Calendar

Name of Hike:  Beacham Trail at Lake Leatherwood, optionally followed by Black Bass Lake.

Date:   Wednesday, Nov 4th, 2020

Location:  Lake Leatherwood City Park (LLCP) three miles west of Eureka Springs on US Hwy 62.

Meeting Time: 10:00 AM at the Lake Leatherwood City Park location

Type of Hike:  Day hike, Trail, loop

Hiking Distance:  4.0 miles total, roundtrip for Beacham Trail. 1.8 miles for Black Bass Lake.

Maximum Elevation Difference:  40 ft, easy well maintained trail

Rating:  Easy

Hike Leader:  Sue & Jack Mabry

Telephone & Email:  816 922-9896 or mabrysue@gmail.com

Meeting Place and Time:  Meet at 10:00 am at the parking area near the boatdock at Lake Leatherwood City Park (LLCP) three miles west of Eureka Springs on US Hwy 62.  Entrance to LLCP is just west of Thorncrown Chapel and below the large US 62 highway bridge.  Use the park entrance and not the adjacent Lake Leatherwood Fields entrance.

Driving Distance:  48 miles from Fayetteville via AR Hwys 45/12/23/62.

Comments:  Bring water, lunch, rain gear, gloves, and wear hiking boots.  No pets are allowed on any hikes.  Children under 12 years are discouraged and minors must be accompanied by a guardian.   Participants are required to sign a “liability release” http://www.ozarksociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/OS-Sign-Up_Sheet_rev4.pdf  at the trailhead to take part in any Ozark Society outing.  Everyone is welcome to hike with the OSHC, whether an Ozark Society member or not.

Ozark Society Highlands Chapter Dayhike:  Announcement

Date: Friday, Nov 6th, 2020

Name of Hike:  Redding Trail (West) to Spy Rock Trail Return

Location:  Ozark National Forest near Redding Recreation Area Campground on AR Hwy 215 near Cass AR.

Meeting Time: 10:00 AM at campground.

Meeting Place:  Redding Campground parking area by the river.

Directions:  East on hwy 16, right (south) on hwy 23, Left (east) on hwy 215 to Oark, after 2.8 miles right on short road to campground.

Type of Hike:  Dayhike, Trail, Ozark Highlands Spur Trail

Hiking Distance:  6.1 miles total, roundtrip.

Maximum Elevation Difference:  800 ft gain, then 800 ft loss on return.

Rating:  Moderate, due to distance and elevation gain.

Features:  Spy Rock is one of the most scenic spots in the Ozarks for viewing the Mulberry River Valley.  We will hike to Spy Rock on the Redding West Loop Trail and return to the trailhead via the same route.  We will ascend gradually along a ridge through mixed wood forests with views of Bowden Hollow below and Spy Rock in the distance.  Once on Spy Rock, we will have long views into the Mulberry River Valley and you will have an opportunity to explore beneath the bluffline (optional).  For more information see Tim Ernst (Arkansas Hiking Trails, 3d ed, pp. 54-55;  Ozark Highlands Trail Guide, 5^th ed, pp. 122-124) or Johnny Molloy (50 Hikes in the Ozarks, pp. 52-55).  For a trail map, see http://www.ouachitamaps.com/Spy%20Rock.html.

Hike Leader:  Sue & Jack Mabry

Telephone & Email:  816 922-9896 or mabrysue@gmail.com

Comments:  Bring water, lunch, rain gear, gloves, and wear hiking boots.  No pets are allowed on any hikes.  Children under 12 years are discouraged and minors must be accompanied by a guardian.   Participants are required to sign a “liability release” http://www.ozarksociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/OS-Sign-Up_Sheet_rev4.pdf  at the trailhead to take part in any Ozark Society outing.  Everyone is welcome to hike with the OSHC, whether an Ozark Society member or not.

Notice: Masks are strongly encouraged unless you are well behind the group. Hike socially distanced.

Name of Hike:  Yellow Rock Trail

Location:   Devil’s Den State Park seven miles west of Winslow AR on AR Hwy 74.

Trail description: Yellow Rock trail is 3 miles with 511 feet elevation gain, passing several nice rock formations and cedar glades on your way to a bluff overlooking Lee Creek Valley.   At its highest point, the trail reaches a unique CCC shelter.  If the weather is nice, we will be sharing the trail with many other hikers.  Wear a mask!

Rating:  Easy to moderate, due to uneven footing at times and constant ascent.  This will be a slow, leisurely hike.

