Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Sneeds Creek Hike

The Sneeds Creek Trail is a trail that a lot of folks know about, but it seems few actually hike. I seldom see photos of the area on social media or online elsewhere. Sneeds Creek is a beautiful hike that includes a lot of natural beauty and old Ozarks history. I suspect the length of the hike (we netted 11.5 miles on our hike) along with the fact that there are 6 wet water crossings keep a lot of folks away. This is also a horse trail, so it can be a little bit rough hiking in places but not too bad. But the trail is worth it, wet feet and all. 

Sneeds Creek

The best way to hike the trail is to hike it in conjunction with the Hemmed in Hollow Trail and create a loop. It could certainly be done as an out-and-back, or in a loop with the Centerpoint Trail if you have a shuttle to get back to your car. But in looping it with the Hemmed In Hollow Trail you get two great trails, and end up right back where you started.

Getting There

The hike starts at the Compton Trail head near the community of Compton. To get there, go to the community of Compton (8.3 miles north of Ponca on Highway 43) and turn EAST on the gravel road immediately across from the JB Trading Post. After .1 miles, turn RIGHT onto the gravel road. Take that .8 miles and turn RIGHT on another gravel road and the parking area and trail head are just at the top of the hill. There is a sign pointing to the Compton Trailhead off Highway 43 and at the 2nd turn on the gravel road. 

The Hemmed-in-Hollow trail starts here. If you look just to the right of the Hemmed in Hollow Trail head there is another trail -- the Sneeds Creek Trail. This is the path that you'll return on.

The Hike

Start hiking down the Hemmed-in Hollow Trail. I won't go into a lot of detail for a bit because it's the same route you take to get to Hemmed in Hollow Waterfall.  

Hemmed In Hollow Falls

At 1.8 miles, you hit an intersection. The trail to the left takes you to Hemmed in Hollow waterfall. The trail to the right takes you toward Sneeds Creek. If you've come this far, you should absolutely check out the waterfall and return back to this spot. If you go see the waterfall, add 1.5 miles onto all of the mileage markers that follow. For the sake of his post, we're going to turn RIGHT here and head toward Sneeds Creek. And excluding the hike to the falls, this intersection is at 1.8 miles. 

Glade area

From here, the trail follows along the top of a small bluff for awhile and then at 2.3, the trail turns sharply left and goes to the bottom of the bluff. There isn't a sign here, and it's fairly easy to miss, but there is a rock slab with steps notched out of it that help you get to the bottom. At the bottom, the trail turns to the left again and down the hill. It then veers right and crosses over a really nice glade area. I always love these little glade areas because the colors are always so vibrant. 

Sneeds Creek

The trail then goes down some more and turns to the left and heads down to Sneeds Creek. The trail runs along Sneeds Creek for a bit until it turns right and crosses the creek. This is the first of 6 crossing of Sneeds Creek -- expect that during wet season that all of these will be wet crossings. Most seemed to be about a foot to 18 inches deep on the day we visited. As with any water crossings, be smart, and know your limits. And if you can't see the bottom, don't cross!  

Sneeds Creek

Once you've navigate the creek, the trail turns to the left a bit (there are a few other volunteer trails on the opposite side of the creek that lead to different camp sites, so stay left). The trail then leads down to the Buffalo River. This is the best place to get a good view of the river on the entire trail.

The Buffalo River

The trail follows an old road bed along the river for a couple of hundred yards and then turns right and starts heading steeply back up the hill again. At 3.0, the trail hits another intersection. To the LEFT is the Centerpoint trail that leads up to Big Bluff and the Centerpoint Trail Head.  Big Bluff is about 1 mile up the hill from this spot. For our purposes, stay to the right. And about 100 yards, you'll arrive at Granny Henderson's Cabin.

Granny Henderson's Cabin

Granny Henderson's cabin is a beautiful old cabin and was home to one of the last people to live in the wilderness area. You can read more about the triumph and tragedy of Granny Henderson here. Remember, this is a national historic site, so please respect this amazing spot. 

Sneeds Creek

The trail heads past the cabin and then back down the hill again and crosses Sneeds Creek again at 3.3. 

Rocky Bottom

Once you cross the creek, the trail turns left and heads upstream a bit and at 3.4 you hit one of the most amazing features in all of the Ozarks. At 3.4, the wilderness opens up to a HUGE rock slab that is larger than a football field. It's a bit hard to describe, but the openness of the area is a stark contrast to the dense wilderness that surrounds it. Sneeds Creek runs across this huge rock slab forming a variety of amazing cascades and waterfalls. There is also a smaller waterfall that comes in from the right. This entire areas is called "Rocky Bottom".

Cascades along Rocky Bottom

Take some time to enjoy the area.  

The trail then enters the woods again near the top of the rock slab on the right side of the creek (when facing upstream). 

Sneeds Creek

The trail goes back into the woods. It runs pretty close to the creek here with a lot of nice views. There are also a few old fields here. There are a few times that the wear of the trail (from people, water and horses) has cause the trail to erode to a couple of feet below ground level. 

