First Day
18 mi & 2,800ft. I did get to Fayetteville, AR at 10:30 PM and Ubered to my motel, where they did have the gas canisters I mailed to myself. I finally got to bed about 12:30AM. Then I was up at 6:15 and got my pack all ready and grabbed breakfast. Roberto arrived right on time and Ubered me down to the OHT trailhead at Ft. Smith Lake, 32 miles south of Fayetteville. After checking in at the visitors center, I started on the trail right at 9AM.
The first six miles goes in a semicircle around the north end of Ft. Smith Lake which requires fording the inlet, known as Frog Bayou. I have been worrying about this ford since I discovered this trail. It is at the 3 mile point and varies from nearly dry in the summer to waist deep and unfordable in late spring. The lady at the visitor’s center said since they haven’t had rain in over a week, it should be calf deep and fine.
As I came over the hill heading down to Frog Bayou, the chorus of frogs was amazingly loud. I guess that’s how it got its name. When I finally reached the crossing, there was a lot of fast moving water and the ford was about 50 feet across. Putting my faith in what the lady said I strolled into the water and was almost swept off my feet. It was only calf deep, but the current was strong. I inched my way across and suddenly I was on the other side. Another mole hill climbed.
The trail rolled up an down through leafless open forest all day gradually going up. The white blossoms of the dogwood were out in abundance and as I climbed higher the red buds appeared.
The only wildlife I saw was a squirrel and a big timber rattlesnake. He was laying stretched out in the middle of the trail. He was not interested in moving so I went around him.
I kept pushing and pushing until I got to White Rocks Mountain Park. A CCC creation, they have campsite and a tiny store. I got a campsite and a Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar, not necessarily in that order.
I am having issues with emailing my posts, just so you know. They will all get posted eventually.
Happy Trails until tomorrow.
Looking good, SloBro. How do you take a picture of yourself crossing a stream?
Thanks JR. Crossing? Cross it and live, set up camera with timer, wade back out.
After you cross the river, do you dry off in any way? Hannah and I learned to cross the creeks of Santa Barbara. She by changing into creek shoes and then changing back. I found just plodding through was fine. My hiking shoes were wet but not soggy. But I would hike that way for just another hour. You have 17 miles! Dry socks?
Just wade on through and keep hiking. There were three fords in 17 miles so no good reason to change to my second pair of socks. Will wear those today and let yesterday’s dry today.
Good looking snake. Glad he got right of way. OZ
Love to see you are out there getting your hiking season under way early this year! I will of course be following along and enjoying your perspective on the OHT.
Take care!
🐐
OZ, Great to hear from you. Yeah, we talked it over and the snake said he wasn’t moving, so I said, “Have a nice day” and went around:^)
Nice trail so far. Well signed. Five fords to get to mile 35. Lots of little and not so little ups and downs. Scene two people in two days. Kind of like the AT, but out in the wilderness.