Dirt Roads ~ High Heels: This Is Arkansas

Monday, November 12, 2018

This Is Arkansas

On our third day at Devils Den State Park, we decided to take off and hike a couple of different trails. We started mid-morning on Lee Creek Trail which began right behind where we were camping. This trail is a 1 mile loop which shows off the beauty of Lee Creek from the flat, fossil-filled limestone to pools of aquatic life. This trail has a nice wide pathway but also a few heavily wooded areas and if you go off the beaten path, you can find yourself wading in Lee Creek. You can imagine which member of our party enjoyed the cool, clear water. We got off course a bit, so we never actually did the "loop", but it gave us a chance to explore areas we weren't expecting to.

Back at camp, we cooked up a protein rich lunch; Pad Thai with Chicken. The next trail on our list was Yellow Rock but since this trail is one of the most popular places to hike, we decided to hold off until later in the day. Let's be real, we wanted it all to ourselves. So to kill time, we took off in the Toyota and just started driving farther South to check out the rest of the park. The highway was winding, the trees were vibrant, and the air was fresh. We explored gravel roads and found a stunning blue-green lake and walls of limestone rock. This is why we do what we do.

It was time to begin Yellow Rock Trail; a moderate 3-mile loop where the main feature is none other than Yellow Rock and offers one of the most amazing views you will see of the Lee Creek Valley. Yellow Rock trail is an original CCC-constructed trail from the 1930's and is designated part of the National Trails System. This trail was filled with towering rock formations and cedar glades. Words really can not explain the views from the top, so this is where you can enjoy the photos we snapped. Goldie, my traveling gold airplane, made an appearance too. We found a spot to sit and relax, give Lola a water break, and had a few snacks ourselves before taking on the rest of the trail. As sunset approached we made it back to camp. It was the perfect Sunday as we ended with open-fire steak and potatoes for dinner.