Meeting Place and Time:

• Meet at  9:30 a.m. north-east corner of the Fayetteville Walmart Supercenter West parking lot, 2875 Martin Luther King Blvd, for car caravaning.  Hikers will drive as a group to Devil’s Den in their own vehicles; or,
• Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the Yellow Rock Trailhead at Devil’s Den State Park.  The trailhead is near the Visitor’s Center where there is a restroom.  Follow the road sign that says “Campspaces H1 – H8” and “Trails” at the Lee Creek highway bridge (AR Hwy 170-74) in Devil’s Den Park.

Outings Leader:  Kathy Sparks

Telephone & Email:   Kathy Sparks 479-879-4345 mobile; or reachkathysparks@gmail.com

Comments:  Bring water, lunch, rain gear, hiking pole, gloves and wear hiking boots.  Participants are required to sign a “liability release” http://www.ozarksociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/OS-Sign-Up_Sheet_rev4.pdf to take part in any Ozark Society outing.  Everyone is welcome to participate, whether an Ozark Society member or not.

OSHC Outing 23 November 2020:  Dayhike, White Rock Mtn Double Loop (OHT and Rim Trail)

Notice:  Plan on social distancing and masks.

Day, Date:  Monday, November 23, 2020

Name of Hike:  White Rock Mountain Double Loop—Ozark Highlands Trail and Rim Trail

Location:  Ozark National Forest and White Rock Mtn Recreation Area near Fern AR

Type of Hike:  Dayhike, trail.

Hike Distance:  5.8 miles total

Vertical Elevation Distance:  300 ft.

Rating:  Moderate due to distance and elevation gain.  Well-maintained trail, with generally good tread.  High-bluff area along the White Rock Rim portion of the hike.

Features:  This hike features dramatic, long-distance, open views in all directions from one of the highest bluff-lines in this part of Arkansas.  The hike begins at the parking area on top of White Rock, follows the road to Milepost 15.1 at Woods Gap on the OHT on FR 1505, continues on the OHT around the west and south base of White Rock Mtn until joining with a spur trail to the top of White Rock Mtn at Milepost 17.5.  We then follow the spur up to the Rim Trail and continue around the entire top of White Rock Mountain passing a number of lookout points, shelters, and cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s.  For more info see Johnny Molloy (50 Hikes in the Ozarks, 1^st Ed., pp. 44-47), or Tim Ernst (Ozark Highlands Trail Guide, 5^th Ed., pp. 43-45), or Jim Warnock (The Ozarks:  43 Spectacular Hikes, 1^st Ed., pp 40-43).

Hike Leader:  Luke Parsch  (contact hike leader for more info)

Telephone & Email:  479-442-3817 home landline; 479-935-0859 mobile (on day of hike); or lparsch@uark.edu  Note:  On day of hike, call mobile phone, do not text.

Meeting Place and Time: 

• Meet at the northeast corner of the parking lot of Wal-Mart Supercenter West at 2875 MLK Blvd (US Hwy 62) in Fayetteville for car caravanning for a 8:45 a.m. departure; or,
• Meet at the Post Office at the intersection of US Hwy 71 and Hickory Street in Mountainburg AR at 9:20 a.m.; or,
• Meet at the parking area near the Sunset Shelter at the top of White Rock Mtn at 10:30 a.m.

Driving Distance:  One-way driving distance from Wal-Mart West to the Post Office in Mountainburg AR is 35 miles via I-49, and 55 miles to White Rock Mtn.

Comments:  Wear mask and practice social distancing.  Bring water, lunch, rain gear, gloves, and wear hiking boots.  No pets are allowed on any hikes, and children under 12 years are discouraged and must be accompanied by a guardian.  At the trailhead, participants will be required to sign a “liability release” http://www.ozarksociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/OS-Sign-Up_Sheet_rev4.pdf  to take part in any Ozark Society outing.  Everyone is welcome to hike with the OSHC, whether an Ozark Society member or not.

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 6:30 PM CST – 8:00 PM CST

Event: Ozark Society Highlands Chapter November meeting

Date:  November 24, 2020

Speaker:  Ed Broksmith, Save the Illinois River

Topic:  Our guest speaker is Ed Brocksmith, he co-founded Save The Illinois River (STIR)in 1984. It is a not for profit, citizen’s coalition chartered in 1984 by residents of Tahlequah OK area.  Our mission is the protection and preservation of the Illinois River, its tributaries and Lake Tenkiller. These important water resources are degraded by phosphorus, nitrates, bacteria and sediment.

Where: On Zoom – All Ozark Society Highlands Chapter members will be sent an invitation prior to the meeting.  If you are not a member, or if you did not receive an invitation, please email or call Chris Kline at ckline901@gmail.com or 479-409-0394 before the event.

Time:

6:30 pm: Social Time –  grab a snack, a nice drink and chat with friends before the presentation!
7:00 pm:  Guest Speaker Presentation
8:00 pm:  Chapter Announcements

Tom Perry

Chair, Ozark Society-Highlands Chapter