Exploring NW Arkansas

Thursday, September 22, 2016

We got a good night's sleep in a nice hotel in Russellville, Arkansas last night and are ready for another day of adventure.

We drove north and found scenic Hwy. 123 toward Haw Creek Falls.  Just before arriving there, 

                                               we encountered this....

                                 Now what?

 We waited a few minutes and the workmen lifted up their truck's jacks to let us pass thru.

Right afterward was the entrance to Haw Creek Falls National Campground.

 We immediately had to drive across a low-water crossing....

                                    .....the Falls were amazing!

 We are the only ones here today but I can only imagine that this must be a popular place in the Summer time for kids to play along this creek and in the Falls.

 Yep, we had to drive back across the creek on our way out!

Our next stop was at the Alum Cove Natural Bridge.

 We hiked a half mile trail to get to see this Natural Bridge.

We then headed up to the Buffalo National River in search of Whittaker Point, the most photographed rock in Arkansas.

 After searching in vain, we finally stopped in Ponca, Ark. at a local store to ask for directions.  The lady working there was very familiar with Whitaker Point and kindly gave us directions.

 Boxley Canyon on the Buffalo River is a very beautiful area.

The directions we were given seemed so easy and a short distance, however we had to navigate the most steep and frightening one-lane gravel road curving up, up, up the mountain (too scary to get my camera out to take a photo!) it went on and on until we felt sure the directions must be wrong?  But eventually we came to tiny trailhead parking area.  Yea, we made it! 

 We did our duty and signed in at the trail register.

 We had read about this place in a brochure or magazine somewhere along the way.  It is a popular destination.  Hard to find though.  We did see several others on the trail out to the Point.

 Along the way there were many dramatic rock formations high above the river valley.

But this is Whittaker Point/Hawksbill Craig!

 Reminiscent of McAfee Knob on the Appalachian Trail!

                                    Pretty amazing!

After our frolic on the cliffs, we headed out west (not the way we came in!) to Red Star, the road much more to our liking.  We hit Hwy. 16 toward Fayetteville.  There are many, many motorcycles also heading toward Fayetteville?

Unbeknownst to us, there will be a half million people (most of them on motorcycles) in Fayetteville this weekend for the Bikers-Blues-Bar B Q Festival.  Oh my how did we get so lucky!

Needless to say, we felt price-gouged by the only hotel we could find with a room available for the night.  Lesson learned.....Check ahead of our vacation for any possible festivals in towns we will be visiting.  Also in hindsight, there was an awesome State Park just a few miles past Fayetteville!  Oh well..........