Arkansas Wild

May/June 2011

Whitewater

Adventure — Also —

Ozark medieval fortress Devito’s blazin’ trails

atv riding in the natural state

Geocachers!

CACHE OF THE MONTH from the ARKANSAS DEPT. OF PARKS AND TOURISM pg. 47

2 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

We love what you love.

The 2011 Subaru Outback

RIVERSIDE SUBARU 16100 Chenal Parkway • Little Rock, AR 72211 501.448.8000 • riversidesubaru.com May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 3

Table of CONTENTS 8

FROG BAYOU WMA RESTORATION COMPLETED

By Andi Cooper, Ducks Unlimited

14

Little Red river is a draw every season

16

Whitewater adventure

20

Blazin’ trails

32

Devito’s - A family tradition

36

ozark medieval fortress

By Jill M. Rohrbach, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

By Emily Griffin

32

ATV Riding in the Natural State.

By Paige Hunter Parham

By Kat Robinson and Grav Weldon

By Kat Robinson and Grav Weldon

16 42

Worth a thousand words

44

calendar of events

46

news briefs

The photography of A.C. "Chuck" Haralson

4 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

36

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 5

CONTRIBUTORS Andi cooper is a native Mississippian and has a Master’s degree from Mississippi State University in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Cooper currently holds a position with Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Region in Ridgeland, MS as a Communications Specialist. While she’s not working, Cooper enjoys bird watching, deer hunting, outdoor photography, woodburning, camping, and wandering the woods with dogs, Jake and Ziva.

Grav weldon is a photojournalist with a penchant for catching the strange and absurd.

His work has appeared in several local and regional publications, including 2njoy Magazine, Deep South Magazine, Serious Eats and Lonely Planet. He is an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith wher he teaches 3-D animation. When not working for the university or on assignment, Grav photographs life in rural Arkansas and constructs abstract 3-D computer generated artistic images.

JILL m. ROHRBACH is the northwest travel writer for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Based in the university town of Fayetteville, she covers the Arkansas River Valley and the Ozarks, An Arkansas native, Rohrbach enjoys such outdoor adventures as hiking, camping, geocaching, archery, and fly fishing for trophy trout. Before joining Parks and Tourism, she reported on education, county and city government and wrote local features for The Morning News.

Kat Robinson is a food a.c. “chuck” HaralPaige hunter parham was born and raised and travel writer based in son is chief photographer in Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

As a child, she and her brother spent the long Arkansas summers riding four-wheelers and cutting trails in the forests on their grandparents’ land, boating and camping at DeGray Lake, and digging for treasure in Murfreesboro. Today, Paige enjoys hiking, fishing and climbing mountains with her daughter Cassidy, who she credits for renewing her wonder at the beauty of the Natural State.

Little Rock. She writes Tie Dye Travels, her syndicated personal blog about her travels and dining experiences in Arkansas and the American South. She also writes Eat Arkansas, the blog for food lovers for the Arkansas Times. Kat appears bi-weekly on the Dave Elswick Show on KARN Newsradio 102.89fm and monthly on KARK 4 News at Noon. She’s also a hamburger corresondant for Serious Eats, a travel and chef profile writer for 2njoy Magazine and a contributor to Lonely Planet and Food Network Magazine. She is the 2011 recipient of the Henry Award for Media Support from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

In her spare time, she just manages to keep up with her two year old daughter Hunter with the help of her husband, Paul.

6 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

A 32-year veteran of the department, Haralson travels the state capturing images of Arkansas’s scenic natural beauty fnd travel attractions. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic Dsicovery, Better Homes and Gardens, Women’s Day, Camping Life, and Backpaker, and in major newspapers including the New York Times, Chicago Tirbune and the Los Angeles Times. He’s now the proud grandfather of one-year-old grandson Wyatt.

This is my favorite time of year in Arkansas.

Even though we thought we would drown in April, things are greening up nicely. My family and I have been working in our garden a lot this year (and replanting after tornadoes blew through!), which is fairly new to me. We’ve all really enjoyed it and spending time together outside has left us with many wonderful memories. If you’re reading this I know you enjoy all things outdoors as well and I hope that you are making the most of the beautiful early summer months.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Arkansas Wild.

Over the years we have worked to bring our readers features on the outdoors from every angle. From hunting and fishing to hiking and biking, Arkansas Wild has featured it all!

I also hope that you will take the time to become a fan of Arkansas Wild on Facebook (facebook.com/arkansaswild). Our fans can find links to important (and just plain interesting) outdoor information, news, post photos, and more!

Now get out and go “wild!”

Heather Baker Publisher heatherbaker@arktimes.com

Heather Baker Publisher hbaker@arktimes.com

Editorial Emily Griffin Editor emily@arktimes.com BRYAN MOATS Editorial/Creative Art Director

Advertising Michelle miller Special Projects Manager michelle@arktimes.com Missy Penor Account Manager missy@arktimes.com CINDY KILPATRICK Account Executive cindy@arktimes.com kelly lyles Advertising Assistant kelly@arktimes

Photography Brian Chilson A.C. (Chuck) Haralson

Production Weldon Wilson Production Manager Roland Gladden Advertising Traffic Manager kelly schlachtewr Advertising Coordinator tracy whitaker Advertising Coordinator Doug benjamin Graphic Artist KAI CADDY Graphic Artist Patrick Jones Graphic Artist Mike Spain Graphic Artist

Office Staff Weldon Wilson Controller Robert Curfman IT Director Linda Phillips Billing/Collections Angie Fambrough Office Manager Anitra Hickman Circulation Director

201 E. MARKHAM ST. SUITE 200 LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 501-375-2985 All Contents Š 2011 Arkansas Wild May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 7

Frog Bayou WMA wetlands provide unique opportunities for hunters as waterfowling opportunities on public lands are limited.

8 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Frog Bayou wma R e s tor ati o n Com p leteD

by Andi Cooper

DUCKS UNLIMITED

M

uch of the focus on wetlands and waterfowl habitats in Arkansas occurs, for good reason, in the Delta region. However, the Arkansas River is also an important waterfowl highway.

Connecting the Central and Mississippi Flyways, the Arkansas River serves as a corridor for waterfowl winging their way from the prairies through Oklahoma and on to the Mississippi River.

Likewise, the area is important to spring migrants. Waterfowl and shorebirds travel up the Arkansas River Valley towards critical habitats like Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas and the Rainwater Basin in Nebraska during their return journey to the northern prairies of the U.S. and Canada – many ducks’ nesting terminus. Unfortunately, significant loss of wetlands has occurred in the Arkansas and other river systems, so DU works with agencies like Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to identify and restore important habitats.

The Arkansas River Valley Historically, the Arkansas River Valley was dominated by complexes of forested wetlands interspersed with swamps, cypress-tupelo brakes, scrub-shrub wetlands, and emergent wetlands. Each winter, portions of the entire system flooded, making several thousand acres of habitat available to wintering mallards and wood ducks. Food in the form of acorns and “moist soil plants” such as wild millet, were made available via winter flooding. While no wetland system is 100 percent reliable or predictable in terms of annual habitat and food availability, the Arkansas River Valley provided consistent wetland habitats for migrating waterfowl.

