It’s been a long summer, I can’t really say that it’s been ‘a hot one’
at least not as hot as some in recent memory.
But summer just won’t seem to go
away, here we are a few days into fall now and I’m finally comfortable with the prospect of
inaugurating ‘hiking season’ and it’s about time. Everywhere is still mostly green and lush
with thick undergrowth so I’ll try to stay on the well-established (and clear)
trails.
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Alum Cove Natural Bridge
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For that reason I’ve decided on Alum Cove of the Ozark National Forest,
knowing the trails are well used, and besides it’s a short hike perfect for the
first of the season. We’ve been here a
few times in the past, usually with out
of town guests, but it has been many years so today I’m getting
re-introduced to an old friend, and hiking alone I’ll be sure to have a good long visit. |
on the trail at the first bench
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The paved parking lot has room for about 12 vehicles with a newer picnic pavilion behind and 3
designated campsites in front, with vault toilets at the end of the
pavement. The trail heads north through
the camping area and starts to drop down into the drainage (West Fork Shop
Creek) right away. Only a quarter mile
down the zig-zagging trail I come to awesome Natural Bridge. |
on top the Natural Bridge
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Alum Cove Natural Bridge with the trail landing right on top was used as a road long ago. The forest service has built guard-rails
along both sides which sort of spoils the natural
beauty of the bridge, but I suppose they do help keep people from falling
off. Continuing past the bridge, soon a side trail heads left down the hill back to the base of the bridge. |
approaching Natural Bridge from below
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Underneath is where I realize just how awesome the Natural Bridge is, at
close to a hundred feet long and 10-12 feet wide on top you really have to get
down under it to get a full appreciation.
Needless to say, I take a bunch of pictures before heading back to the
main trail. There are lots of side trails all over the area but the main trail remains obvious throughout the entire
‘Alum Cove’ area. |
caves and shelters are along the bluffline
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Two things help to keep the ‘main trail’ obvious, first is the many
benches along the way for a rest stop (I counted eleven, but may have missed
some). Second is the rock steps built
into the trail everywhere, these are
great they really make the ascents and descents safe and easy. I soon reach the bottom crossing West Fork
Shop Creek on a little bridge that I don’t remember being here years ago. |
in Alum Cove Cave
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Just 20-30 feet downstream from the bridge is Little Ledge Falls about 3
feet tall and 5 or 6 wide, way up here at the top of the Shop Creek drainage
the creek dries up fast so it takes a good heavy rain to get the waterfalls
going. On up the trail a little further
I branch off to the right on a side trail that leads up to the base of the
bluffs with a couple small shelters right away. |
| outside looking in |
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going through the passage
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Rejoining the main trail the shelters and caves get bigger and more beautiful as I go. The next, a
long cavern where I enter through the narrow door then maybe 60 feet in, I climb out off a low ledge , with a
couple windows along the way. Then
another natural arch, this one with bench #9 right underneath. Talk about a
great place to take a break! |
'bench #9' Natural Arch
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On the back side of the arch I notice a rock cairn up on a ledge, and a
little higher behind the cairn is a small shelter with two doors, a well-worn
route up the smooth sandstone ledge leads into the shelter. Just beyond here are two windows through the
bluff then the passage ends at a small low shelter. |
| window rock |
Maybe 100 yards further and down some stone steps is 12-15 feet tall
Alum Cave Falls, although dry today I can tell with some water added it’s a
thing of beauty. Right around the corner
from the falls the trail passes under an impressive rock overhang. Another hundred yards is another fabulous
cave with a back door.
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another passage (note rock cairn on ledge)
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This gorgeous shelter with a large entrance at the front has a small
stacked rock enclosure built in the
back into a tiny shelter within the shelter.
What could this be, it looks like a little ‘pig-pen’ to me, goats would
just climb right out. Anyway out the big
front door I head down 43 stone steps to the creek crossing. That’s it for the fantastic bluffline, now
it’s all uphill with a couple more benches and lots of stone steps.
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approaching the 'back door'
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Back at the Alum Cove Natural Bridge the trail turns right (away from
the bridge) and continues uphill back to the campground and parking area. Today’s Alum Cove adventure was 1.5 miles
with 323 feet of altitude gain. It was great
to get re-acquainted with Alum Cove and just wonderful to welcome in Autumn
with this short and sweet hike.
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note the pig-pen and back door to the right
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Alum Cove Rec. Area: Statistics Chart 177 Easy to get to on paved roads all the way. At the Deer turnoff (Highway 7/16 intersection) follow Highway 16 just over 1 mile to Wayton Road (eventually becomes Hwy. 374). Turn north here (at the sign) then it's about 3 miles to right on Alum Cove Road at another sign, the road ends at the parking lot. You could come down from Parthenon just as easily, follow Highway 374 south about 9 miles to Alum Cove Road on the left.
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