Hiking in Quachita Mountains, Ok, AR: May 28-30, 2011
Along on this trip were just Jacob and myself. This was a trip just to do some hiking and goofing off without kayaks or fishing poles. Jake and I left about 4:30 Saturday morning and got to Cedar Lake about 8:15. Cedar Lake is a small lake and campground just below the Talihina scenic drive. There is a NFS dirt road #6014 that can be used to drive from Cedar Lake back up to the scenic drive and also to another campground on top of the ridge called Emerald Vista. Shortly after we arrived we got our back packs together and set off on what we thought would be an overnight hike to Horse thief Springs located near the top of the ridge to the south. The one way estimated distance is about 7 miles. We made our way along the trail crossing through different aspects of the forest from hardwoods to pines, small dry creeks to some with water flowing. The ticks and poison ivy/oak were abundant and we kept checking and removing along the way. We stopped for about 20 minutes at a nice stream with good flow. The afternoon was warm and the stream felt good to cool our feet and wet our shirts. There was a nice campsite just south of the stream. As we walked there were numerous side trails with yellow markers. If you stay on the trail with the white marker you will stay on the right trail. We began a steady and accent toward the top of the ridge. Jake was not wearing hiking shoes but rather loose fitting tennis shoes with low profile socks. After 6 miles his feet were hurting him pretty good and inspection near blister formation. He decided that he wanted to head back to Cedar Lake and then we would drive up to Horse thief later in the day. I took his backpack and carried it to take his load off. I managed to get us to NFS# 6014 and then we hike down the road about 3.5 miles back to Cedar Lake.
Once back at camp we rested a bit then swam a little in the lake to cool off then loaded up and drove up to Horse thief springs. We did not miss much. There did not seem to be any flowing water coming from the spring. We saw springs with more water flowing on our hike. We left and drove the scenic drive to Talihina where I filled up with gas and checked out the state park which was not much of a place. I then drove up north and found Holson Valley Road which takes you back to Cedar Lake without the twists and turns of the scenic drive. Jake was asleep on a lot of that drive. We got to bed about 9:30 and got some much needed rest.
On Sunday we got up and picked up camp and drove up to Queen Wilhelmina state park in AR. We walked into the restaurant and ordered breakfast. I had eaten here before and it was quite a good breakfast, not any longer. The whole park was without water and those staying in the lodge could not use bathrooms in their rooms and had to use porta toilets outside. The restaurant was on its last bit of china and glasses but this also meant, NO Coffee. After breakfast we drove on into Mena for my coffee. Then we drove up to Y city where I was looking for a dirt road that would take us east along one of the ridges. The road was marked on my map just before the county line. I finally found it grown over and it had a barricade from the NFS. We then drove back over to Hwy 259 and down to Big Cedar and back east on 63 into AR. We found our way to Lake Wilhelmina which we could see from Queen Wilhelmina on top of the ridge. We poked around the campground and it looked like a nice place to come campout. We swam for a bit then took a few pictures and headed back. We then drove to a bridge along hwy 8 in AR which I believe is the headwater of the Upper Mountain Fork. It had some good flow and it was not marked as the other creeks along the way were. It had enough flow to kayak and after looking on Google Earth you can clearly see that it is the Mt Fork. I want to run this river from this point all the way to Broken Bow someday. We played in the water a bit then drove back to Emerald Vista where we set up camp and enjoyed the sunset. The wind was unbelievable all night long. I laid there waiting for the sound of cracking trees but fortunately that never happened. I had mad sure that I put all food away for the night and the only items out were some water, campkit, stove and a bag with flatware, foil, plates, bowls. About midnight we awoke to the sound of the campkit getting knocked off of the table. I got the headlamp and immediately spotted a coon with my bag in his mouth making his way into sea of poison oak. I got up and raced to snatched it from the little twerp. I raced back and forth through the poison oak. Jake finally spotted where he dropped his loot and I picked it up and put away. Knowing I had just taken a poison oak bath I grabbed my soap and headed for the water spigot to wash my legs. Whew, back to sleep.
We got up about 5:45 to watch the sunrise and got a couple of good pictures. We then drove to the Black Fork Mountain trailhead and set off. We walked about and hour with a steady climb. When you first state the hike you cross a stream followed by a train track. Just north of the train track thee was a couple that were camped out from the prior night. Jake and I walked the trail for a little over and hour then headed back to the truck due to a 4 hour drive back to Plano.
Here are a few picture from our time.
This was a trip for Jacob and I to have some time together and we both enjoyed each others company. I love you Jacob.
Dad