Cascade along Sneeds Creek

At 4.0, the trail turns sharply left and crosses Sneeds Creek again. This is the 3rd wet crossing of the hike. This turn is pretty easy to miss, but essentially the trail dips sharpley down and to the left to the creek. You can just see the trail continue on the other side. If you don't cross here, there are remnants of a trail on the side you were on that continues for a bit but then sort of peters out as it hits a bluff area. Turn LEFT and cross the creek. 

Creek Crossing #3

The trail runs along the left side of the creek now for a bit and then goes back down the hill and crosses the creek for a fourth time. Every time the creek is in view it's another amazing, peaceful view. 

Creek Crossing #4 (Note the trail on the right on the other side of the creek)

The trail continues on the right side of the creek for a bit, and then crosses over for a 5th time at 4.4. 

After the creek crossing the trail heads up the hill a bit and for the first time in awhile there is a sign of civilization -- in the form a couple of old car bodies that have been laid to rest in the area. 

Just past the car bodies, as if the beauty and cascades that you've already seen aren't enough, at 4.7 the trail reaches a place often referred to as the "Place of Quiet Cascades". It does not disappoint. 

The Place of Quiet Cascades - Sneeds Creek

In this area there are multiple shorter waterfalls that expand the width of the entire creek -- each is definitely photo-worthy, and so peaceful. It's a great place to stop and have a sandwich. 

The Place of Quiet Cascades = Sneeds Creek

On upstream, are even more cascades and waterfalls. 

Quiet Cascades = Sneeds Creek

And it just keeps going. It's such an amazing stretch of trail along this beautiful Creek. 

Waterfall along Sneeds Creek

This place is simply amazing. 

At around 4.9 the trail crosses the creek for the 6th and final time. The trail then, sadly turns to the right and away from the creek and you see the creek for the last time. 

The trail follows an old road and switchbacks UP the hill. And I do mean up folks. The rest of the hike is about a 1,000 foot climb out of this beautiful canyon. The road is rocky and rough hiking, but easy enough to follow. The trail turns right and straightens out a bit, and then turns back left and on up the hill. 

Trail passing through an open field

As you make your way toward the top of the hill, the trail levels out a bit and passes through a couple of open fields that are now overgrown with cedars and past the remnants of an old rock quarry. 

After 1.4 miles of climbing at 6.4, the trail passes and intersection. To the right is the bench trail that would head back down the hill and connect with the Hemmed In Hollow trail and on over to Wild Vic's Cabin. Stay straight on the main road and up and continue on up the hill. 

At 6.5, the trail leaves the road and heads on a flatter and softer trail in the woods. The trail runs along the base of a steep ridge and stays mostly flat for awhile, then gradually climbs. At 7.2, the trail comes out at the parking lot, just a bit east of where you started, completing the 7.2 mile loop.  

Note, I am using the mileages from Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails book. But while his book says this is a 7.2 mile loop (8.7 if you take the side trip to Hemmed In Hollow), my fitbit said we'd gone 11.5 miles on this hike. Admittedly we do a bit of exploring that adds mileage (and we took a wrong turn when we missed the 3rd creek crossing the first time), even so this doesn't make up for the nearly 3 mile difference in mileage. I guess what I'm saying is that while this is at 7.2 mile loop, be prepared for something a bit longer. If nothing else, with the steep climb out, and the wet shoes, it will feel like more than 7.2! 

Trail Details:

Mileage: 7.2 mile loop, 8.7 if we include the side trip to Hemmed in Hollow

Difficulty: Difficult -- the length, elevation change and wet water crossings make this a pretty challenging trail.

Footwear: Sturdy Hiking boots are required, and bring an extra pair of socks to change into after the final water crossing

Kid Friendly: No

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Other trails nearby: Big Bluff, Hemmed in Hollow, Hideout Hollow, McFerrin Point

Photos from our hike October 28th, 2019

Hedges Historical Hike

For years now, I've been wanting to hike an area in the upper area of the Buffalo National River that was rich in history and scenery. Oddly, however, not a lot of "hiking" guides mention the trail, which is mostly used by horseback riders. 

The hike takes visitors back to several historic areas, including an old cemetery, an old school site, an old homestead and some amazing views of the upper part of the Buffalo River, with some amazing scenery in between.

Hedges Hole

The old homestead was the former home of Margaret and Harold Hedges (Hedges Pouroff also bears their name). The Hedges lived in the area for many years and were key players in helping the Buffalo National River gain "National River" protections in 1972. Unfortunately their home was destroyed in a fire (believed to be arson) in 1991. They left their beautiful home site in the Buffalo River and gave the land to the parks service and moved to Harrison.

This hike takes you to their homestead and past many features along the way.

Getting there

The trail head starts at the Boxley Trail head of the Buffalo River Trail. The trail head is just off of Highway 21 1.1 miles south of where the highway crosses the Buffalo River (by Cave Mountain Road) in Boxley. Park at the Buffalo River Trail parking. While the Buffalo River Trail (to Ponca) starts on the opposite side of the highway from the parking area, the Hedges Hike stays on this side of the highway.

Root Cellar at the trail head

At the trail head is an old root cellar and the remains of the old Whiteley Church.

