In Arkansas we rarely
get a day in July when it’s cool enough for hiking, today the forecasted high is
only predicted to reach 75 degrees. So, this might be our only chance for some comfortable hiking all summer. We decide on Sam’s Throne mainly because we
have never been there, but also because getting there will take us through one
of our favorite little towns, Mt. Judea. Anyone having read James C. Hefley's 'Way Back' series of books knows a little about the town of 'Judy' and legendary pioneer 'Sam Davis'.
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many tall bluffs
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Highway 123 from Judy up to Sam’s Throne might
just be the steepest with the tightest curves of any road in the state. I don’t know that for a fact, it sure is a
pretty drive, but keep your eyes on the
road! This stretch of highway between Judy and Sam's Throne was reportedly the last in the state highway system to get pavement.
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copperhead
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Pulling in at the big Forest Service 'Sam's Throne' sign, the road curves around to the south and downhill a little through the campground along both sides of the road. At the end of the road is a loop and parking area. We park here and look around a little, there are three trails leading out from this loop in the road, Trails X, Y and Z.
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popular rock-climbing area
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We however hike back up the road about 200 yards to two rock cairns marking a distinct trail, these cairns are
on the west side of the road about halfway through the campground. The trail goes through a campsite to the ‘Dog Walk’ which is sort of a five-way intersection and an easy place to get confused. We take the southwest trail down to and along 'Chickenhead Wall'. We don't see any chicken heads, but we do meet a little copperhead
coiled up on the trail enjoying the cool weather. |
along Chickenhead Wall
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Chickenhead Wall is an
impressive west facing bluffline that is popular with rock climbers. At the south end of
Chickenhead Wall the bluffline curls around the point and becomes the east facing bluffline. The trail curls east a little
too, before continuing south to an intersection with an old road coming up from the northeast. From this intersection the trail continues south to the rock formation called 'Sam’s Throne'.
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| copperheads' lunch? |
We
follow the old road/ATV trail northeast instead, and in a short distance leave the trail and begin a bushwhack up and along the east side bluffs. We're trying to find a series of four caves along this bluff, but
with no GPS today, or even any directions, we fail to locate any of the caves. The terrain seems to get rougher the farther we go, so we bail out and head downhill to the ATV trail at a small creek which is dry today.
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base of bluffs
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We follow the ATV trail up to the top of the hill and an intersection, where we leave the ATV trail, turning left on a trail that leads back west then south along the
top of the bluff. Here on the top the hiking is easy and mostly flat, there are a few great viewpoints along the way, and more evidence of
rock climbing.
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Chickenhead Vista
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At the intersection with 'Trail X' we turn right (northwest) and
conclude the hike back where we started, at the roads end loop where we're parked. Today with nice cool conditions we hiked a total of 2.27 miles round-trip with an
elevation gain of about 250 feet. Sam's Throne is a great place, I'm glad we finally drove up here to check it out, we'll definitely have to come back soon. For subsequent adventures at Sam's Throne, see: (91 Valley of the Blind), (102 The Point), (147 Sam's Throne). |
around the point
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Sam's Throne: Statistics Chart 26 Easy to get to, from Mt. Judea at the intersection of Highways 123 and 74, go south on Highway 123 up the mountain around numerous switchbacks approximately 4.3 miles to the 'signed' Sam's Throne entrance. Or if coming from the south at the intersection of Highways 123 and 7 in Lurton go north on Highway 123 about 10.3 miles to Sam's Throne entrance road west.
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