As with many river systems throughout the country, the reliability of this habitat no longer remains. Much of the forested lands in the Arkansas River Valley have been cleared and converted to agriculture, including thousands of acres that were cleared as recently as the 1970s when soybean

“This project is important because it provides vital resources to migrating and wintering waterfowl, shore birds and marsh birds as well as linking together other wetland complexes in the Arkansas River Valley,” Craig Hilburn, DU manager of conservation programs, said.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 9

prices made it economical to farm very marginal, flood-prone lands.

Further, natural flooding in the Arkansas River Valley has been reduced by 50-90 percent as a result of flood control and navigation projects on the river. Hence, a system that once provided reliable winter habitat on an annual basis now provides far less habitat.

Today, flooding often occurs later in winter and well into the growing season. Consequently, the duration of flooding on some “higher sites” is far less consistent, while flooding on some lower sites occurs much longer and later each year. The net effect of these alterations is the significant reduction of available forage and forested habitats during critical migration periods for waterfowl.

Creating Frog Bayou WMA In an effort to address habitat shortfalls within the Arkansas River

Waterfowl migrating along the Arkansas River Valley now have a reliable source of quality habitat at Frog Bayou WMA.

10 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Valley, Ducks Unlimited, Inc., AGFC and the NRCS partnered to acquire and protect a tract of agricultural land adjacent to the Arkansas River. Representatives from these organizations, along with numerous Ducks Unlimited (DU) volunteers and donors, worked closely with the Denman and Wheeler families to acquire the site in 2004. This tract became Frog Bayou Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Immediately upon purchase, the partners began planning efforts to restore the area to optimal wildlife habitat. Work entailed reforestation of several hundred acres of bottomland hardwoods and creation of seasonally flooded wetlands.

After acquiring 790 acres, DU transferred the property to AGFC who now manages the new WMA for waterfowl, other wetland dependent wildlife and also for area sportsmen and women in perpetuity.

“This project is important because it provides vital resources to migrating and wintering waterfowl, shore birds and marsh birds as well as linking together other wetland complexes in the Arkansas River Valley,” Craig Hilburn, DU manager of conservation programs, said.

“Mallard, gadwall, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, pintail, wood ducks, American wigeon, sora rails, Virginia rails, yellowlegs, sandpipers, and snipe are the primary migratory bird species benefiting from this project.”

Restoration Strategy After intensive planning, a team of engineers recommended

Good water does not happen by accident!

Central Arkansas Water and the Watershed Management Staff want you to get out and enjoy one of Central Arkansas’s most treasured resources this summer…

Lake Maumelle!

Go sailing, take your kayak for a spin or do a little fishing.

Bring a backpack and take a day hike through the Ouachita National Recreation Trail or stretch your legs for a short jaunt on the Farkleberry Trail. Pack a picnic, take in the view and enjoy the wildlife but remember to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, this is our drinking water.

DUCKS UNLIMITED

Clean water adds to quality of life.

For more information on Lake Maumelle and the Watershed Management program, check us out online at www.carkw.com under the public information tag.

Photo: ArkAnsAs DePArtment of PArks AnD tourism

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 11

that the project be developed in two phases. First, via the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) that restores critical wetlands and bottomland hardwood forest, DU established seasonallyflooded habitats at Frog Bayou WMA beginning in late summer 2004. Approximately 315 acres of wetlands in seven different units were restored. In order to enable sufficient water delivery, DU used more than 81,600 cubic yards of soil to construct perimeter levees and installed six large water control structures. In addition, thousands of bottomland hardwood trees were planted during winter 2004-2005 to restore the function and value of a forested wetland ecosystem.

Pooling Resources DU is indebted to the Denman and Wheeler families for making this endeavor possible. Also, we are indebted to staff of AGFC, and NRCS their cooperation and efforts in making this restoration dream come true. Lastly, DU volunteers and sponsors give tirelessly to meet the goals of our waterfowl and wetlands programs; for that, DU, our partners, and the waterfowl resource are indebted! A project dedication is being planned for later this year to recognize the supporting partners and Ducks Unlimited major sponsors.

In the second phase, two permanent pumps were installed in summer 2005. These pumps ensure that water is deliverable to wetland units at important times such as early fall, during waterfowl hunting season,

“Sportsmen and women have long been the greatest advocates for wildlife conservation,” Hilburn said. “Without the support of DU’s volunteers and major sponsors, this new WMA would not have been possible!”

From the air you can see the strategic location of Frog Bayou WMA – between the Arkansas River and adjacent forested habitat.

Learn more about Ducks Unlimited www.ducks.org.

12 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

DUCKS UNLIMITED

No matter your outdoor recreation preferences, we hope that you take an opportunity to enjoy Frog Bayou WMA.

and again later during spring migration.

“Wetland units were carefully planned to ensure that flooding and drainage schedules can meet the needs of waterfowl, provide adequate hunting access, and enable vegetation management,” Brian Infield, AGFC field biologist, said.

The project has increased the carrying capacity of area habitat for wintering, migrating, and breeding wetland-dependent birds, and contributes directly to the objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and the Ducks Unlimited Continental Conservation Plan.

Improved Opportunities for Waterfowl Enthusiasts Agency staff and DU members and volunteers are very excited about this new wetland venture. Not

only does it benefit migrating birds and local wildlife, it also provides additional hunting opportunities for Arkansans.

Frog Bayou WMA wetlands provide unique opportunities for hunters as waterfowling opportunities on public lands in western Arkansas are limited. Access to public areas in the Natural State is extremely important to DU members and volunteers. Rightfully so, considering hunters in Arkansas harvest more than one million waterfowl most years, second only to Louisiana in the 2008-2009 season. Each year 80,000-90,000+ hunters eagerly take to Arkansas’ agricultural fields, wetlands, and bottomland hardwood forests in search of a quality waterfowling experience!

Andi Cooper is the Communications Specialist for the Ducks Unlimited Southern Region.

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ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

Heber Springs offers great fishing opportunities.

A Draw in Every Season

by Jill M. Rohrbach

O

n a recent beautiful March day, I headed out on the Little Red River in north-central Arkansas with my co-worker and photographer, Chuck Haralson, and Buddy Pate, our guide from Lindsey’s Resort. As we boarded the johnboat and began to back out of the slip, Pate commented that an eagle had been flying up the river every morning, usually around that time. As if on cue, the eagle came into sight. It proved to be a good omen for the day.

Pate guided us to one of his favorite fishing holes, and set us up with wax worms and marshmallows. It wasn’t long before I had a fish on my line, quickly followed by several more.

The men added a couple catches to the tally before the bites slowed and eventually Pate opted to move to another spot.

14 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

He had us working moss beds or structure, and at each hole we would go on a bit of a run. Often two of us would have a fish on at the same time. It didn’t take long for the jabbing to start in regard to who was catching the most fish (me!), the biggest or who missed the most bites or failed to get a fish to the boat.