The foundation remains of the old Whiteley Church

The Trail

The trail starts off from the parking area down the gravel road moving away from Highway 21 toward an old barn and scale house. You'll be at the barn after .1 miles. The barn and scale house are key as there are a couple of other old roads in the area.

Scale House

 

Barn along the trail

From the barn and scale house, the trail turns LEFT and heads up the old road. You'll pass a gait that blocks the road and go up the hill then turn a hard right on the road and continue up the hill. This old road will be the type of trail you'll be on for the entire hike and is pretty easy to follow. 

The Old Road that serves as the trail

On up the hill, at .2, you'll pass a small cemetery. This is the old Whiteley Cemetery. There aren't a lot of grave stones there, and only two are faintly legible, but those two definitely tell a story. Both legible grave stones are of children that died at child birth around the turn of the past century -- a reminder of the harsh conditions early settlers lived in.

Born & Died, March 14, 1888

 

Isaac

This old grave marker is being overtaken by a tree

The trail continues up the old road. At .4 it passes a small pond and at .6 a very long stone wall comes into view on the left. The wall runs about .1 miles and is an impressive bit of craftmanship. The early settlers spent a lot of time moving big rocks to build these walls without any type of mortar.

Stone wall

The trail continues climbing up at a gradual pace. At .8, the trail reaches an intersection. At the intersection (just up and to the left) are the remains of the old Whiteley School House. This school house served the youth of the early settlers of the area and it's easy to imagine kids walking these old roads to school each day. Unfortunately, the school house itself burned down in 1999. Only the foundation remains.

Foundation of the old Whiteley School House

At the intersection at the old School House, turn RIGHT onto the road. This is a similar road to the one you've been hiking on and for now, the climbing has stopped. The intersection is about 500 feet of elevation higher than where you started, so you've earned the downhill stretch. 

The road continues gradually downhill. At 1.0 miles it passes a wilderness boundary gate. Continue on the old road.

The Trail

The road passes another old home site that is mostly just a foundation and and the foundation of the old cellar. It also passes a couple of small creeks.

At 1.1, the trail crosses another small creek that has huge boulders. This is a BEAUTIFUL area and definitely worth taking the time to explore. 

Creek and boulder area

Beautiful creek area

Once crossing the creek, the trail bends to the right. It goes up hill a bit, and then back downhill. At 2.1 miles the road finally reaches the old Hedges house.

The Hedges sure had a nice place to live. And there is plenty to explore. There is an old pond off to the left and an amazing stone driveway entryway. Their old mailbox remains near their old workshop area. All that remains of the home are two amazing stone chimneys and some miscellaneous fixtures within the foundation. 

Entry way and chimney at Hedges Homes

 

Hedges

 

Stone driveway entryway

 

Pond by the Hedges Home

 

Old workshop

It's really sad to think that arson forced the Hedges to leave this beautiful place. Once you've explored the home, continue back down on the old road and head down the hill. After a few hundred yards heading downhill the road leads to the Hedges barn.

Hedges Barn

From the barn, there is a semi-marked trail that heads down into the woods at the back and to the right. The trail leads down to the Buffalo River and a beautiful swimming hole that goes by a couple of different names: Hedges Hole (named obviously after the Hedges) and Pickle Hole (named after WP "Pickle" Edgemon who also once lived in the area). Hedges Hole is a beautiful little area and also a landmark or kayakers who are running the Hailstone (the common name for the upper part of the Buffalo River during high water) that they are nearly to Boxley.

Hedges Hole

 

The river serves as a great watering hole for all types of creatures

 

Hedges Hole

 

Hedges Hole

During time of low water, hikers can follow the river back downstream. Eventually a small field will appear on the right and hikers can cut across the field back to the trail head. During times of higher water, this will likely be a WET way to get back, and on this cold winter day we wanted no part of that. So we hiked back the way we came. 

I'm really happy we were able to do this hike. It's a nice hike in its own right, and allowed us to really get a feel for the lives of the early settlers to the area. 

Hike Details

Total Distance: 4.8 miles round trip (plus some for exploring)

Difficulty: Moderate -- it's pretty easy hiking but the trail has an elevation gain of about 500 feet each direction

Footwear: Sturdy Hiking boots are probably preferred

Kid-Friendly: Yes!

Hiking guide: Takahik Hiking the Ozarks Guide (by Danny Hale)

Other sites nearby: The Boxley Valley, The BRT Boxley to Ponca, The Lost Valley Trail, Smith Creek Nature Preserve Trails (Forthcoming), Upper Buffalo Wilderness Boen Gulf Access.

 

 

Granny Henderson's Cabin

The Buffalo National River is an area rich in natural beauty and history of early settlers. And there is no place that represents the sometimes painful collision between these two things quite like Granny Henderson's Cabin.

Granny Henderson's Cabin - Today

In the 1960s, there were plans made to put a dam on the Buffalo River -- to provide hydro-electric power and a lake for recreation as was common practice during this time. However, many in the area weren't in favor of the dam, and wanted the river to be left free-flowing. 

