Issue #163
March 16, 2005

Deer Lodge Cabins

South of Jasper, AR, just off of Scenic Hwy. 7 and surrounded by national forest stands Deer Lodge Cabins. Pattie Mills had invited me to spend some time there and check out the area around their cabin. Pattie met me at the cabin and showed me around the property, then wished me a good stay and left to attend to their horses. Pattie is an avid horse person and enjoys exploring the Ozarks on horseback. I quickly unpacked my stuff and got settled in. The weather was ok, but on top of the mountain the wind was really blowing hard, making it quite nippy outside.
The cabin has a large great room with vaulted ceilings and furnished with very, very comfortable furniture. Two large windows allow you to gaze out over the mountains and down into the remote areas of the national forest. There is a big, covered, wraparound deck so you can enjoy being outside, even if its raining! As I sat on the deck I noticed that I didn't hear any road noise, just birds singing and the roar of the wind as it rushed through the trees. I watched the sun set and then moved inside for supper.
I decided on a simple supper, just some soup and a grilled cheese sandwich with a glass of milk. The kitchen is fully equipped with a microwave, coffee pot, toaster, oven and all the cookware and utensils needed for your stay. There is also a wonderful outside area that features both a gas grill, charcoal grill, and a fire pit in case your kids like smores or the taste of a hot dog cooked on a stick over an open fire.

After supper I got out the book I had brought along, "Buffalo River Handbook" by Ken Smith, and curled up on the couch to read. I woke up about midnight. The cabin was nice and cozy even though the temperature had dropped and the wind was howling. I headed off to bed. The bed is wonderfully comfortable and I pulled the quilt up and fell quickly to sleep. As I drifted off I happened to notice a map of Newton County on the wall. In addition to the master bedroom there is a loft area with both a double bed and a twin bed along with plenty of room. The next morning the sun was shining, but the wind on the mountain tops was really blowing hard. I had made arrangements with my friend Adventure Bill to meet in Jasper for breakfast and then maybe find somewhere to go hiking that was out of the wind. I enjoyed the sunrise and my coffee then showered and headed down to the Ozark Café in Jasper.
Over breakfast we decided our best chance for staying out of the wind would be down in a valley along a creek bed. Bill reminded me of a place I had taken him some years ago, which was a dry creek bed in a deeply eroded track, and we decided to revisit that place. We figured there would be some, but not a lot of water running and we could make our way along the edges. We both had our cameras along and hoped to take a lot of pictures. Once we found the parking spot we headed off in search of the creek.
After a short walk we found the spot and climbed down to the creek. The water flowed in what looked like a large skateboard park. Relatively smooth rock walls sloped down from both sides and the creek meandered between them. We had guessed right, and there was water flowing but it was low and there was room to work our way up the creek and stay out of the wind. As we walked we had to gradually climb up small rock ledges and make our way around small run-offs. We continued until we came upon an area that was simply flowing with water. We abandoned the idea of keeping our feet dry and scampered through the pools of water until we reached dry land again. Ahead of us was a series of gentle waterfalls slipping over the ever eroding rock creek bed.
We made our way up to the top of the waterfalls and decided it would be a good spot to take a break and have some lunch before deciding what to do next. Sitting on the top, we could see back towards where we had come from. Even though we were on top we were still well below where the wind was blowing and it was quite pleasant to be in the sun with just a gentle wind.
We spent some time exploring the area around the waterfall and then a short way up but we could see that the creek was getting narrower and we could no longer walk along the edge, so we decided to walk along the top, and follow the creek back to the truck. Once we found the truck, I dropped Bill off in Jasper and headed back to Deer Lodge Cabin for my final evening there. I made use of the grill to make a nice supper for myself and then spent the evening on the deck watching the sunset.
Deer Lodge Cabins is a great place to spend some quality time with your friends or family. If you enjoy horseback riding, they have corrals for your horses and they are pet friendly too! There are 3 ponds stocked with fish plus there are quite a few hiking trails on the property, some leading into the national forest. You can park your vehicle, not leave the property and have a wonderful week exploring the area directly surrounding Deer Lodge Cabins. It is also close to Buffalo River if you want to take a float trip. The cabin itself was wonderful and I recommend it highly. It is has everything you might need for your Ozark vacation and because it is surrounded by national forest you don't hear a lot of noise. Pattie is brimming with tips and ideas about what to do and see while staying at Deer Lodge Cabins. Now that spring has sprung here in the Ozarks, plan on taking a little time out of your hectic life to sit back and enjoy the peace, tranquility and beauty of Deer Lodge Cabins and the surrounding area. Give Pattie a call and make a reservation to stay there. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did!
Deer Lodge Cabins
Hosts: Pattie Mills
HC 31 Box 147
Jasper, Arkansas 72641
Phone: 870-428-5334
Email Deer Lodge Cabins