Penny and I had a wonderful day riding around in the Sylamore Forest area near Barkshed Rec Area  and Gunner Pool . We were down in Texas over the Easter weekend and we got our first taste of real warm weather while we were there. It was so nice to get back to our new home , and still have some cool spring weather to enjoy.  I am planning to do a hike/campout on the Sylamore Creek Trail  which runs along this creek area and through the surrounding hillsides . It will be about nine miles round trip on this section , which will be the most I have hiked in any one day in some time. I have been doing several 3 mile hikes to try and shape up . I was reading on a trail journal website about a 62 year old retired teacher (female) that was getting ready to set out on the Appalachian trail , some 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine .......  makes me feel real manly !

 

My dream hiking adventure would be to accomplish the Ozarks Highland Trail , some 165 miles , that runs from near Ft Smith , AR to the Sylamore area south of our home . That would take some dedication and some strong knee joints on my part. I can dream .....

 

 

 

 

Gunner Pool ... deep , cold and clear water . I want to swim here this summer!

The dam that forms Gunner Pool .... the water is as deep on the pool side as on the dam side . How come I always have the same sweater on when I take pictures?  I swear ... I do have other ones .....

I bushwhacked up the creek area from the pool and got some nice shots

This grass at the base of the cliff is starting to green up ...

I love trails that run alongside bluffs ... maybe in a former life I was an Indian scout .......

I KNOW there has to be Gold Nuggets somewhere in this creek bed ......

This was a small waterfall ..... and some happy moss plants !

A look up the  Sylamore Creek valley from the bridge to Gunner Pool camping area

A second look towards the stream flowing from Gunner Pool Dam into the Sylamore Creek

This is over at Barkshed Rec area ... about 5 miles upstream from Gunner Pool area

The low water bridge at Barkshed rec area

Penny .... a rock climbing super woman !

 

Looking upstream from Barkshed .... I just want to set out and go for hours and days .... just to see what is around the bend in the river . I am always impressed with the sights I see when I am out on the trails ..... What a great place to live !