In an effort to keep the river free-flowing, a group of advocates fought for the protections of the River by making it the nation's first National River. This plan was approved in 1972 -- making the Buffalo River the first protected National River in the nation and allowing it to be the natural/beautiful area millions of visitors enjoy for recreation each year.

But saving the river from being dammed didn't solve all of the problems for people like Eva "Granny" Henderson. 

Eva "Granny" Henderson - National Geographic Photo - Courtesy of the National Park Service

Eva Henderson moved onto her 167 acres of paradise near the Buffalo River when she was 16 years old after marrying her husband Frank. They worked the land, raising cattle and food for their family. They never had modern conveniences like running water or electricity. For water, Eva made trips a quarter mile away to fetch water from the Buffalo River. Granny remained living in the cabin long after Frank passed away in 1959.

However, after the designation of the River as a National River, the government came around trying to reclaim the owned land near the river so it could be returned to wilderness area. In 1978, a couple of "Government Men" as Granny called them, came up to Granny and told her the aimed to buy her land. "They asked me what I thought of it," Granny recalled. "'I don't think much of it' I told them. I said it kinda short, because I meant it short."

In so many ways, Granny Henderson's comments there remind me of my own grandmother.

Remains of an old root cellar

The Government got it's way, of course. In 1978 Granny Henderson was forced to leave her cabin at the age of 87 -- after living 71 years on that little plot of ground. She moved in with her daughter "up the hill" and died only a few months later. Granny's story has been told many times, including by National Geographic Magazine. Ozarks Alive has a very nice , more comprehensive history, available online.

The story is one of tragedy for Granny Henderson, even in triumph in the protection of this beautiful national river. Even today, many locals are still very suspicious of the government's work along the river because of situations like Granny's.

Granny's cabin stands today, and is a popular stopping point for hikers and as a reminder of the rugged history of the area. It It can be accessed via several trails, including the Centerpoint Trail, Hemmed in Hollow Trail, and Sneeds Creek Trail (forthcoming). 

Getting there

The most direct route to reach the homestead is to take the Centerpoint Trail as if you're hiking to Big Bluff. After 3 miles of hiking, there is a junction that takes you out to the Goat Trail to Big Bluff. If you stay straight on the old road/trail, and hike for another 1 mile you will get to Granny Henderson's Cabin. It makes for about an 8 mile out and back from the Centerpoint trailhead with a substantial elevation gain coming back out. 

In Remembrance...

This is a very special place, so please treat it with care. You may enter the cabin, but camping is not allowed, and please leave no trace.

Nearby: Big Bluff, Hemmed in Hollow, Sneeds Creek

Spring House

Sometimes mother nature and human hands can create beautiful symmetry. This old, historic spring house is perched on a hill in the Boxley Valley. The water flows only in the wet season after a good rain, but when it's flowing, it creates a beautiful scene. 

Tyler Bend Trails - River View Trail/Rockwall Trail Loop

It's sometimes easy for me to forget that the Buffalo National River is a part of our national parks system (not really a national park, but as a National River, managed by the national park service).  We spend most of our time in the upper Buffalo area  that is very remote, and outside of a few of the trails and campsites, there aren't a lot of signs of the National Park Service.

Tyler Bend is a bit different though. At Tyler Bend there is a really nice visitors center that has displays, sells merchandise such as books about area wildlife & plant life, trail maps, and National Park merchandise as well as a ranger on hand who can answer a lot of questions you may have about the area. The Tyler Bend area also has a lot of great campsites and a beautiful pavilion.

If you're heading to the Buffalo River area, this is probably one of the most developed and accessible points along the river. With that comes several really nice hiking trails that  range from .8 miles long to 1.5 miles long that can be combined together for really solid day of hiking (or more -- as the Buffalo River Trail heads out in two directions from Tyler Bend as well). Most of the trails head out in generally a southern direction and then can be connected by the Buffalo River Trail to make loops of various lengths to fit your desired hiking length/time (See map)

For our day, we decided to take the Riverview Trail and loop it with the Rockwall Trail -- which made for a very nice 4 mile loop. It includes some fantastic views of the Buffalo River, a lot of peaceful wooded sections of trail, and some nice historical features as well. 

Getting there

The Tyler Bend area is just off of Highway 65 -- about 8 miles south of St. Joe and 12 miles north of Marshall. It is on the south side of the river and very well-signed.

To start the trail loop, we parked at the visitors center - -and the Riverview trail starts on the west side of the visitors center.

The Trail 

The River View trail heads down the hill into the woods and then follows along a large open field. The trail hits a small overlook over the Buffalo River and then turns a bit left into the woods. 

The trail then turns further left and at .3 crosses a small wooden bridge and then turns back right and follows a drainage back toward the river. Then, at .7 the trail turns hard left and heads UP a steep hill. 

The next about .2 miles is a steep climb with an elevation gain of about 300 feet-- but there are several pretty nice overlooks over the river where you can stop and take a look over the vast Buffalo River Valley while you catch your breath. (Note: Be VERY careful along some of the bluff lines as there are several areas with very steep drops).