This river is home to rainbows, browns, cutthroat and brook trout.

“There are a few tiger browns,” Pate said. A tiger is a cross between a brook and brown. “I’ve only caught two of those in 35 years, so I’d say they’re pretty rare.”

The Little Red River is a worldclass trout stream. Twenty-nine miles of it became suitable as a trout habitat after the completion of the Greers Ferry Dam in the early 1960s.

Hatchery-raised rainbows provide the bulk of the Little Red River’s fish population, but there are wild fish too. Pate said about 400,000 fish are stocked in the river each year.

While our total for the day was 39, catching 70, 100 or even 150 fish a day is not uncommon. “The average size is around one pound, but two and three pounds are not unusual,” he said. “And trophy trout are all around.”

The world record for a brown trout (40 pounds, 4 ounces) was set in May 1992 on the Little Red River by Howard “Rip” Collins. This record stood until it was surpassed in 2009.

“We’re known for big trout in Arkansas,” said Pate. Bigger trophy fish are often caught between

Greers Ferry Lake Sports Many Species

November and the first of the year when brown trout are spawning.

“All the seasons have their draws,” Pate explained. In the winter there is also less competition from other anglers. In the spring and summer fish are easier to catch because they are stocked. Fall offers the added beauty of fiery foliage.

Sitting in JR’s Hickory House in the town of Greers Ferry with plates full of fried catfish, okra, fries, and a hamburger on the table in front of us, Bill Dennis said, “Tomorrow morning we’ll start off throwing a jig.”

As I envisioned that lure in the water, my mind was hooked immediately with thoughts of catching a lunker worthy of bragging rights. For me, fishing is sort of like that lottery saying, “Somebody’s gonna win.” Somebody’s going to catch a new world-record fish. So, possibility is what excites me with every cast because even if it’s not THE big one, it could be A big one.

“The fish are healthy and robust,” Pate added.

“The wildlife speaks for itself.”

The next day held plenty of promise as we, my co-worker, photographer, Chuck Haralson and I, headed out to fish the big action waters of Arkansas’s Greers Ferry Lake with Dennis, guide and owner of Central Arkansas Fishing Guide Services (501-580-0669; www.arfishingguide.com).

It was a March morning and the sun was just melting the shrouding fog, giving way to what would be a bright, warm spring day. We put in at an area of the lake known as “the Narrows.” It’s popular with visitors because of its convenient access to the lake, water sports and recreation, restaurants, and lodging accommodations. The area is also known for bass and walleye.

“The fish are healthy and robust,” Pate added. “The wildlife speaks for itself.”

Now through May is great walleye fishing on Greers Ferry Lake, located in the north central portion of the state. But as most anglers who fish this water know, the 40,000-acre lake is bristling with all kinds of species, some of record-quality size.

For the latter reason, my favorite area was fishing near Beach Island. Four gobblers with long beards flew from bank to bank in front of us. They landed on the steep hillside within a stone’s throw from us before loudly dispersing again. Two Canadian geese flew over our heads, then one returned flying about six feet away and level with my head. Later a mink played hide and seek with us from behind a boulder before scampering up the rocky, timbered shore and disappearing. I also caught a cutbow here, a cross between a cutthroat and a rainbow. We spotted an otter earlier in the trip.

“You can fish for rainbow trout by the dam,” explained Dennis. “There’s good hybrid fishing and a good smallmouth population. Good Kentucky. Good black bass. The Choctaw area is excellent for brim and crappie.” White bass, catfish, the list goes on.

This crystal-clear lake is also big fish water.

It holds the world-record walleye of 22 pounds and 11 ounces, and the worldrecord hybrid striper at 27 pounds, 5 ounces.

The types and size of fish aren’t the only thing Greers Ferry Lake has going for it. As Dennis described, it is also pristine with excellent water quality.

After some success there, Dennis headed to a point about 15 minutes away to see if we could get into a mess of smallmouth. We didn’t get them to bite, but still brought in a couple more largemouths. An added bonus was the sighting of two mature bald eagles sitting in a tree together.

We didn’t catch anything over two pounds, but it was still a great day on the water.

Watching the shore pass by as Dennis drove the boat back toward land, I was reminded of just how beautiful The Natural State is and how great this lake’s recreational areas are. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers offers excellent camping facilities and easily accessible boat ramps.

“I can’t think of any of them that have inadequate parking,” Dennis said. “And they’re well maintained. Add to that a friendly environment.

The lake is also popular for tournaments because of its new weigh-in facility, the Devils Fork Fishing Tournament Center.

Located at Devils Fork Park in Greers Ferry, the center has an on-site building with staging area, multiple launching locations, aerated holding tanks, digital scales, plenty of boat parking and a live release fish trailer.

Greers Ferry Lake is perfect for year-round fishing, as is all of Arkansas’s waters – 600,000 acres of lakes and 9,700 miles of streams. “The best time to fish anywhere, I think, is November and December,” Dennis said. “Everybody’s in the deer woods.

There’s less pressure on the fish. Fish can feel winter time coming on so if you can hit them at the right time they’re going to feed.”

While I will fish in the winter, I admit that I prefer warmer weather where I can catch a few rays while feeling the relaxation and challenge of the moment all at the same time. It’s the ultimate escape.

Greers Ferry Lake ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

“We’re so spoiled here,” Pate said.

Jill Rohrbach is the northwest travel writer for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

From the put in, Dennis took us on a five minute boat ride to fish shallow waters by the shore. We cast to the rocky bank bringing our jig representing a crawfish back slowly. Their bites were soft, and it was tough to feel a strike, but we brought in a few largemouth bass.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 15

Whit adv

Test your skills on the Mulberry River.

16 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

tewater venture Few sports can have your heart racing and adrenaline pumping quite like navigating the whitewater rapids of the Mulberry River.

by Emily Griffin For most of the year visitors will find the Mulberry is a clear, cool river great for swimming, canoeing and fishing for bass. However, March to June the Mulberry is one of the state’s wildest adventures!

From its beginnings deep in the Ozarks to its confluence with the Arkansas River, the Mulberry pours off ledges, shoots through willow thickets, and whips around sharp turns. These “wild” characteristics are what give the stream its class II/ III rating, and high marks from the floating public.

Visitors to the Mulberry can expect prime Ozark Mountain scenery—narrow canyons, tree-lined bluffs, and dense woods. A good assortment of wildlife is found in the immediate

area, including one of the state’s largest concentrations of black bears. The stream itself is clear and cool. In 1985, the General Assembly declared the Mulberry to be “a scenic river of the State of Arkansas” and in 1992 it was named a National Wild and Scenic River.

The headwaters of the Mulberry originate in the heart of the Boston Mountains, which are the highest and most rugged of the Ozarks. Many of the mountain ridges that define the edges of the watershed peak out at over 2300’ elevation. These ridges are the remnants of an uplifted plateau that has eroded over some 300 million years, forming deep valleys such as the Mulberry. The Mulberry flows approximately 62 miles westsouthwest. Along the way it drains

almost 400 square miles, the majority of which lies in the Ozark National Forest.

