8th Leg: The Ozarks and the Buffalo National River Region
For as long as I can remember after, and before the Netflix series...I've always wanted to visit the Ozarks. To be honest, I never really knew where they were, but as I recalled in my Eureka Springs leg, I'd always seen that big, white 1960's looking Christ of the Ozarks statue from television or something, and always thought it would be a strange place to visit. Also, hiking in the Ozarks meant some of the most diverse geography all in one place...caves, cliffs, waterfalls, forests...had to be done. And then of course the tv show "Ozark" sealed the deal. A truly weird and wild place. I can't claim we made it to a casino in Missouri, but we were close!
A friend of mine from Texas, Thuy (pronounced like "twee"), drove up to meet me for 3 nights in Jasper, after which we moved to 2 nights in Mountainburg, so basically we met and started in the far northeast of the Ozark National Forest and Buffalo National River, then ended in the southwest corner. As I drove solo from Eureka Springs to Jasper, I started to get an idea that this was not a typically maintained national park. Gorgeous valleys and endless hills...author Carl Sandberg said of the Ozarks "a place where the hills don't get any higher, but the hollows get deeper and deeper." Later my mom reminded me the Ozark area is a national FOREST, not a national PARK, hence the fact that trails aren't marked or maintained by the government.
Thuy I and enjoyed our Airbnb in Jasper, right on the town square with our view of the courthouse, the farmer's market mountain music and nights taking turns cooking and sipping vodka and sodas whilst people watching the non-stop stream of visitors coming to eat at the well over 100 year old Ozark Cafe. Aside from a couple other stores and one other restaurant only open on Fridays and Saturdays, we had the run of Jasper . Emma's Museum of Junk antique store, right next door to us, Emma told me everything I needed to know on day two about hiking in the Ozark National Forest. "It's wild. The trails you'll be on your own. And too many bears. I don't go out anymore there's so many bears. The ticks will get you. It's great., enjoy it." She also sold us a book written about a creepy cult in Jasper (Witness for the Lamb)...don't spoil it for me, as of yet, I haven't read it! Also, the waitresses at the Ozark Cafe, "are a hoot" as I'm sure they say round these parts. Both Thuy and I loved over-tipping them like 50% each time we visited. I mean, it's a small town! Have some fun.
Thuy and I learned quick that not all roads are paved. We did 10 miles in the middle of nowhere to get to the iconic, open since 1890 Oark General Store for lunch. Totally worth the mess we made of our cars. "When you're in the middle of nowhere, go somewhere" is their motto. We also learned that most hiking trails in the forest and the Buffalo National River will be referred to as "primitive". We did make it to The Arkansas Grand Canyon, Falling Water Falls and Six Finger Falls...water color out of this world blue, never seen anything like it. And we were able to hike Sam's Throne, King's Bluff Loop Trail, and the Glory Hole trail, a fascinating ecological formation where a waterfall flows into a ceiling hole in cave. Now THAT'S what I came to the Ozarks for! All these amazing photos are in my album linked below.
We also attempted the Eye of the Needle "trail", described online as "the most beautiful place in the United States, a must visit, but completely treacherous to get to. Go in a group." After about a mile in on a dry river bed and overgrown single track trail, blaring our music to scare potential bears, we came across a sign "primitive beyond this point". What were we already hiking on? Consensus...we gave up on that one...decided to just live with what would have been according to stavislost.com. Next time, find a hiking group ahead of time online?
Our final part of the trip was in Mountainburg and mostly rained out, but this turned out to be a great way to have some forced relaxation, reading and sipping wine, watching all the wildlife in our backyard farm where the Airbnb was located. The Emerald Cottage as our hostess called it, was truly a little bit of heaven in the middle of nowhere...yes, the road was unpaved to get there too!
Teamwork makes the dreamwork...our final night dinner had us enjoy salmon omelettes with farm fresh eggs and movie watching on the big projector. This may have been the best outfitted Airbnb either of us have stayed in! Cheers to our retired Texas hosts that thought of EVERYTHING! Ozarks...I want to go back, next time, with an RV and a guide!!
