Thursday, May 23, 2013

Lost Valley State Park

Warm temperatures are getting a little more consistent.  Let's go for a hike!  How I love these Ozark Mountains!   One of our favorite places is Hawksbill Crag .  If you happen to be hiking Hawksbill Crag , you might want to visit nearby Lost Valley State Park.
For such a short trail, there are a lot of interesting sites.  It begins with a wooden footbridge over Clark Creek. Eden Falls is a lovely waterfall that flows into a hollow.  Watch for the large bluff shelter.  It makes me feel very small. Then there is Eden Falls Cave.  If you enjoy caving, be prepared for this one.  Be aware it begins with crawling for about 200 feet. The courageous who bring along a trusty flashlight will be rewarded with another waterfall inside the cave. This waterfall is about 35 feet tall!

The entire trail is only two miles long, ending at the cave. The first part is relatively flat. Once past Eden Falls be ready for a pretty steep climb up rock steps. Depending on how much time you spend on the Stairmaster, you might want to pace yourself.
 
Keep in mind Boxley Valley is home to the Buffalo River as well as a herd of elk. The area is so beautiful. The closer you get to Ponca, the more likely you are to see the elk. They are frequently in the fields between Highway 43 and the Bufflalo River.
Would you like directions this small, yet gorgeous, park in my Ozark Mountains?  Find Kingston, Arkansas and take Highway 21 to the south.  Turn east on Highway 43 toward Ponca. Look for the Lost Valley Campground sign. The hiking trail begins at the campground. As with most state parks, there is good signage.

A great website to reference is HERE or visit the Arkansas tourism website:  www.arkansas.com 

Let's go for a hike! 
 
;-)  -Marci



4 comments:

  1. New Follower from the Meet and Greet Blog Hop. http://alewphotography.blogspot.com

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  2. We hiked this and many other trails around Jasper and Boxley last year for our Anniversary in November. The colors were beautiful and the weather was fantastic. We always eat at the little Jasper Cafe in downtown. Such a cute little community.

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  3. Lost Valley is a beautiful park and Sam and I hiked it one Thanksgiving. We hunted and found a letter box there too! Have you ever done letter boxing? So much fun!

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