The Mulberry River is a free flowing stream unimpeded by dams. No major springs feed the river. The current river level is determined by the amount of rainfall recently received coupled with the time of year. If rains have been frequent enough to keep the water table up, then the river will rise quickly with the next rain and drop slower than when the water table is low.

River Statistics Access points are fairly common, particularly where the stream is within the Ozark National Forest.

Primary points of access include Wolf Pen campground (off Ark. 215) Arkansas Highways 23, 103, and 215, May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 17

Campbell Cemetery (off FR 1512), Forest Roads 1501, and 1504, and U.S. 64. And while the Mulberry is located in some of the state’s wildest country, the stream is amazingly convenient; the Highway 23 crossing is less than a dozen miles north of Interstate 40. Outfitters are located on and near the river and supplies and overnight accommodations or camping can be found easily.

Floats The Mulberry offers about 40 miles of good canoeing. Depending on the water level most canoeists cover anywhere from 6 to 15 miles in a day’s float. At low water levels 2 miles per hour is common. At higher water levels, 3 miles per hour is average.

The following is a brief description of the various river segments.

WOLF PEN TO TURNER BEND Miles: 15.7 Gradient: 16’ per mile upper half, 12’ per mile lower half The Mulberry is a narrow stream at Wolf Pen. The best action begins after the confluence of the Little Mulberry 2 miles below Wolf Pen. Big Al’s Twist and Chainsaw Jungle come before High Bank access, 2 miles below Little Mulberry.

18 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

Next comes Jump Start, Whoop and Holler and several other rapids as the river twists around one curve after another. The action is fast and continuous. Byrd’s Landing is 4.5 miles below High Bank. Troll Shoal is a fun run just above the Low Water Bridge.

Stay to the right to get under the Low Water Bridge.

The stretch of river from Low Water Bridge to Turner Bend has steady action. There are few named rapids, but there are several tight curves that will wreck an unwary canoe at high water. Redding Campground is on the right 2.7 miles below Low Water Bridge. Two miles below Redding is the Sacroiliac Rapid where a large boulder sits on the outside of a right hand curve. Turner Bend is 1.5 miles downstream.

TURNER BEND TO CAMPBELL CEMETERY Miles: 10.6 Gradient: 11’ per mile The river takes on more of a “pool and drop” characteristic here. Watch for fallen trees in the second mile below Turner Bend as the bank frequently erodes here. Rocking Horse/ Picture Book come back to back midway in this run. Several more wide shoals lead you up to a big field on the right just after the river turns west. Milton Ford is 1.9 miles before Campbell Cemetery. A half mile before Campbell is Hamm Falls, one of the best rapids on the river. Be ready for this one. Rock steps on the right mark Campbell Cemetery.

CAMPBELL CEMETERY TO MILL CREEK Miles: 12.7 Gradient: 11’ per mile This is a beautiful and remote stretch of river. The pools are long, but the rapids are big. Hell Roaring Falls, 3 miles below Campbell, is a thrill. The mid part of this run is slow but the action picks up near the end as the river breaks out of the mountains.

Mill Creek access is 1/2 mile below a large cable that crosses over a long pool in the river.

Before You Go Floating conditions can vary according to local rainfall. The best bet for canoeists is to call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ river level recording (501-324-5150). Readings between 2.0 and 4.0 are ideal, while 4.5 and beyond are considered dangerous. Canoeists should also make a point of checking into local weather forecasts. A heavy rain can quickly transform the Mulberry into a rampaging torrent. Because of the chance for these sudden rises, visitors are advised that camping on islands and gravel bars is generally not recommended.

For more information on the Mulberry River visit the following websites: Arkansas.com; TurnerBend.com; ByrdsAdventureCenter.com.

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20 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

’ N I Z S L I TRA ATV RIDING IN THE NATURAL STATE

BY PAIGE HUNTER PARHAM

R

iding ATVs, or All-Terrain Vehicles, is a popular activity for Arkansas of all ages.

ATV riding is an activity that can be enjoyed in any season, making it an ideal way to experience many of the Natural State’s mountains and forests. Arkansas’ unique landscape provides an abundance of man-made and natural trails for the novice or experienced rider. With some basic safety training and equipment, the entire family can enjoy speeding through the woods in a new and exciting way.

The Ouachita National Forest, which spans 1.8 million acres in central Arkansas, is home to some of the state’s most beloved trails. The Wolf Pen Gap Trail, which is home to 35 miles of looping trails and features mountain vistas and snakes along the Cossatot River, Board Camp Creek and the scenic Gap Creek, can be found just outside of Mena. Wolf Pen Gap is open year-round with the exception of deer gun season, which runs from

mid-November to early December.

Also found in the Ouachita National Forest are Fourche Mountain Trail, featuring streams, scenic views and even abandoned silver mines, in Waldron, and the Sugar Creek Trail in Booneville.

Another of Arkansas’ treasures, the Ozark National Forest, is home to several ATV riding trails as well. The Brook Creek Trails feature 40 miles of multi-use trails and are located in Paris. The Mill Creek OHV Trail System in Ozark is home to lush hardwood forests, mountain streams, and features 27 miles of main trails and 15 miles of interior looping trails.

The Moccasin Gap Trails in Hector offer a mix of hardwood and pine forests, numerous streams and even some small waterfalls.

It is important to take note that there are over 1,100 miles of ATV parks and trails designated for use in Arkansas, and only these areas or private land should be used for riding. Due to growing numbers of off-road vehicles being used recreationally, the U.S. Forest Services is cracking down on ATV use in national forests. Riders are restricted to specifically designated routes, which can be verified on the annually published Motor Vehicle Use Map. These maps can be obtained from www.aokforests.com or at any National Forest office.

An alternative to riding on National Forest land is to find a private facility.

These often offer lodging, amenities, and instruction on basic technique and safety. The Superlift ORV Park, which is located in Hot Springs, offers an off-road park for 4WD vehicles, ATVs, dirt bikes and mountain bikes. In Ozark, Byrd’s Adventure Center of the Ozarks features hiking, biking, extreme motor and ATV riding trails, climbing, kayaking and canoeing. In addition, Byrd’s has one of the United States’ most challenging 4 wheel drive obstacle courses.

When enjoying ATV sports, it’s very important to use caution to protect both the environment and the rider.

Long pants and sleeves are suggested for all riders, and helmets, pads and eye protection are absolutely necessary. Before embarking on an ATV adventure, careful planning and preparation can make this an enjoyable and safe trip for riders of any skill level.

Injuries such as skull and facial fractures, brain injuries, paralysis and spinal cord injuries can be the result of careless ATV riding. It is important to follow safety guidelines to prevent serious injuries in riders of all ages.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 21

Safety should be top priority when riding Arkansas trails.

