way around a deep gully then follow the Buffalo upstream.   After about 300 yards the riverbank becomes quite steep and slippery with dead leaves and loose rock. The other side of the river looks inviting with a much gentler slope at the bank. But since the Buffalo is running full, bank to bank, fast and cold, we know better than to attempt crossing the ...