At .9, the trail hits a wooden observation deck that has a great view of Calf Creek coming in from the left and upstream on the Buffalo River. At this point, there is a side trail that comes in from the left -- this is a return trail if hikers want to do the River View Trail as an out-and-back semi-loop hike. We did not take that trail.

From the overlook, we remained on the main trail as it heads out on the level away from the river. 

At 1.4, the trail reached the Collier Homestead. The Collier Homestead was the home of Sod and Ida Mae Collier for more than 30 years. The Colliers settled the area in 1937 as a part of the Homestead Act of 1862 and lived in this rustic cabin without electricity or running water until the early 1960s. The cabin had come into much disrepair by the time the National Parks Service bought the land in 1987, but today, both out-buildings and the home have been returned to a refurbished condition so that visitors can get a feel for what life along the Buffalo River would have been like in the early part of the 20th Century.

After spending a little time checking out the homestead and the surrounding grounds, continue straight ahead on the trail. Shortly, the trail hits a couple of intersections. The trail to the right is the Buffalo River Trail heading upstream 13.1 miles toward Woolum. The trail to the left is the Return Trail and connects back with the River View trail near the overlook and goes back toward the visitors center. Stay STRAIGHT -- and this trail is the Buffalo River Trail (BRT) and heads toward Grinders Ferry/HWY 65. 

At .1 on the BRT, the trail quickly passes a parking lot (the trail from the parking lot to the Collier Homestead is handicap accessible) and then crosses over the main road and then back into the woods. The BRT  follows along a bench on mostly on the level through a really nice wooded area.

At .4 miles on the BRT (1.9 miles from the start) the trail intersects with the Spring Hollow Trail on the left and after 1 mile (2.5 miles total) the trail passes the Buck Ridge Trail. Both of these trails head down the hill to the left and come out at a parking area near the amphitheater which is a short walk from the visitors center.

We stayed straight and followed the BRT through the wooded area. The trail joins a large/deep ravine for a stretch which creates beautiful views down into the valley below. At 1.7 miles (3.2 total) the BRT reaches the intersection of the Rock Wall Trail. We turned LEFT here. The Rock Wall Trail heads over a ridge and then descends fairly steeply into a ravine. After crossing a small creek, the trail turns sharply right and follows the creek to the bottom of the hill. 

At the bottom of the hill, the trail turns LEFT and is level and follows an historic Rock Wall (the trail's namesake) back to the campground. The wall itself is short and crumbling as the moss, moisture and mother nature have taken quite a toll on its stability and height. But it's really pretty neat, and the entire area through here is very pretty.

The trail follows the rock wall for nearly .5 miles before the wall sort of ends and the trail head out toward the campground. From the BRT to the campground is .9 miles on the Rock Wall Trail.  At the campground, there is a nice bathroom with running water and from there, it's a short .2 mile walk up the hill toward the visitors center where the loop was complete.

Overall there is a LOT to see and explore in this area and this four mile loop was a really nice afternoon hike that offered a lot of great views, some great hiking, and a little bit of history along the way.

Trail Details 

Total Distance: 4 mile loop

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Kid-Friendly: Older kids capable of doing the 4 mile hike with the 300 foot elevation climb will be fine....and again, be sure everyone is safe near any bluffs at overlook areas.

Footwear: Trail Shoes or hiking boots

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails or the National Parks Service has maps of the area at the Visitor's Center

Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Trail photos from hike on November 16, 2016.

 

 

War Eagle Mill

The Ozarks were tough frontier for the early settlers. Rugged terrain and dense woods made travel difficult. And, like all settlements, water was of the utmost importance. And thus, many of the early settlements exist on some of Arkansas's most prominent waterways as water was necessary for life, travel, and in some cases, power.

Thus is the case of War Eagle Mill. War Eagle Mill is an historic (ish) Grist mill that sits along War Eagle Creek in Benton County (near Rogers and Beaver Lake). 

The mill history dates back to 1832. The first version of War Eagle mill was flooded by a heavy rain season in 1848. The second version of the mill was destroyed by Confederate Troops who burned the mill to the ground to prevent Union soldiers from using it in 1962 just prior to the Battle of Pea Ridge. The Mill was rebuilt after the war in 1865, but then burned down again in 1924.

The current mill was built in 1973, and was built to historic specifications based on the blue prints of the third mill. War Eagle Mill is the only working mill in Arkansas -- and though only 40 years old, visiting is like stepping back in time to the days when this would have been a major food provider for the region.  You can read a more detailed version of the history here.

The mill consists of three floors - the first has demonstrations of the grist mill in action and includes many food products for purchase that are ground at the mill. The Second floor features a lot of arts and crafts for sale and the third floor features a restaurant. We ate breakfast at the restaurant and it featured mill-made biscuits and gravy, eggs, pancakes (made from a variety of different types of milled grains), hashbrown casserole, bacon and sausage -- and everything was quite tasty.

Outside the mill you can explore the mill grounds, walk across the narrow, one lane, historic bridge built in 1908, and enjoy watching the mill wheel and the small waterfall area along War Eagle Creek.

There are no hiking trails at the mill -- but there are many short and long trails at Hobbs State Park nearby. 