Safety tips Following some common-sense safety precautions can lessen your chance of being involved in an ATV accident.

Always read and follow the owner’s manual. Make an extra effort to pay attention to all warnings within the manual.

Always wear proper safety equipment while operating your ATV. This equipment includes but is not limited to

gloves, boots, long sleeves, long pants, eye protection and an approved helmet.

Carrying passengers on an ATV is not permitted. They are designed for use by one person.

They are unsafe and are no longer manufactured.

Riders should wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt and closed-toe, nonskid shoes.

Attend an ATV driver’s safety course.

Many retailers give discounts for successful completion.

Never ride on public roads or at night.

For information on these classes, call 1-800-887-2887 or visit atvsafety.org.

Three-wheelers should never be used.

Children younger than 12 must be supervised by an adult while on an ATV.

Trail Etiquette and Rider Responsibilities Be aware of damage you and your vehicle can do to the environment.

Don’t put your survival skills to the test! Stick to the established path if you’re not familiar with the trail.

22 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Don’t litter! Let’s all do our part to keep Arkansas beautiful!

Take care of your vehicle so it will take care of you!

Be sure to have your ATV serviced regularly.

Use the “buddy system.” Always take at least one other person and one other vehicle with you.

Always let someone know where you will be riding in case they need to find you later.

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amping is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors and escape the day-to-day hustle and bustle. Arkansas is a great place to go camping. Thirty of Arkansas’s 52 state parks feature campgrounds. Park campsites are located in scenic settings showcasing the natural beauty and geological diversity of the state.

Before you head out there are a few things every camper needs to know.

On the following pages you will find important information about camping in Arkansas.

Necessary Gear

There are three things every person must have to go camping: A tent, sleeping bag, and food. Careful consideration should be taken before purchasing your camping gear. Where will you be camping? Is the climate warm or cold? Your first tent need not be expensive, but it should provide adequate weather protection. Similarly, you can find moderately priced sleeping bags that work well too. With a little care and maintenance most camping gear will last for many years.

And depending on your eating habits you may need nothing more than a cooler, a bag of charcoal, and a spatula.

Get organized — make a checklist!

A camping checklist will help you remember essential items like matches, the can opener or your toothbrush.

Make a list of your camping gear and refer to it every time you go camping.

Revise it as needed.

Campground Cooking

Outdoor cooking is enjoyed by many whether at the campground or in your own backyard. So if you’re a backyard chef, you already have lots of recipes to try at the campground.

If not, you can always get by with a cooler of drinks, sandwiches, and snacks. Most public campgrounds provide a grill and picnic table at each campsite. Depending on your cooking skills and equipment, you can make meals at the campground that can rival home cooking.

Build a Campfire

Though it may be tempting to have a campfire where one is not permitted, camping rules and regulations were created for one reason - to keep you safe. Check at the campsite to be sure that campfires are permitted where you want to stay. If not, and having a campfire is important to you, you might want to find another location.

Keep in mind that fire rules can change on a daily basis depending on weather conditions. If a park posts “No open fires due to dry or windy conditions,” always be sure to comply for the safety of all.

To build a campfire, first clear the area of debris. Make sure there are no extraneous twigs, leaves, paper products or other flammables within several feet of your campfire. Also be sure to avoid low overhanging branches!

Use the right wood! Start by gathering a supply of small twigs, dry leaves or grass to be used as tinder.

They will ignite easily and help get you fire going. Once your tinder is burning well add kindling (small sticks about ½-1 inch in diameter).

Finally, add the large pieces of dry wood to keep your fire burning.

Never pull branches off trees or cut living vegetation.

Campfires can easily get away from you. Keep your campfire well within the borders of the pit, and keep it small to avoid sparking. Be sure to have a bucket of water and a shovel or a fire extinguisher nearby.

Before leaving camp, make sure that your campfire is completely out and that means doing more than just dousing it with water once or twice.

Douse with water, dredge up the fire to uncover any hot spots and douse again. Finish up by turning over the fire debris to make sure everything is cold, and never put fire ash into trash receptacles.

Where to Camp

With two magnificent mountain ranges, millions of acres of three national forests, 600,000 acres of

lakes and 9,000 miles of streams and rivers—few states in mid-America can equal Arkansas’s great outdoors.

Long famous for unparalleled hunting and fishing opportunities, Arkansas is equally known as a great place to get away from it all. A few of our favorite camp sites are listed below.

Bull Shoals-White River State Park

From Mountain Home, travel six miles north on Ark. 5, then go eight miles west on Ark. 178. From Yellville/Flippin travel 10 miles north on Ark. 178, cross Bull Shoals Dam, and turn right into the park.

Located in the Ozark Mountains on the White River just below Bull Shoals Dam, this park features riverside campsites. The White River is one of mid-America’s most renowned trout streams. Bull Shoals Lake is popular for lunker bass, bream, crappie and catfish fishing and all water sports. You will also find the Gaston Visitor Center; campsites; picnic areas, standard pavilions, playgrounds, trails; trout dock offers boat, motor and canoe rentals; supplies, equipment; gifts; barrier free hiking trail; observation deck.

Facilities include restrooms, hot showers, dump station, trout dock/ store, boat ramp, boat, motor, canoe and kayak rentals, “Rent-ACamp,” “Rent-An-RV,” gift shop/ store, hiking trails, picnic sites, pavilions, playgrounds, camping supplies. For more information visit arkansasstateparks.com/ bullshoalswhiteriver.

Devil’s Den State Park

This beautiful site is 8 miles south of Fayetteville on I-540 (Exit 53) to West Fork, then 17 miles southwest on Hwy. 170 or from I-540 (Exit 45) at Winslow, 7 miles west on Hwy. 74.

Enjoy fishing, nature and mountain bike trails, as well as a 25-mile backpacking trail. The site also includes cabins, restaurant, pool, picnic sites, pavilion, restrooms,

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 25

CENTER

26 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

SPREAD

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 27

Camping is an outdoor activity you’re never too old or too young to enjoy, and Arkansas offers many campsites to explore.

hot showers, dump station, laundry, grocery, ice, hiking trails, visitor center with gift shop and exhibits, playground; canoe, kayak, pedal boat and backpacking equipment rentals. For more information visit arkansasstateparks.com/devilsden.

Lake Catherine State Park

Located on the shore of 1,940-acre Lake Catherine, the campground features fully equipped, rustic cabins with kitchens, some of which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, horseback riding, and three hiking trails. Take a hike to the waterfall on Falls Creek and visit Hot Springs National Park nearby. The boat dock offers bait and fuel, boat rentals, and launch ramp. Groceries, snacks and ice are available at the visitor center. For more information visit arkansasstateparks.com/ lakecatherine.

Crowley’s Ridge State Park

Atop a unique land form of forested hills in Eastern Arkansas called Crowley’s Ridge, this park offers a swimming lake, fishing lake and hiking trails just outside of Paragould.

