Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

    Just when I thought April was shaping up to be dryer than normal, we finally started getting some substantial rainfall.  It has rained pretty much every day for the past week, with today supposed to be a break between storms I know it’s time to get out there and see some waterfalls.  Pedestal Rocks Kings Bluff SIA has a small stream that marks the east boundary of the Special Interest Area, that is where I’m going to look for waterfalls today. Tripet Falls      At the Pedestal Rocks Kings Bluff (PRKB) parking area there are 3 or 4 cars already here when I pull in around 10:00, and another is right behind me.   Even though today is Monday this is typical, such an awesome place as PRKB is popular every day of the week.   Heading south at the trailhead over the little stone bridge I’m on the Main (Pedestal Rocks Loop) Trail and continue south at the Kings Bluff Trail which soon heads west. stone bridge at trailhead      Then it’s down nine nice stone steps and just a little further

       It’s getting pretty close to the end of April, and we haven’t really seen much rain, April and May are usually the ‘rainy months’ here in Arkansas.  We’ll see what happens, will May be extra wet to make up for April, or are we in for a dry year?  At any rate I won’t be ‘waterfall chasing’ today, instead I’ve decided to check out some more of the Ozark Highlands Trail. Crested Iris      For my starting point I’ve picked Ben Hur Trailhead in Moore near the southwest corner of Richland Creek Wilderness.  The small parking area (3-4 vehicle capacity) is empty when I arrive, I head east on the OHT, across the road to the sign-in box which come to find out was donated by the Walmart Foundation. sign-in box at Ben Hur Trailhead      Up here in the woods is mostly flat and real easy hiking, the Ozark Highlands Trail is well marked with white blazes and in excellent shape.  Crossing a couple little dry creeks keeps things interesting.  Everything is really ‘greening up’ now that we’re

       It was two years ago the last time we went hiking on Hudson Mountain, a return visit is long overdue .  On that adventure our hike ended up being a lot longer than we had planned (see: 115 Macedonia Loop ) .  Today I want to keep it short (sore knee), so I decide to check out the bluffs on the west side of Hudson Mountain up above Wolf Creek. The Courtyard      The parking area is about 800 feet off Cowell Road in a clearing with a campsite and a Forest Service gate.  The good trail follows the old road (FR 92153M) downhill for about 0.4 miles to a rock cairn on the left side of the road.  I continue down the road a short way to two more road exits , the first is also marked by a rock cairn.  Any of these ‘exits’ can be used to enter the bluff area which has amazing rock formations galore. parking in campsite beginnings of the bluffline      I backtrack up the road to the first rock cairn and the steepest descent, the lowest exit although basically a bushwhack would probably h