Lake Wilson

Since I don't get to go hiking today (in the 30's, blah), I might as well write about it.

This trail is actually called the Joe Clark Trail at Lake Wilson, but we just say, "Let's go to Lake Wilson". Well two times we have said that anyway.

We found out about this trail through our Tim Ernst book about Dayhikes for Families. I have to say, getting to it the first time was a bit daunting. The book didn't have the updated road information in it, so we had to do a little guesswork. This place is out in the middle of nowhere. I am pretty sure I heard Deliverance music playing in the background as we drove out there. Even now, I cannot tell you exactly how to get there. My suggestion: Google. :) I do know it is near the Fayetteville airport (as in Drake Field).

We went in the fall both times, about a year apart. The biggest difference about the second trip was that we hadn't had rain in a long time so the creeks were basically dry. Not nearly as much fun for the kiddos but we still enjoyed the trail. Most of these pictures are from our first trip out there in November of 2009 (You will notice J-man is still in the backpack at that point...we also had Hunter's friend/neighbor L with us), with a couple of pictures from our second trip (October 2010) mixed in.


Not the most helpful map/information area. There is a pavilion but I don't think there are any restrooms (that I remember).

The trailhead starts to the right of the pavilion.

The first part of the hike (which is around 1 1/2 miles depending on which paths you choose) is right by the lake. We try to keep our crew quiet because there is a good chance someone will be fishing there.
This was on our first visit. It had rained all but 7 days I think in the month of October, so there was a little water left. Second visit it was dry as a bone.
Another little creek area to cross
I will consider this hike moderate only because if you do the upper trail (which we did both times), it is a little bit of incline. It isn't that difficult though.
The kids favorite part was the rock area. There were several "bluffs" up above the lake but most were not too tall. So the kids had a fun time scrambling on them. The first time we went, we didn't get as much "rock" time because of the time/Daylight Savings, so the second time we went, that was our kids' mission. To explore, climb, and play.


At one point, you are quite "high" on the trail and can look down at the lake below. It is beautiful. Especially at sunset.
This trail is a loop, so you come out where you started.

We never saw any snakes though I am sure there are times of year they are out and about. The only "wildlife" we have really seen on this trail include a tiny frog and a blue heron on the lake.

It doesn't have any major "Wow" factors (like a cave or a waterfall), but it really is a nice little trail for a family. It is very safe and easy to walk (other than the hill you climb at the beginning). I have a feeling we will be back yet again!
Reba

Tanyard Creek

Every year our third graders go on a field trip to a place called "Tanyard Creek". Hunter loved that field trip. The kids hiked, kept a field journal, and had a little scavenger hike.

So when we started hiking (which was fall of 2009), we decided to find out what Tanyard Creek was all about. So one fall afternoon we headed down the road, or rather up the road, to Tanyard Creek.

If you are in NWArkansas, it is pretty easy to get to. Just drive 540 (north) to Bella Vista. Take the Lancashire Drive (340) exit. Turn left and follow the road. You will begin to see signs. Turn on the street to the left (I have no name, just look for the sign) then turn right into the parking lot. The trail starts right by the pavilion.

The first little bit of the trail you kind of wonder what you are doing. After all, you are basically overlooking a field (and probably a golf course). Just be patient. Go a little further until you see the actual hiking sign. That is where the beauty begins. We always go to the right at the sign/map area.

One of the neat things about the trail is that volunteers have painstakingly created signs for all sorts of plants/trees. You will also find information along the trail about the history of the area. That is probably why our third grade teachers choose it for a field trip.
Fall is obviously a beautiful time to go with all of the colorful leaves. I have also visited in the spring (when Lauren went on her field trip) and we went on a warm summer day as a family and played in the creek. We haven't tried going in the winter yet...

There are a lot of "photo" ops along the trail. In fact, this day we were there, there were photographers EVERYWHERE taking Christmas card shots. My family just got stuck with this amateur photographer...
This was a shallow part of the creek. The creek does get a little bit deeper, perfect for wading. You do have to watch out for snakes, though we didn't see any in the creek when we were there.
Most of the trail is fairly level. There are only a couple of inclines. One was to the waterfall (and we went a bit further to see the lake...that wasn't really worth the extra walk. The waterfall however is. When we have had rain, it is beautiful. When we went in the summer, it was dry as a bone. :)
The creek is fun. We saw some crawfish in it. There is also a "rapids" area right below the waterfall.
This is one of three snakes I have ever seen on a hike. I think it was possibly a baby copperhead but I try not to get close enough snakes to identify them. This one was dead already though, so I didn't run out of the woods screaming. I just made sure there wasn't a momma nearby!
Tanyard Creek has some beautiful rock areas, including some overhangs and faux caves.
There are some signs of civilization from long ago along the trail. This is the foundation of an old house.
This swinging bridge is one of my favorite parts. It is fun to walk on and just gives the trail a little "bling".
Tanyard Creek is a loop. You walk around the trail and emerge back at the trailhead. The trail is around 2 miles long depending on how which parts you walk.