GOCAMPINGAMERICA.COM TO OFFER 20 % DISCOUNT ON CAMPING IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL GREAT OUTDOORS MONTH June is National Great Outdoors Month, which is a wonderful time to enjoy fun outdoor activities with family and friends.

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In addition to providing discounts on camping, GoCampingAmerica.com will also provide e-coupons that consumers can use to obtain discounts at Camping World stores and RV rentals booked

28 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

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GoCampingAmerica.com will feature e-coupons for use at campgrounds, Camping World stores and El Monte RV beginning May 15th. However, the discounts will be available from June 1st to 25th. Campground discounts will be available only at participating parks and on a space-available basis.

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Crowley’s Ridge is a geological oddity that divides the eastern part of Arkansas. The ridge is composed of loess (windblown soil) and runs for 150 miles north from Helena.

It varies in height from 250 to 500 feet above sea level. Crowley’s ridge was originally an island between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. When these rivers shifted their courses millions of years ago, Crowley’s ridge was left behind as a long, low, hilly formation.

Campers will find picnic areas, snack bar, trails, standard pavilions, baseball field, 30-acre fishing lake, and swimming. Available rentals include fishing boats, canoes, pedal boats and water bikes, as well as a pet kennel.

For more information visit arkansasstateparks.com/crowleysridge.

Give Me S’more!

No camping trip would be complete without a melt-in-your-mouth yummy s’more. For decades campers have enjoyed the sweet treat consisting of a campfire toasted marshmallow sandwiched between a chocolate bar and graham crackers. While the traditional s’more is hard to beat, who says you can’t kick it up a notch?

Sitting around the campfire is the highlight of many camping trips.

Be sure to follow campsite guidelines before lighting the match!

30 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Instead of graham crackers use your favorite cookie to sandwich the warm mallow. You can also add chocolate fudge or caramel in place of the chocolate bar, or add chopped nuts, cut strawberries, or toffee bits for a gourmet touch.

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DeVito’s: A Family Tradition STORY by KAT ROBINSON - PHOTOS BY GRAV WELDON

U.S. Highway 65 in Arkansas runs from the Louisiana border in the shadow of the Arkansas River to Little Rock, where it jumps the river and rides on I-40 up to Conway.

Used to be Highway 65 from there meandered through twists and turns for hours on end all the way up to Springfield, MO. On its curves it held rock shops, quilt stores, smokehouses, fruit stands and every sort of roadside attraction. There were places to stop to view grand vistas, little quaint towns with old manned service stations, bluffs and waterfalls and cute countryclad motels. Over the years the kinks have been knocked out of the roadway, as the highway has been improved to three and even four lanes in places, bypassing curves and inclines.

One particular section of US 65 north of Harrison has seen two bypasses in the past 30 years. The first, in 1982, moved the highway less than half a mile to the west, enough to change things drastically for one Boone 32 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

County family. The second just recently has moved the highway way to the west.

But the DeVito family won’t give up. The fifth generation of DeVito cooks are still preparing some of the best Italian specialties you can find in Arkansas, right along Bear Creek Springs and the family trout farm.

Cooking and trout reach back several generations. On the DeVito side of the family there was Jim DeVito, an Army man born in Wisconsin who served in the World War II. His first stateside posting was at Camp Robinson… where he met his future wife, Mary Alice Raney, a student at Baptist Hospital. They married in 1947, and when Jim DeVito retired in 1970 after 29 years of service, they settled in Harrison.

Mary Alice’s dad was Albert Raney, Sr. He had a couple of attractions north of Jasper, a trout farm and a cave called Mystic Cavern. In 1966 he sold the trout farm and cave to

an up-and-coming enterprise called Dogpatch USA. The Raney family continued to operate that trout farm until the attraction closed in 1993.

Mr. Raney also owned a little patch called Bear Creek Springs along US 65. He had blasted the rock where the springs tumbled out and created a trout farm. When Jim and Mary Alice DeVito came back to Harrison in 1970, he gave them the farm to run. They ran it with Mary’s brother Gene quite successfully, building the spring into a must-stop for travelers.

Jim DeVito was the fourth generation of cooks in the DeVito line, and in his retirement he taught his boys how to cook as well. The boys — James, Steve, Chris and Joe — each went away to college at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, and all came back home to work the trout farm with their parents.

In 1982, US 62 was moved to the west, and business shrank as travelers bypassed the spring. But

the DeVito’s weren’t daunted. In 1986, with the four boys back, the DeVito’s opened a restaurant across the road from the trout farm. It became an overnight success. People would eat fresh trout in the little restaurant over the antique store and rock shop. Some would come fish and have their catches cooked up, but far more came just to experience a fabulous Italian experience in the Ozarks.

And the popularity was well earned.

The men held court in the kitchen — cooking fish and making sides, bread and dessert from scratch. Their rich tomato-strong sauce became famous, as did their overstuffed ravioli. The restaurant drew in business so fast that two years after opening, oldest son James picked up and started a second restaurant in Eureka Springs.

In the late 90s a third DeVito’s was opened at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson.

In 2000 DeVito’s original restaurant at Bear Creek Springs was destroyed by fire. Brothers Steve, Chris and Joe made the decision to rebuild. 14 months later they were open once again, in a beautiful new facility twice as large as the old one. It thrived from the moment it opened its doors.

But the highway wasn’t done with DeVito’s. In the late 2000s, a four-lane replacement connecting Harrison and Springfield was given the US 65 designation. The old road became a series of local loops and DeVito’s restaurant and trout farm were that much further from the highway.

There are still devotees to the restaurant, though. Today it’s filled with DeVito’s — the boys have had children of their own, and most of the employees are some relation.

The Springs is as it always was, clear and a constant 58 degrees year round, full of rainbow trout ranging from

small fry to five pounders. You can still go fish — taking home whatever you catch cleaned and packed in ice for $6.25 a pound without a license. For $5 more, you can have that trout cooked and served up with a choice of potato and hush puppies. A salad’s another $3. It’s a deal.

On an unusually warm Sunday morning in April, Joe DeVito showed myself and my photographer across the old foot bridge and down to the westernmost pool, where we could see trout popping the water. They’re used to people; fish feed is available for a quarter a handful to toss in, which kids always enjoy.

Above: Generations of travelers have stopped to fish Bear Creek Springs. Below: The DeVito family started their restaurant 25 years ago.

“We had four really big ones in that pool over there,” Joe points out as we walked along, “but an otter got them.”

No matter. Once we were set, I cast out first, getting a hit right off the bat on a piece of fish food, a small fish maybe a half pound in size. Joe came over and unhooked the little one and tossed him back in.

“I remember passing by here as a kid. I think I even fished out here a few times,” I told Joe. “When I was a kid, there would be days when kids would be lined up all along the bank, nearly shoulder to shoulder,” he told me. “Sometimes people would have to wait.”

“And it’s always been this way?”

“People used to come out all the time and catch their dinner. But since the highway moved in ‘82 it hasn’t been as busy.”

and a half range as my photographer shot across the pond. The sun was piercing. I was going to end up with a sunburn.