We were fortunate to get the opportunity to see a waters snake that had caught a fish take his fresh catch UP the waterfall and enjoy his brunch on a sunny rock on the top of the falls.

To get to War Eagle Mill, take Highway 412 to Highway 303 (14 miles East of Springdale, and 13 miles west of Huntsville) and turn NORTH onto Highway 303. War Eagle Mill is 8 miles down Highway 303 -- and you'll know you're there when you cross the narrow bridge.

This is a great place to spend the day for families, or to stop in while visiting nearby Hobbs State Park.

Round Top Mountain Hiking Trail

As you drive South on Highway 7, as you near Jasper a mountain with a uniquely shape top comes into view. It's an interesting looking mountain, accurately named Round Top Mountain, and it dominates the mountain-line near Jasper. 

There is a great hiking trail here, that is full of a lot of beautiful scenery, wildflowers and a bit of unusual history that's worth checking out.

Part of the trail was washed away three years ago in some serious April rains. It just reopened a little less than a year ago after a lot of work by the folks at the Newton County Resource Council  -- which has managed the area since 1997. They do a great job of managing the trail, and even though we hiked this on August 30, when many trails are over grown, this trail was well maintained and easy to travel. 

Getting There

To get there, take Highway 7 South out of Jasper and go about 2 miles. After you pass the Newton County Fairgrounds, and road leads up the side of the mountain. About 1/2 way up the hill, you'll see a small sign with a hiking symbol on it and a sign saying "Round Top Mountain" that will point to the right. Take this right and drive up the short (but steep) hill to the parking area. There is another entrance a few hundred yards further up the hill (no sign) that allows for a less steep entry if desired.

Park wherever you find room. There is a small visitor's center (I'm not sure it's open yet) and a bathroom here, along with a trail map. There is also a place to leave donations to the Resource Council for their work in maintaining the area. 

The Trail

Probably the easiest way to think of this trail is to think of it as having two loops and a spur trail. As you go up the mountain, there is a loop that runs along a bench midway up, and then a second loop that runs along the top of the mountain. 

You will start on the trail going up the mountain. The trail will head up with several switchbacks as you work your way up. The trail is gradual, so while there is a bit of an incline, it isn't as bad as you think hiking up the mountain could be.

After about .3 miles, you'll reach a fork in the road. If you are planning on hiking both loops, turn RIGHT at this junction.  This is the lower loop trail. You will come back on the trail on your left.

The trail follows a nice bench and is a very thickly wooded area. To you left will be a lot of nice rock formations and to your right, either a lot of trees or an occassional view of the valley below. It's a really nice stretch of trail.

At about .8, you will find a unique historical marker. On Feb. 6, 1948, on a fogger cold night, a B-25 Bomber crashed into this site killing all five military passengers. There are also a quite a few fragments of the plane that sit on a a couple of rocks at the site, and then many others that you will see scattered around the area. Please respect these remnents of the crash and leave them for others to see and experience 

After exploring a bit in the area, you will continue along the trail, enjoying the bluff lines. There are a couple of volunteer spur trails you'll see on the left. A couple go to small caves and another goes to a very nice rock climbing area. 

After about 2.2 miles, you'll get to the south side of the mountain where the trail cuts through few large rocks in a very scenice area that will take you up through a crack in the rock bluff you've been following. Enjoy the cool rock formations and the fact that someone made a nice trail through here for you! The trail will go up through the ledge, then back down through some more rocks (there is even a hand rail here).

On the other side of the South Gap, you will follow directly beside the bluff line, then have the bluff overhang the trail, and then along the bluffline again. This is a great stretch of trail and then another set of steps that lead down through some large rocks that also has a nice hand rail.

At about 2.8, there is a fork in the road. Turn LEFT at this fork. 

Immediately, this trail begins to climb up through nother gap in the rocks on a nice little stone staircase. Soon enough, you'll get to the top to the upper loop.

The Upper Loop

Once on the upper level, you'll almost immediately come to a junction where three trails emerge. Turn RIGHT here. This loop takes you out to the North Bluff Overlook. 

Follow this trail gradually up and then it will turn right and switchback down a bit, and then continue back North. At 3.2 there is another fork. Take a right, and take a short spur trail to the overlook area. 

This area offers a huge view of the Little Buffalo River Valley, the community of Jasper, and the expansive valley below. There are also some really determined trees that are growing on this rocky spot that appear to have weathered a lot of conditions over the years.

When done enjoying this spot, head back on the spur trail and when you get to the fork, turn RIGHT and continue the loop.

As you turn right, the trail is officially called the "West Trail". I don't know why they don't just call it loop, and call this a different trail. However, this part of the trail was the best maintained and had the best views and wildflowers of all on the mountain.

I've read that there are wildflowers of different sorts on the mountain in the spring too. I can't speak with certainty about that, but the yellow wildflowers on the West Trail in August were simply magnificent.

At about 3.4, you get back to the 4 way interchange. Turn RIGHT. This spur takes you out to the top an overlook area on the other side of the mountain -- that sits above South Gap. There are some great views here, as well as some really good rock formations (just like you would have imagined when you hiked through them down below!)

