Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

     I never thought we would be going swimming at the end of September, but it has been a long hot summer and with highs today predicted to be in the low nineties this may be our last chance this year.  Four days ago,  we went on our first hike of the season and found Blue Hole, a beautiful swimming hole just upstream from river mile 78 and the Woolum landing.      At that time,  I promised myself to come back someday to go swimming, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.   We cross the Buffalo at the same spot as last week, I’ll call this ford the ‘relocated’ Woolum Ford.  The crossing today is just over a foot deep but there are a few bigger rocks we need to avoid, still an easy crossing.      Up a short sandy hill on the south side of the river and we stay straight (west) where the road turns to the south and up another sandy hill.  Now we’re on a cobblestone road I’ve been calling 'Volunteer Road' which meanders along on the south side of the Buffalo a little over ha

     It was starting to seem like summer would never end, Tuesday a storm and cold front moved through and yesterday was the first official day of autumn.  I have been eager to go hiking for at least a month now, so with today’s forecast predicting highs in the low seventies...all I can say is “ finally ”.  We decide to go to Woolum, and if possible, drive across the Buffalo River then check out The Narrows and Skull Bluff. Bat House aka Skull Bluff      Getting to Woolum is easy enough and crossing the Buffalo River upstream about 100 yards from the old ‘traditional’ Woolum Ford isn’t bad either.  After a couple short steep, sandy climbs and a couple big mud holes we come to a 4-way intersection.  Straight ahead the road (Searcy CR14) continues south through Richland valley, left a cable gate blocks entrance into a large field and right is a smaller field with an open cable gate.  We park here in a wide spot at the side of the road. Woolum Ford (old location)      We walk past the o