It was his turn. His first cast was unsuccessful, but on his second he hooked in quick to something with some fight to it. For several minutes it pulled back on him, wearing itself out. Joe joined him on the bank with the net, and together they pulled out a two and a half pound beauty.

I pulled in my first keeper of the day, a pounder who’d swallowed the treble hook on my spoon. Joe expertly flicked it off and dropped it into water in a wire box at the water’s edge.

It managed to bounce off the hook onto the bank. Joe picked it up, took it over to the fishing shed and deftly bonked it on the head with a short metal rod. The fish quieted, and I shot my photographer with his catch.

A few minutes later, he hooked in again, this time bringing in a threeand-a-half-pounder.

I pulled out two more in the pound

I cast in again while he took fish May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 33

pictures. It was funny to watch him as he took off a shoe and placed it next to the fish on the bank. His three-and-a-half pounder was longer than his size 12 ½ loafer.

I had one more catch that day, my largest, a two pounder I took from Joe by the gills to have my own photo taken with.

short time later they were presented to us. My companion had ordered the Pesto Trout ($17.95), and it was a beauty, a gorgeously butter-flied fish covered in a fine fresh basil and garlic pesto with pine nuts and olive oil and just a touch of cheese. It was fragrant and almost delicate.

We talked with Joe as he took our catch into the shed and ran a sink of water. He told us about growing up with the trout farm as he expertly beheaded and gutted the fish one by one. They were each cleaned thoroughly and put in a container. He then took the largest of the fish and carefully butter-flied it as we watched.

“It took me a while to learn this,” he said. “When we just had the trout farm, we’d just clean them and pack them away. Now, some folks cook them whole with the bones in them. I think people like it better when there aren’t any bones in them.”

He slid the knife along one side of the ribcage and then the other and removed it, then slid it into the meat on each side and removed the second row of bones. A quick trim of the belly fat and there was a gorgeous butter-flied fillet of trout.

He filleted two more and then we were heading back across the footbridge, me to the bathroom to clean up and wash while Joe headed for the kitchen.

I had brought a clean shirt and took the time to wash up, brush my hair and change before sitting down for lunch.

While we dined on Trout Fingers (half-inch thick sticks of trout), toasted ravioli and salads, I scribbled down notes about our adventure. We were asked how we’d like our fish. A 34 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

scampi, but we make everything.”

James DeVito still uses fresh trout from the family farm in his dishes.

At that time, we didn’t know that the DeVito’s would find out they’d been granted a liquor license that week.

They’d been hoping for one since Boone County voted to go wet last November. The hope is that alcohol sales will drive more crowds to the restaurant.

DeVito’s does see a lot of return customers. “We have people who come in once a year at the same time each year,” Joe told me. “They’ll see the same people who also show up at the same time each year and say ‘hey, weren’t those people in here last year?’ and we’ll say ‘yeah, they’re in here every night!’ ”

Prepairing the day’s catch for dinner.

I chose to do the Half-and-Half ($16.95) — not listed on the menu, but available and usually suggested by the staff. On one half Cajun seasoning is used; on the other, the DeVito family spice mix. It was the latter that really won my heart, with flavors of parsley and paprika and peppers and such, all on a nice soft buttery fillet.

The portions were enormous. Later we’d find that the portions were oversized just because we’d caught bigger fish. Yes, we took what we didn’t eat home with us.

We talked with Joe over pie — Chocolate Bourbon Pecan for my companion and Apple for me, both made (as are all the pies) by his brother Steve. Joe mentioned his brother James and the operation over in Eureka Springs. “A lot of people think DeVito’s, they think about his place. When the awards come out each year, they get sent here even though they’re for over there. I think we’re as good, three times as good.

He does make his own bread and

He told us about a couple who’d come in every night and a couple of lunches each week, a couple of vegetarians who always got the Eggplant Parmigiano to share. They came every week until the man had died. Such devotion to one restaurant is rare around these parts.

A few more photos and we left out, heading north. The same old bridge just north of the Springs is still there, unchanged since 1982. Up on the old highway the signs still point into the hollow. And out on the new four-lane, there’s a sign that says just where to turn to head down to the trout farm.

It’s worth a stop-in. Don’t worry if you forgot your fishing pole — they have tackle you can borrow.

You’ll find DeVito’s Restaurant and the trout farm at Bear Creek Springs by heading north on US 65 from Harrison to Old US 65 north of town.

Veer right and go a short distance for the next right hand turn. The restaurant will be a block down on the left; the trout farm across the street to the right.

For more information call (870) 7418832 or check out the website at www. devitosrestaurant.com.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 35

OZARK

MEDIEVAL FORTRESS STORY by KAT ROBINSON - PHOTOS BY GRAV WELDON

The wind sighs through the cedars in the Ozark hills, stirring branches in the trees. A persistent high pitched tap echoes through the area... ...tink, tink, tink.

36 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

A

few voices are heard here and there, but other than the sound of sheep and the occasional bark of a dog, there’s little else.

Just over that rise, there are people working, people in trimmed shirts, hand-constructed leather shoes and hats. A rope-maker shows young boys how to weave fibers together to form yarn that’s then woven together into a stronger length of rope. The potter works the clay for mugs and bowls. The softer sound of chisel on wood can be heard coming from a shelter, where the carpenter

ered, where ladies and lords will one day pass on a terraced green within.

But for now, there’s the constant buzz of activity as masons set stones carved on-site by hand, slowly but surely assembling a French fortress in the Ozarks.

B

ut this isn’t the Middle Ages.

Though the bastion on the side of the hill is being constructed from stone milled on site by laborers working by hand, it’s a product of the 21st

American soil. In June 2009 ground was broken, and today the project of building the Ozark Medieval Fortress is well underway.

Underway is the correct term; it takes a bit of a dreamer to be able to visualize what the fortress will look like in 20 years. But those plans are right there when you enter the park.

I traveled to Lead Hill this April to visit the new wonder rising in the area, expecting to find an architectural project underway. What I truly discovered was a fledgling com-

“He insisted he’s just Medieval James.” is working. There’s a hiss down below, where the blacksmith has just dropped a horseshoe into water.

And in the center of it all, on a cleared and slightly muddy hillside, a wall. But more than a wall -- a series of walls and circular stone constructions about shoulder high.

In the center, a giant wheel with an arm. There’s a well here, too. And if you let your imagination fly, you can dream of these walls growing to 25 feet in height, with towers soaring up to 45 feet and a Lord’s Tower that will reach 70 feet. You can just see where the drawbridge will be low-

Century, not the 13th. It’s the brainchild of French entrepreneur Michel Guyot. He’s been involved with other fantastical projects, including the restoration of a number of castle ruins throughout France the construction of a medieval-esque castle called Guédelon in Burgundy.

Marc and Solange Mirat, two French citizens who have lived in the Harrison area for over two decades, visited Puisaye in September 2008 and were mightly impressed with Guédelon. They offered to sell land they owned in Lead Hill to Guyot for the purposes of building this citadel on

munity out to tackle an impossible task, teaching others about life in the Middle Ages at the same time.

