Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

    It has cooled off considerably since that blistering day back in early July when we last went to Arnold Hole, (see:   122 Arnold Hole ) , in fact the entire month of August has been quite nice with highs in the eighties and nineties.  We thought we should give Arnold Hole (at river mile 91 ) another chance, today though we're trying to reach the hole from the other side of the river. exit shoal across placid Arnold Hole      We turn west onto Hwy. 374 in St. Joe, at the sign for ‘Woolum’ and ‘Baker Ford’.  The paved highway soon curves around to the south and at the fork in front of a church we turn left off the pavement onto Baker Ford Road.  This gravel road has lots of small potholes and washboard , so we go slow, passing the north end of Fantail Drive then turn left at the other end of Fantail Drive, maybe a half mile further.  East on Fantail isn’t bad for a dirt road, in just a half mile is a right turn onto Gladiator Road. in the shade at Arnold Hole      Gladiator isn’t

     This afternoon on our way back from Rogers we took a ‘shortcut’ through Hobbs State Park and Conservation Area.  Hobbs, the largest of the state parks in Arkansas consists of wooded rolling hills along the banks of Beaver Lake and includes over fifty miles of well-maintained hiking, biking and horseback riding trails.      Although still in the grips of one of the hottest and driest summers on record, it has ‘cooled’ off in early August.  Today’s high is ‘only’ predicted to reach 89°, even so that is still too hot for any serious hiking, we’re going to check out the very short and easy trail through the Van Winkle Historic District.  Parking at the trailhead on Scenic Highway 12 is pretty impressive, with its paved parking lot, sidewalks, restrooms and a picnic area. at Highway 12 tunnel     We park at the west end of the lot right next to the trailhead sign, The Van Winkle Trail is ADA compliant (handicap accessible) and begins as an easy grade downhill on the concrete sidewalk