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Cool Ozark Mountain Spring Air

Submitted by Deer Lodge on Tue, 2009-04-14 08:19

Well thought spring had sprung heard it might frost tonite but ahh! may-be the last. The river is up lets go canoeing. Riding horses on the river this weekend oh what fun that will bring the hiking and riding trails are amass with flowers and birds. Come on in to the Ozark Mountains for a refreshing getaway at the cedar log cabins of Deer Lodge Cabin Rentals.

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Fishtrap Hollow Falls is a remote waterfall only recommended for the physically fit! Hike begins 30 min. from Mystic Caverns

Looking at Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls Guidebook a couple of years ago, I was struck by the rugged beauty of a waterfall called "Fishtrap Hollow Falls". Well, last Friday, I had the opportunity to venture there with two friends, Henry and David. We left from the Comton trailhead for Hemmed In Hollow Falls, and, after going down hill for about a half hour, turned left onto a bench horse trail. A short distance down this trail we came to "Wild Vic's Cabin".

Vic had an awesome view from his cabin. We decided Vic must not have been a very tall man. Henry and David pictured above had to squat down for this picture. We left the cabin and continued on the muddy horse trail for about another mile. Then we headed off of the trail down a steep mountain. From the trailhead to the bottom of the hill where we headed upstream to the waterfall, we descended about 1240 feet, so we ascended 1240 feet coming back out! Along the way down the steep hill we saw some moss hanging from a tree (my first time to see this hiking in North Arkansas).

As we were nearing the bottom of the hill, the Beech trees were very large and spectacular.

One of the neatest things about this hike was to be where there were no signs of humans. In this remote canyon, I saw no evidence of any previous human visitors! We headed upstream and saw some pretty small waterfalls.

We continued to hike up this dangerous steep canyon to near the top.

The lack of impressive water made me think that it would have been better for us to have visited a week earlier when there was flooding in the area! I took the picture above standing just below a pool.

Looking at this pool from a different angle, I took a picture of the single red leaf floating across the water....

I decided that I should take off my boots, cross this pool, and climb up the rock face to see the pool above. As I stepped into the pool, I noticed a crayfish near my right foot.

This crayfish was about three and a half inches in length. Many caves have blind crayfish, but I haven't seen any at Mystic Caverns. I continued across the cool water on the slimy rocks and scaled the rock wall with my bare feet to see the pool at the top.

Little did I know at the time I took the picture above that it would be the last place that I would photograph with my Nikon D70. I scaled back down the rock wall into the pool below, and, as I was walking back across the slipery rocks, I fell into the pool up to my neck. I was not hurt by this fall, however; the same can not be said for my digital camera! I climbed out of the pool removed my clothes, and decided to hike out in my briefs rather than wear my soaking wet jeans. Fifteen or so yards down the canyon, carrying my wet clothes in one hand and my hiking stick in the other, I fell hard onto the solid rock and hurt myself. Although, I wasn't aware of it at the time, I broke my tail bone. We then hiked out...back up the 1240 feet in elevation and about two and a half miles out.

On this hike, the scenery was fantastic, the fellowship with my friends was delightful, but I don't think I will be returning to "Fishtrap Hollow Falls" for quite some time.