Photos: The in-the-middle-of-nowhere Oark Cafe #forthegram, otherworldy waters found in the Ozarks, Thuy and I finding a "glory hole", yep...that what they call em. River a bit low this summer, but we got some showers! And us visiting the Grand Canyon, in my standard "grabby" pose, rinse, repeat.
To see all our photos from this nature filled 5 five days, click here.
A friend of mine from Texas, Thuy (pronounced like "twee"), drove up to meet me for 3 nights in Jasper, after which we moved to 2 nights in Mountainburg, so basically we met and started in the far northeast of the Ozark National Forest and Buffalo National River, then ended in the southwest corner. As I drove solo from Eureka Springs to Jasper, I started to get an idea that this was not a typically maintained national park. Gorgeous valleys and endless hills...author Carl Sandberg said of the Ozarks "a place where the hills don't get any higher, but the hollows get deeper and deeper." Later my mom reminded me the Ozark area is a national FOREST, not a national PARK, hence the fact that trails aren't marked or maintained by the government.
Thuy I and enjoyed our Airbnb in Jasper, right on the town square with our view of the courthouse, the farmer's market mountain music and nights taking turns cooking and sipping vodka and sodas whilst people watching the non-stop stream of visitors coming to eat at the well over 100 year old Ozark Cafe. Aside from a couple other stores and one other restaurant only open on Fridays and Saturdays, we had the run of Jasper . Emma's Museum of Junk antique store, right next door to us, Emma told me everything I needed to know on day two about hiking in the Ozark National Forest. "It's wild. The trails you'll be on your own. And too many bears. I don't go out anymore there's so many bears. The ticks will get you. It's great., enjoy it." She also sold us a book written about a creepy cult in Jasper (Witness for the Lamb)...don't spoil it for me, as of yet, I haven't read it! Also, the waitresses at the Ozark Cafe, "are a hoot" as I'm sure they say round these parts. Both Thuy and I loved over-tipping them like 50% each time we visited. I mean, it's a small town! Have some fun.
Thuy and I learned quick that not all roads are paved. We did 10 miles in the middle of nowhere to get to the iconic, open since 1890 Oark General Store for lunch. Totally worth the mess we made of our cars. "When you're in the middle of nowhere, go somewhere" is their motto. We also learned that most hiking trails in the forest and the Buffalo National River will be referred to as "primitive". We did make it to The Arkansas Grand Canyon, Falling Water Falls and Six Finger Falls...water color out of this world blue, never seen anything like it. And we were able to hike Sam's Throne, King's Bluff Loop Trail, and the Glory Hole trail, a fascinating ecological formation where a waterfall flows into a ceiling hole in cave. Now THAT'S what I came to the Ozarks for! All these amazing photos are in my album linked below.
We also attempted the Eye of the Needle "trail", described online as "the most beautiful place in the United States, a must visit, but completely treacherous to get to. Go in a group." After about a mile in on a dry river bed and overgrown single track trail, blaring our music to scare potential bears, we came across a sign "primitive beyond this point". What were we already hiking on? Consensus...we gave up on that one...decided to just live with what would have been according to stavislost.com. Next time, find a hiking group ahead of time online?
Our final part of the trip was in Mountainburg and mostly rained out, but this turned out to be a great way to have some forced relaxation, reading and sipping wine, watching all the wildlife in our backyard farm where the Airbnb was located. The Emerald Cottage as our hostess called it, was truly a little bit of heaven in the middle of nowhere...yes, the road was unpaved to get there too!
Teamwork makes the dreamwork...our final night dinner had us enjoy salmon omelettes with farm fresh eggs and movie watching on the big projector. This may have been the best outfitted Airbnb either of us have stayed in! Cheers to our retired Texas hosts that thought of EVERYTHING! Ozarks...I want to go back, next time, with an RV and a guide!!
Photos: The in-the-middle-of-nowhere Oark Cafe #forthegram, otherworldy waters found in the Ozarks, Thuy and I finding a "glory hole", yep...that what they call em. River a bit low this summer, but we got some showers! And us visiting the Grand Canyon, in my standard "grabby" pose, rinse, repeat.
To see all our photos from this nature filled 5 five days, click here.