Buried Treasure
Old Road No Longer Safe
Please note that while the galleries are landscape orientated, some of the pictures were taken by my sister using her cell phone, and they are portrait oriented. To see the correct image either click on the individual pictures or scroll through the galleries using the arrows on the sides.
I was excited. It was mid-winter and my younger sister and her husband were coming for a few days. They wanted to get away and have some personal time away from their everyday commitments. They are both quite active in community projects and are a lot of fun to be with. It was a cold and dreary day when they arrived and we also had a historic flood in Northwest Arkansas several months prior to their visit. Our first day plan was to hike the upper river, but due to fog we could not drive to Ponca and Lost Valley so we made for the Erbie area. I was stunned at the devastation. The road was so bad that we barely made it to the Erbie church. The hike along Cecil creek was a bust so we wandered around a bit and then heading back. We did some shopping and then had dinner at my favorite restaurant, The Western Sizzler.
We had planned a trip over to the Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art in Bentonville.The museum, founded by Alice Walton and designed by Moshe Safdie, officially opened on 11 November 2011. This guaranteed-free entry art collection offers a superb overview of American art. Galleries include American masterworks and surprising lesser-known gems from the colonial era to today. Sculptures grace both interior galleries and outdoor trails. Plus, the museum’s permanent collection galleries are refreshed regularly. Crystal Bridges Museum not only has thousands of American art pieces but also stunning architecture, 120 acres of Ozark nature and walking trails that make the grounds themselves a major attraction.
We wanted to get there when it first opened, and it was a 2hr drive from Harrison, so we got up early and left by 8am arriving just at opening time. Margaret wanted to take two guided tours. The guides were very knowledgeable. One was about the architecture and the other was on the very modern art component of the exhibits. After the tours we had lunch at the museum restaurant Eleven. Their food was delicious. I had the Eleven burger and a glass of milk. After our lunch we wandered around looking at the pictures that interested us. We lost and found each other twice, then about 2pm we decide to head back to Harrison. After a nice rest we gathered for supper. None of us were very hungry so we decided on a large, tasty pizza from The Brick Oven.
We wanted to get there when it first opened, and it was a 2hr drive from Harrison, so we got up early and left by 8am arriving just at opening time. Margaret wanted to take two guided tours. The guides were very knowledgeable. One was about the architecture and the other was on the very modern art component of the exhibits. After the tours we had lunch at the museum restaurant Eleven. Their food was delicious. I had the Eleven burger and a glass of milk. After our lunch we wandered around looking at the pictures that interested us. We lost and found each other twice, then about 2pm we decide to head back to Harrison. After a nice rest we gathered for supper. None of us were very hungry so we decided on a large, tasty pizza from The Brick Oven.
Father Son Hunter Education And Fun |
On our third day we planned on visiting the Fred Berry Conservation and Education Center over in the Yellville area. I have visited this are quite a few times and Margaret has been once. It is a excellent place to take visitors for easy hikes. It is mostly flat and covers quite a few different terrains.The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission manages over 3.2 million acres of wilderness management areas (WMA). The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism manages all 52 state parks. Together they are tasked with ensuring that sustainable use of Arkansas's natural resource are balanced between human activity and wildlife conservation. i have been to many state parks and some of the WMA's in my area and I can testify that both do an excellent job.
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Fred Berry Hiking Trails |
We started our visit by stopping by the visitor center. They were a weigh in station for the annual Big Squirrel Challenge, a father - son event to teach gun safety and responsible hunting. One of the AGFC ladies was going to give a demonstration on cooking squirrel.There were few cars when we arrived but we saw plenty driving up to be weighed in as the day wore on. We began our hike by parking at the pavilion and starting down the handicap accessible trail. This led though some woods and then down to Crooked Creek. We went along until we got to Kelly's slab then walked back up to the pavilion. After a few grapes and a drink we headed down the orange trail to the creek. It was quite a bit different than the last time we visited. The debris from the flood was plainly evident but the folks who take care of the place had cleared all the trails and were in the process of removing the limbs and trees that were down. It was waist high in some points along one section of the trail. When we finished our hike we decided to check out the Yellville park and hike along their very flat and old people friendly trail along Crooked Creek. There are benches nicely spaced for resting at well chosen scenic spots. We finished our day trip by a visit to the Lucky Star Handmade artist co-op store. It was full of area artists products and produce. We spent time here visiting with the owners and choosing some nice gifts for them to take back. I saw a really cool poster in the men's restroom. We headed back to Harrison, took a nice rest break and then met at Devito's restaurant for supper.
After supper we checked the weather and could see a winter storm approaching. Margaret and Paul left early the next morning.
After supper we checked the weather and could see a winter storm approaching. Margaret and Paul left early the next morning.
Poster In The Lucky Star Coop Gift Shop - Yellville
I always have an awesome time when my sisters come to visit me. This trip Paul did all the driving and I got to sit back and enjoy their company. I sure hope each of you gets the opportunity to visit our neck of the woods. The area took quite a beating after the flood and I am afraid the park might take some time to recover as funds are lacking, but the state of Arkansas has done a magnificent job. Perhaps it's time to visit a state park or wilderness area. Underneath the damage our Natural State still shines.