Enjoy the time here, and head back on the trail. When you get to the 4 way intersection, go RIGHT and head back down the stairs.  At the base of the stairs, you'll turn LEFT to head back to the first intersection you came to, then turn RIGHT at that intersection to descend back to the parking lot.

I've seen a lot of mileage differences on this trail. The trail map at the visitor's center says it's a 4 mile trail. Tim Ernst logs it as a 3.6 mile trail. So plan to go 3.5-4 miles and you'll enjoy your trip! 

Trail Notes:

Mileage: 3.6 miles

Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

Kids: Yes!  Although be sure they stay behind fenced boundaries at overlooks

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Hiking Trails

Trail Rating: 4 stars out of 5

JW Farmer Homestead -- Hike via Goat Trail

I've mentioned it several times before, but one of my favorite things about the area around Erbie is the sense of history you get when you visit the area. While the "town" is now uninhabited, there still is an old church, several in-tact homesteads, old cemeteries, and the remains of old roads, old houses and a life that used to be. And because the area is unpopulated, you get a good sense for how it must have felt to be alive back at the turn of the century out in the wilderness, relatively isolated from your neighbors except for a long walk or ride by horseback down a road or at church on Sunday morning.

Another such place is the JW Farmer Homestead. 

As best I can tell (and the history of this area is not terribly well docemented online), this old homestead dates back to 1911, and has many original buildings that are mostly fairly well preserved.

To get to the spot, we generally take the Old Erbie Loop Trail. (directions at the link).  The trail starts at Erbie Church heading along the road South toward the River. You turn right at the old homestead, past a barn, and then up the hill to Goat Bluff (details at the link).

At the top of Goat Bluff, at 1.2 miles, you hit a 4 way intersection. To get to the JW Farmer Homestead, take the route that continues straight ahead along the bluff (the road to the harsh right takes you to the horse camp, the soft right continues on to the Old Erbie Trail).  

If you take the left-most trail (straight), you'll begin to decend down the fairly steep trail. This section of trail is very nice, as it has a lot of nice flat rocks that form natural stairs and there are usually quite an array of wildflowers.

As you head down you'll be veering to your right and a small creek will be below to your left. The trail then crosses over the creek (not a wet crossing) and then turns back left. At about .4 from the intersection (1.6 from the start of the Old Erbie Trail), the trail will connect with the Old River Trail. To the left heads down to the river, to the right is to the homestead. Shortly after taking the right you arrive at the homestead.

While the Homestead appears to be out in the middle of nowhere, it really is sitting right along the Old River Trail which was the old road through the area that connected all of the homesteads along the river bottom. If you think about the Old River Trail as the old road, it makes perfect sense. 

Take some time to explore the area. Most of the buildings are open to walk into. Just be smart and safe and respectful to this piece of history. 

After taking the time to explore, it's back out on the Old River Trail. Immediately across from the homestead is a trail that enters the woods. This is where the Cecil Cove Loop would joins the rest of the trails in the area. Going straight on the Old River Trail continues on the trail toward Kyles Landing.  

We followed the Old River Trail another about .3 miles to the next Buffalo River Crossing before heading back. 

Hike to JW Farmer Homestead

Distance: 4 miles round trip (if you come in from the Old Erbie Trail -- it's at the 6.2 mile mark of the Cecil Cove Loop)

Difficulty: Moderate

Kids: Yes

Footwear: Trail shoes or hiking boots are best

Star rating: 3.5 of 5

Cecil Cove Loop -- Erbie Area

The former community of Erbie offers a variety of hiking trails that can often be combined together for larger or shorter loops depending on what you plan for the day. Because it was a community, many of the trails feature a lot of historical sites that tell a story of the early settlers to the area.

The Cecil Cove Loop is the longest of these hikes. And as such, provides a wonderful assortment of spring-fed ponds, creeks, historic stone walls, an historic cemetary, former home sites, and a spur trail that leads to a couple of awesome waterfalls. This is a full day of nature, and historic sites that is well worth the trip. The trail is also shared by horses.

Getting there

The trailhead is in the community of Erbie -- just North of Erbie Church. The simplest way to get to the Erbie trailhead is by taking the Erbie Campground Road from Highway 7 (just South of Pruitt). This road takes you past the Koen Interpretive Trail, the Ponds Loop, The Erbie Campground (currently closed), the Parker Hickman Homestead and eventually crosses the Buffalo River before heading North to the Erbie Church. However, as a general rule, if the river is floatable from Ponca, the river is going to be too high to cross unless you have a 4-wheel drive -- and even then, it's dependent on the vehicle and the driver. 

The other two ways to get here are via the road from Compton that runs past the Compton Trailhead. This is a 4-wheel-drive only road after it gets past the trailheads up there and is VERY rough. 

The most consistent route is coming in from Marble Falls off Highway 7, just North of the former Dogpatch location. This route is long, and mostly gravel. But is generally passable with any vehicle.

Park at the trailhead just North of the Church. The Cecil Cove Loop starts just north of this parking area by the pit toilet there.

