136 Search for the Deer Tower Trail

   This morning we head out not really with the intent to go hiking, but on more of a search mission.  On both the Forest Service Map and the USGS quad maps a long trail called ‘Deer Tower Trail’ is shown but I haven’t found anything written about this trail.  Also, we have heard a lot about the fantastic area along Home Valley Bluffs including mysterious Latin inscriptions carved into a large rock, so we're looking for possible parking spots and access to the bluffs.

    First, south towards the little town of Deer, now I’m assuming ‘Deer Tower Trail’ is named for the long-gone Deer fire lookout tower that was located about a mile north of town up on the peak just off Wayton Road.  We turn north on Wayton Road and about a mile from Highway 16 on the left is a little campground with three entrances, we pull in to check it out.

    I believe this is Deer Tower Campground which is located farther down the hill according to the USGS map.  This might have been a nice little campground once with eight to ten sites but has been neglected for far too long and is now turning into a dumpsite.  We park and walk back through a bunch of trash on an old road at the southwest corner of the campground.

Deer Tower Trail?

    Past the trash the old road is mostly clear of undergrowth and relatively level making for easy hiking, we go for almost a mile before turning around and heading back.  This may be the beginning of Deer Tower Trail I just don’t know.  The maps show the trail sporadically and occasionally sharing trail with road, eventually reaching Big Piney down near the confluence with Rock Creek.

    Back down Wayton Road, then right on Highway 16 through Deer, then past Limestone Road and about two more miles is a sharp left turn onto an old road heading sort of south.  This old road once followed Pilot Knob Ridge to its end and maybe beyond, but now ends in less than a quarter mile near the ruins of an old farm with a fence and locked gate.  We turn around and continue down the highway just a little further.

    Less than a quarter mile further towards Nail is another old road off to the left, this one even less used than the last and is covered in grass.  We get out and have a look around, the ‘road’ does continue down the hill then left and down some more.  Some maps show this road continuing over half a mile down to where the base of Home Valley Bluff possibly could be accessed.  Once again, I just don’t know so we head back up to the truck.

    This whole area along the highway above the bluffs may be private property and off limits.  I think either of these old roads could be hiked to gain access to the base of Home Bluff, if you have any information on Home Bluff or Deer Tower Trail, I would love to hear from you.  We drive back east to Highway 7 then north.

million-dollar views

    Before getting to Pruitt on the Buffalo River where we plan to stop for a picnic lunch, we pull off the highway just north of the Scenic 7 rest stop on a dead-end road I’ll call Asia Point Road just because that is where it goes.  On maps Asia Point looks like it would be a great place for hiking, but up on the ridge leading out to the point is a sub-division of up-scale homes all of which have the highly prized million-dollar view.

    We stop at a vacant property with a for-sale sign and take some pictures of the fabulous view into the Arkansas Grand Canyon.  Well, we didn’t really find the answers we were looking for concerning Deer Tower Trail or Home Valley Bluff but still had a great time exploring some of the highlands in the Ozarks, and if you know your way around Home Bluffs we would love to go hiking with you sometime.