If you are just starting to hike as a family, I highly recommend Tanyard Creek. It is a nice trail, fairly easy to walk, yet has some fun history along the way. It is probably one of the more kid friendly trails we have ever been on.

Happy Hiking!
The Clouds

Lincoln Lake- Piney Loop

Yesterday the sun finally emerged halfway through the day, so we decided to venture out for a hike. I was in the mood to go to a new hiking spot. Not long ago, a friend had recommended visiting Lincoln Lake. I had never even heard of it, but we were game. So we headed on over to Lincoln (my first time there) and followed the signs to the Lake. (If you are in NWA, take the bypass until you get to the exit for Highway 62. Follow 62 through Prairie Grove. You have to watch because 62 does turn to the right at one point. When you get to Lincoln, you take a turn by the Great American Drive In (on the right) onto West. It also has a county number but I don't remember what it is. There are signs though. Follow this winding road (which is way out in the country). At one point, right after you have turned and gone down on a hill, the entrance is at the bottom of the hill on the right.

I was a bit unsure what to expect since we were out in the middle of nowhere and I could find very little information via Google about this area. So this sight was a pleasant surprise.

There is a little map posted detailing the trails and the trail highlights. We decided to take the Piney Loop. We knew we were only going to hike part of it though due to time constraints and one tired, congested little boy.
I was very impressed with how well marked the trail was.

Somewhere there was a water by-pass, but my kids preferred to cross over the water via the rocks. I couldn't figure out how the vehicles got over to that little area of land all surrounded by water. We figured it out quickly. They just drive through this shallow area.

I naively thought this was going to be a tiny little lake based on the water we saw. I obviously didn't have the whole picture...

This is one of the first views we had after climbing a hill. This bluff is STRAIGHT down. Did I mention this area is popular with rock climbers and "boulderers"? We saw several. This was one of the few places we felt like there was any danger. The kids had to be right next to us, holding our hand (the young ones anyway).
One of the kids' favorite parts of this hike involved all of the rocks. I just love how there are these big rocks out in the middle of the woods. The kids enjoyed scrambling all over them and doing their own rock climbing on a smaller scale.
Because we visited in the winter, we had a great view of the lake as we hiked. I am guessing in the spring/summer, the view would be blocked by the leaves. There were a few slippery parts of the trail along the way, mainly due to mud, dry leaves, and moss.
Speaking of moss... The rocks really were beautiful. I am not a master photographer so the pictures don't do it justice.
While we didn't see much wildlife beyond ducks and geese (and one dead armadillo), we saw evidence of beavers in the area.
This was a beautiful view of the lake.
While the trail continued, we stopped here at the "dam". We have learned with kids that if we go too far, the going back part can be difficult and miserable for all of us. Ask Maria what she loves about hiking and she will tell you, "All of it except for going back". We did take a few minutes to take in the beauty of the lake. It was just so peaceful. As for swimming, I did see a sign (with photos of snakes) that advised against swimming here.

Oh, we saw a guy carrying a BIG pad on his back. We asked him what it was. It was a crash mat for when they climbed boulders. It really is a popular spot for that type of thing.
More lake views.

More rock formations as we head back.
We usually take a snack break mid-hike. Don't worry, we pick up our trash.
This was a neat little opening among some of the rock formations.
Another little walkway that was just right for J-man.
Walking back...
There were several limbs down, I am guessing still damage from the ice storm two years ago, but it never felt dangerous to me.
Another beautiful view
I think we hiked around 2 1/2 hours and we didn't even finish that trail.

We will definitely be going back to try the trail that goes around the other part of the lake.

Overall, I give this trail 2 thumbs up. All of us enjoyed it. The kids' favorite part? Rock climbing for sure (more like rock scrambling). My favorite part was the view of the lake. Mark liked it all.

As far as difficulty, it was a fairly easy hike. I never felt totally winded. There was a little incline in some parts, but they were short sections of the trail, so I never felt tired or unable to finish. The only danger we ever felt was the bluffs section, and that was actually somewhat off the trail. After we looked at that first overlook, we got back on the trail which doesn't get near the bluffs. The only other time I got somewhat nervous was when the kids were climbing on some of the rocks. We were supervising but I still get nervous. (They didn't go very high though)

The only other possible danger I could foresee with this hike is snakes. Since we are still coming out of winter, I didn't worry too much. But I am guessing in the spring with all of those leaves and rocks, snakes could be an issue. We haven't had any trouble with snakes on our hikes, but I advise staying on the main path and watching where you step. :)

I do plan on adding several more hikes we have taken in the next couple of weeks. It is not my goal to make this the most popular blog out there. It is nothing fancy. I just know we get asked about family hikes, so hopefully in time it will be a good resource for families wanting to hike. (I also plan on focusing more on the scenery; I will share more family details on our family blog)

Reba

A Walk in the Woods

Just a brief introduction:

Our family likes to take advantage of good weather on the weekends with a walk in the woods (otherwise called a hike). I often post about these hikes on our family blog but it is more "memory oriented". So I have decided to chronicle some of the hikes our family has taken the last year and a half in case there are other Northwest Arkansas families out there looking for a fun family activity on the weekend.

Check back soon...the first post is coming up this week!

Reba