Ozark Hiking Life

Looking Out From Tea Kettle Falls This trail east of Beaver Lake is a hidden gem....lightly hiked and beautiful views around each bend. There is a trail that runs along and near the creek, but most hikers, including myself, simply walk the wide creek bed. It's so wide that I ran into just a few spiderwebs early in the morning...it's just too wide for the spiders to go across with their webs!  The trail is part of the Madison Wildlife Management lands. There is a stone/dirt road that comes off Route 23, and you'll take that road about a mile to new parking. Any car can make it down this road, albeit it is a little rough at times. A slow go but you'll make it. The new parking is at the top of the hill, about 1/4 mi hike to the creek. You used to be able to drive down the hill, but too many people did so in cars that could not get back up the hill....so they created a parking area and blocked the road from vehicles.  Parking Area at Tea Falls Trail The walk to the creek is

Rock Formations from Erosion, Bear Cave Trail Bear Cave Trail located within Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas, is a short trail (. 5 mile loop) down to a cave and some awesome rocks/boulders/formations to climb and explore. Legend has it that in this cave the last Black Bear to be killed in the park was shot here. The cave itself is about 8 feet deep, 10 feet wide....would have been a great hibernation den for a bear. I found the cave to be cool to see....but it was the rock formations created by erosion that was most interesting.  Bear Cave on the Trail The rock formations provide ample and mostly safe climbing to the top to see across a valley. There are numerous passageways between these large formations, most 20-30 feet in height, some of the cliff area higher and impassable for climbing.  Rock Formations, Bear Cave Trail Although a short hike, this is a great place to climb early in the morning and sit on a formation and eat breakfast while taking in the valley and sights. Kids w

Natural Bridge, Seven Hollows Trail, Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas Visited Petit Jean State Park last weekend, what an absolutely beautiful park...well-kept throughout, very friendly and helpful rangers....and the trails, wow! One could easily spend a week here and not have the time to take in all of the Ozark's finest splendor. Primitive camping is frowned upon here so I camped at site #98, a very wooded site that is very deep and secluded if you are a hammock camper as I. Water and Electricity are available at all camp sites at Petit Jean.  The first trail I'll review is Seven Hollows Trail. One must drive to it from the campgrounds and ample parking is provided. The trail is listed at 4.5 miles, but with side trips and spurs you'll easily get over 5 miles in. It's not an easy trail with many elevation climbs (my AllTrails recording showed 636 ft of Elevation Gain) and rocks, I'd say moderate rating. There are two points of interest that most people hike for, th

The Redding/Spy Rock Loop begins in the NE section of the Redding Campgrounds. Ample parking is available, and there is a $3.00 day-use fee you should pay.  The first 10 minutes is a trail through taller weeds, a low area that stays wet and is most filled with bugs/spiders/ticks. Once you get to the loop you have the choice of going right or left....highly recommend going left, the trail to the right is very rocky and best going downhill coming in from the other direction.  Once you get on the loop, starting to the left, it's a clean trail, easy to follow. There are a few creeks to cross with little to no water most days. A timber rattler made a sound behind a few rocks, otherwise a great hike, uphill for an hour and a half.  At the top of the peak there is the spur trail to Spy Rock. It is well designated by a sign, and you'll go left off the loop on the spur trail. This trail crosses a road (I suppose you could skip the loop trail and just take the spur to Spy Rock if you wan

Hi, I'm Mike Edwards. I started hiking the Ozarks earlier this Spring, a result of wanting to get out of the house during the COVID pandemic. I went once, then the next weekend....and now its a part of my weekly life. Day-hikes turned to overnights.... rattler and bear run-ins only added to the stories. Oh, and the rocks....man, if you have any interest in rocks the Ozark Mountains are for you.  I want to share my trips in hopes that my experiences will give you the desire to get out and explore. I plan to post my weekend trips either during the trip where internet allows...or when I return from an adventure. Every trip has a story, an experience that I would not have without getting into the realm of the Natural State, the Ozark Mountains. I hope my stories and pictures inspire you to take a day trip to an Ozark stop....I'll bet it won't be your last.  Welcome, and enjoy. -Mike