Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

       Whenever I’m looking for a hike close to home, I always seem to wind up at either Mincy Conservation Area (see: 111 , 112 , 133 , 175 , 218 ) or Slippery Hollow Natural Area (see: 108 , 109 , 176 , 202 ) , both are great areas for hikers.   But there are other places, also close to the house that I always overlook.   Today we’re going to check out ‘Fred Berry Conservation Education Center on Crooked Creek’, a long name, yes, but as we’re about to find out a beautiful place and close... Crooked Creek      Yes I said ‘we’, Kat has decided to come along for the adventure after I assure her, this should be an easy hike.   We drove around at ‘Fred Berry’ once many years ago, but this will be our first hike at the Ed. Center in Yellville, which is administered by Arkansas Game and Fish.   We pull into the Natural Area, crossing the bridge over Crooked Creek with Kelly’s Slab visible just downstream. first view of the creek on Cree...

       The last three days have seen temps in the high nineties, up until a week ago I was always waiting for the warmest days to go hiking, now I’m hoping for ‘cooler’ days.  Today is only supposed to reach the high sixties, so probably the only day this week with ‘hiking’ as an option.  I’ve decided to go back to Carver Cemetery, and see if I can hike down river, crossing Big Creek then east through 'pieces' of Gene Rush and Buffalo National River. Blue Hole #5      My planned route is a little vague: head from the cemetery over to Big Creek, cross to the other side, then look for trails or ‘firelanes’ or old roads that head generally in a east direction, hopefully close to the Buffalo.  I start out through a big field, then down through some woods to a lower and smaller field.  On the east side of this field is a high bank above Big Creek, but I don’t see an easy way down. hay field between Carver Cemetery and Big Cree...