Well , I certainly had a great weekend. I have been building myself up with dayhikes in order to do a longer more remote campout and hike down in the Sylamore Forest area. I left my very understanding wife Penny, on Thursday and camped out and made my trek on Friday morning and then camped again on Friday night . I hiked from Barkshed Rec area to Gunner Pool (about 4 miles) on the Sylamore Creek Hiking Trail system which is about 30 miles in length . It connects to the Ozark Highlands trails system which covers most of Northern Arkansas (165 miles long).
I took these photos Thursday afternoon of a side trail I discovered that led out of Barkshed. There are so many trails in this area , and the scenery is so very beautiful. This is the very reason that I have wanted to live near the mountains here in Arkansas for so long . I am blown away by the scenery , and also the remoteness of the area .... it seems like this part of the Ozarks have far less visitors than over in the more popular Buffalo River area , which suits me fine ..........
I ended my first day camped in the wilderness area , listening to the forest sounds of the whipporwill , hoot owl and a wild turkey gobbling occasionally as he made his roost. The stars are so very bright out here , as there are no cities or towns (or cell service!) for miles . I sat and watched planes in the night sky with their flashing white and red beacons , travelling in a hurry to get their passengers hither and yon ..... I'd rather be here in the wilderness , listening to the night sounds and adding wood to my campfire ......
More on Next Post .....
This grove of pines trees tried to swallow me and the Ranger whole .... we had to fight them off !
There is a vista to see everywhere you look
Always the Slyamore Creek flowing nearby ... I love that sound of river water running !
Upstream from the low water pass ... if you came around the bend in a canoe/kayak you'd better be a paddling for the bank... unless you can make yourself 12 inches tall and squeeze under the bridge!
It had rained pretty good the day before I came out .... so there was good water flowing in the Sylamore and it's feeder streams.
An Indian's view of the world ........
My Camp
I outfitted my Ranger a while back to do exactly this type of backwoods camping .... sure beats a flimsy tent ... especially now that the black bear population is on the rise in Arkansas . Thanks to Millie Kessler for sewing up the curtains for me !
The wind finally died down and it was safe to start a campfire. What is camping without a campfire ??
The sun sets on a great day in the Ozarks .... I love hearing the whippoorwills call and even heard some wild turkeys gobbling as they went to roost nearby .
The Slyamore Creek from the low water bridge crossing at Barkshed . I really MUST get a Kayak soon and float this stream down to Gunner Pool .
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