Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

       We’re supposed to reach the mid-sixties this afternoon for our high but it’s only in the low twenties this morning, I hang around the house till after 9:00 waiting for the temps to warm up a little.   Heading south I decide to hike another small piece of the Ozark Highlands Trail.   The plan is to turn it into a loop utilizing an old road,   arriving at a Forest Service gate with lots of parking it’s 11:00 the thermometer in the truck reads 54°. Richland Creek      This gate signed ‘Road Closed’ is on Greenhaw Mountain Road (FR1200A), here is a big parking and camping area on the ridge of Greenhaw Mountain.   Around the gate the recently graded road continues south, that’s right ‘graded’ all the way down to Moore CCC OHT Spur.   I suppose this was done with horse and bicycle traffic in mind or maybe in preparation for upcoming logging. Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. scrapped clean      I just don’t know why the Forest ...

       Almost two months ago I did a little exploring downstream from Pruitt, (see: 184 Pruitt Bushwhack ) on that hike the loose plan was to ‘scout’ a possible route for a ‘future’ segment of the Buffalo River Trail.  Today I’m going back a little further down river, with that same plan of scouting for a future BRT, that’s my excuse, any reason to get out for a hike is good enough for me. above Little Buffalo River      From Scenic Highway 7 about two mile east on NC 3200 (Maintenance Yard Rd.) I pull in at a cable gate across an old road with small signs stating ‘no motor vehicles’.  Around the gate I head up the road which is in great shape (at least here at the start).  On the ridge there are lots of blown down trees everywhere but the sawyers seem to keep on top of things, soon comes the first junction. easy access off road parking yucca along old road      Turning right this old road follows the ridge for a while...