Tagged: Moderate Trail

April 25, 2013

Lost Valley Trail and Eden Falls (Buffalo River)

[This post was originally published on November 18, 2011 in the blog "Exploring Northwest Arkansas." Note: for up-to-date information on what caves are open in the Buffalo National River, check with the National Park Service.]

The Lost Valley Trail is the most popular hiking trail in the Buffalo River area – and for good reason. It’s easy to get to, easy to hike, very family friendly, and has more “bang for your buck” than nearly any hike anywhere.

This is the first trail I hiked in Arkansas, and it is one of the many reasons I fell in love with the area. It has everything: a natural bridge, high bluffs, beautiful woods, moss-covered rocks, a beautiful waterfall, and even a cave (that also has a waterfall).

Lost Valley Trail and Eden Falls (Buffalo River) photo 6a00d83451f90869e2015393fb59a4970b 500wi — Lost Valley Trail

Getting to Lost Valley Trail

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October 27, 2012

Hobbs: Shaddox Hollow Trail 10-18-2012

The Shaddox Hollow Trail, at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers, Arkansas, is a very pleasant little loop trail if you don’t mind some climbing. I enjoy trails with hilly terrain. I think they make a trail interesting and pretty.

Hobbs: Shaddox Hollow Trail 10 18 2012 photo 2012 1018 hobbs 08 600x450 — Pre-Twilight on the Shaddox Hollow Trail

From the trailhead, the trail heads downhill into a creek valley. There are a lot of interesting rock walls and bluffs visible in the lower areas.

The trail follows a creek bed for a little ways before turning back up to the higher terrain (about 250 feet elevation change).

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September 2, 2012

Bull Shoals: Big Bluff Trail

The Big Bluff Trail at Bull Shoals–White River State Park, near Yellville, Arkansas, is a nice relatively short trail with some climbing and a very pretty overlook of the White River.

Bull Shoals: Big Bluff Trail photo 2012 08 26 2012 0826 bullshoals 013 600x156 — Panoramic view of the White River from the Big Bluff Trail overlook.

There is parking at the trailhead on Powerhouse Road, a little ways past the campground.

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July 9, 2012

Robbers Cave – Cattail Pond Loop GPX Map

Back in February, I hiked the Cattail Pond Loop at Robbers Cave State Park.

I will be getting photos and more information about the trail posted soon, but I wanted to go ahead and post the gpx trail map I made and the elevation profile.

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March 4, 2012

Pedestal Rocks Trail (Ozark Forest)

Yesterday, I had a nice hike on the 2.3-mile Pedestal Rocks Trail in the Ozark National Forest. Like the King’s Bluff Loop Trail I hiked about a month ago, it is (not surprisingly) in the Pedestal Rocks Scenic Area, about 45 minutes northeast of Clarksville.

It was a good hike except that I got a late start. It was pretty dark by the time I took some of my rock formation pictures. That’s why some of the photos I posted look overexposed and bizarre.

Pedestal Rocks Trail (Ozark Forest) photo 2012 0303023 pedestal rock 600x800 — One of the Pedestal Rocks

The bluff areas are very pretty, but you should be very careful in those areas. Many of these areas have dangerous cliffs with no guard rails.

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