Cecil Cove Loop

The loop starts off on what appears to be an old road trace and heads into the woods and gradually down a hill. At about . 2 the trail gets pretty steep and at .3 you run into a small pond. This area is is formed by Van Dyke Spring (which comes out of the small bluff on your left just upstream a little) and some help from the local beaver population who have damned up this stream.  It's a beautiful area -- and also creates the first of two pretty challenging water crossings. 

There is not really a good way to cross here (unless you're on horseback), but if you go to the right (downstream) you can often find a combination of rocks and logs to find your way across and keep your feet dry. 

Once you cross, and this is IMPORTANT. Don't cross the second stream. You'll need to turn left and cross a few more rocks where the water from the pond area is flowing into the other stream (this should be a fairly easy crossing) and end up in a middle island area between the pond and the creek. You can pick up the trail here.

The trail will stay on the level and run along the edge of the pond you just crossed. The pond and the bluff opposite create a beautiful area to hike along.

At about 1.0 miles, the trail crosses the creek that has been running to your right. When the water is high, this is a tough little crossing (much easier on a horse it appears!). 

But, as with the other crossing, if you go downstream a bit, there are a bunch of rocks that make for some possible boulder hopping to get a cross. 

Just be careful. The rocks are often smooth from being worn by water over the centuries and sometimes wet and moss covered. If you feel like you need to bring a second pair of shoes or socks (I highly recommend extra socks) in cold weather just in case it may be a good idea. 

Once you cross the creek here, things get a little easier for awhile. The trail follows on that side of Cecil Creek for awhile. It is level here and runs through the woods and generally along the creek.

At 1.4 miles, the trail crosses the creek again -- at this point the creek  runs underground so this is a dry crossing. Once you cross the creek, the trail turns right and follows along the creekbed for a bit. At 1.8, it crosses the creek again (another dry crossing) and follows on the level again. 

At 2.0 the trail passes an old stone wall. This is the first of many historic things you'll see along this trail. It's a well-constructed stone wall and is, in its own right, very scenic.

Just past the wall, the trail crosses the creek one last time and begins to climb the hill on the other side.  At 2.2 (just a short walk up the hill), you will get to an intersection. To complete the loop, you will continue straight. However, there is a spur trail to the right that heads back to a great camp site and two amazing waterfalls. You can read about this spur trail here.

To continue on the Cecil Cove Loop continue on the trail that veers to the left and head UP the hill.  This part of the trail follows an old road trace and is a pretty steep climb with about 400 feet of elevation gain. 

At 2.7 miles, you'll reach Jones Cemetery. 

Jones Cemetery is one of many old, abandoned cemeteries that you'll come across on trails along the Buffalo. And like the others, reading the tombstones you get  feel for just how difficult life was in this area in at the turn of the last century. 

Many of the tombstones are of young women, and infants, that died during child birth. It was a tough time...and really, not all that long ago. 

After exploring the cemetery for awhile, continue on the trail and at 2.9 you'll see an old homestead. There isn't much left of it now except for a foundation and an old fireplace and chimney, but this is the former homesite of William Jones -- his tombstone is in the cemetery you just passed. 

From here, the trail turns sharply left and continues out on the level. Soon you'll pass a stone wall on your right -- this is the Faddis-Keaton Homesite.

The trail here continues and is following an old road that would have joined the several home sites that you  have passed, or will soon pass along the route, to the cemetery, and to the church that once existed at the bottom of the hill. The road follows a bench along the bluffline and is great hiking. 

During leaf-off you'll see a lot of scenic views to your left and a lot of areas with large boulders. During wet season, a lot of these rocky areas become really interesting with small waterfalls and water displays. 

The trail will pass another homesite -- this one includes a spring that is protected by rocks. This would have been a great source of water for the early settlers. 

The trail continues along the bench -- with a steep bluff to your right, and steep-downhill to your left.  Enjoy the views, and the trail.

At about 5 miles, a bluffline will begin to form on your right. At the top of that bluff is McFarrin Point.  To your left is more views.

At 5.2, the trail connects with the 4WD road that runs from Compton to Erbie.  Turn left on this road.  If you are continuing the hike, you'll go about 800 feet and turn RIGHT back into the woods and will go down to the JW Farmer Homestead, and then connect with the end of the Goat Bluff Trail and then back to Erbie.  

Because both times I've hiked this trail it has been winter with very short days, I've been chasing daylight (and a little tired from the uphill climb) and we've opted instead to follow the the road down the hill directly to the trailhead in Erbie. To do that, it is 1.2 miles back to the trailhead and the road is not often used and is actually a very nice hike. If you complete the route by taking the road, the entire loop is about 6.4 miles. 

Cecil Cove Loop Hike Details

Total Distance (if you take the road back to trailhead): 6.4 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult due to distance, water crossings and elevation change

Footwear: Hiking Boots

Kids: Older would be ok

Guidebook: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Big Piney Bridge

The Big Piney Creek Bridge on highway 123 is an interesting spot along the highway that is crossed over when going to Haw Creek Campground from Pelsor. 

The bridge was built in 1931 and is a narrow, one-way bridge over Big Piney Creek. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.