T

he first person most people meet along the way is Medieval James. I asked him for his full name, and he insisted he’s just Medieval James.

James is the historian at the Ozark Medieval Fortress. He knows everything there is to know about the structure being built and the time it represents.

Left to Right

A lone man walking inside the wheel of a Roman crane is enough power to lift and move large hunks of stone for construction on the castle.

In the Middle Ages, bowls and mugs were essential for the consumption of food and drink. Plates weren’t as important, since any flat board or surface could be used to hold food. The potter throws bowls and mugs on his wheel for the rest of the village to use.

These tiles made from Arkansas red mud are drying in the sun, awaiting their turn in the kiln. 12,000 of these will be needed to roof the buildings and towers of the castle.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 37

Pictured here is the Ozark Medieval Fortress as it stands today. To the left is the Fortress upon completion in 2030.

“For the purposes of the fortress, it’s the year 1226. 1226 is the first year of the reign of King Louis IX of France, who later became ‘Saint Louis‘ and the namesake of the city of St. Louis.

It is the middle of the High Middle Ages, a century before the Black Plague.

“Castles were being built all over Europe at this point. There were 15,000 castles in Europe built during this time.”

James gives his talk in a small house just past the visitors center, giving each crowd a good idea of what the castle is and will be. There are diagrams on the wall, three of them -- one showing how the foundation of the fortress was set out in 2010, one of how it should look in 2020 and a third showing near completion in 2030. It’s a long ranging project that will see a polygon plan rise along the hillside.

“Now, it’s not a replica of something else. The architect Christian Courvisier put this plan together with the elements of several extant medieval French castles, but it’s not identical to any castle you might visit.”

38 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

James started the tour down a path made from crushed limestone, a byproduct of the stone carving process.

If the castle had been built in France, it would have been made from locally available stone. Because the fortress is being built in the Ozarks, it’s being constructed from site-quarried Arkansas magnesium-laden limestone.

“It’s hard to chisel,” James says, “but it will last millennia.” Since the path needed to be gritted to make it ADA accessible, using the dust and debris from the stonecutting operation was the logical choice.

The stonemasons are experts in their craft, using the quarry there to cut the precise stones needed for the outside of the walls, the carved stones that will decorate the inside and the broken stones that are used as fill between the outsides of the five-foot thick walls. They’ll progress a bit further each year. At the end of last season, they sealed the top of the walls as they were with a wet concrete solution. That layer is chipped away and construction has been started afresh on this year’s progress.

It’s not just the stonemasons that have their work cut out for them, cut-

ting and carving and hauling up the rocks that will build the castle. The potter has a real challenge -- creating a workable tile from Arkansas red mud and then creating the 12,000 tiles over six years to cover the roofs on the towers and abodes within.

James takes us past the construction of a paper factory house and past picnic tables set up for visitors down to a model of a wooden fortress, a starting point for the tour. There he explains the difference between a castle and a fortress. “The fortress in the early Middle Ages was purely for protection. No one lived there.

The wooden fortresses were built first to protect people before the castle was finished. See, when the Roman Empire fell everything went into chaos. You had the barbarians -- barbarian meant ‘bearded one,’ in the first years. Infidels in the 700s.

In the 900s you had the Vikings from the north. You needed to be fortified against these invaders.

“Now, the Europeans knew how the Romans protected themselves by putting up a picket fence around their encampments. The French developed a certain sort of building of these fortresses called a Motte and

Bailey -- or mound and courtyard.

This was a tall fence surrounding a tower that could be up to 120 feet high, all made of wood.”

He took us from the model into a wooden fortress built right on-site, a demonstration of what would have been built before the castle itself. The wooden sections of fence

ronism have well prepared her for this sort of work.

W

e progressed down the path to the first workshop, where sheep grazed in a pen on the right side of the path and a shelter was set up on the left. This is where we met Catherine Koehler, one of the many resident artists who work at the

She described her dress to the crowd following Medieval James. “This is typical of what a French woman would have worn in the Middle Ages,” she told us, “an underdress and an overdress, and something covering the head.”

The potter has a real challenge — creating a workable tile from Arkansas red mud and then creating the

12,000 tiles over six years to cover the roofs on the towers and abodes within.

were pulled tight together, just tight enough you could see through the planks to see who was coming.

“It took 500 years to get to here…

500 years of wooden fortress building. They might last 10 years. Then around 1000 A.D. there was this return of the Roman idea of building with stone. That’s where we come to the castle -- a house to be protected.”

Ozark Medieval Fortress.

“Is it hot?” one of the visitors asked.

Catherine is an expert in fiber arts and medieval illumination who‘s moved here from Mississippi. She, like Medieval James, has studied extensively in her field. Her undergraduate work at the Memphis College of Arts paired with her longtime experience as a medieval re-enactor with the Society for Creative Anach-

“It can be, but you get used to it. It reached 115 degrees in the sun this past summer and I was still in layers.”

“It was cooler back then, wasn’t it?” my photographer asked.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 39

Left to Right

Wool and other products are dyed using all sorts of things including rosemary.

Handmade products created by many resident artists.

Catherine Koehler demonstrates medieval style looming.

“A lot of people think so.” She went on to describe how clothes were colored. “There were dyes that came from all sorts of things -- like this green, it’s dyed from rosemary. We use some stuff here from elsewhere, like cochineal, but we try to grow most of what we use. There are some dyes like madder that we aren’t allowed to plant here, so we get that dye sent to us.”

She showed us how to use a drop spindle to make thread and talked about how felt was made. Catherine also shared with us later about the sheep. The day we came by two new baby sheep were introduced to the flock, and as we discovered they weren’t contained by the fences. My photographer is apparently a good sheep catcher.

I sat down with Catherine after work to talk about the project and asked her what it was like to work on the site.

“We work five day shifts now,” she told me. “But last year, I worked 10 days on and four days off. It can get really hot. But the castle is amazing.”

Catherine does all sorts of demonstrations, not just for the tours but for 40 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

individuals who come back through to learn a specific skill, like a little looming or some medieval-style calligraphy or illumination. Every day she’s out there in her layered dresses, another cog in the wheel of life at the fortress.

J

ames took us along a three quarters of a mile path, stopping at stations along the way. He pointed out brush piles left to draw animals for hunting and a raised bed garden.

He showed us how medieval carpenters used a 13-knot rope to construct buildings and take measurements.

He took us past the quarry where stones for the castle are chipped away. And then, right past the stable, we looked out from under a canopy of trees and saw the vast white construction ahead of us.

This is what you see today, a castle in the making. The stone walls have been constructed to anywhere from four to eight feet high in the past year on a long inclined slope. You can see where the surface has been taken down to the rock -- the unique Ozark limestone bedrock meant there was no need for a foundation to be dug out of the dirt.

In the center — a huge Roman crane.

James told us “about 1000 (A.D.), carpenters and stonemasons rediscovered the Roman crane. It’s sort of like a hamster wheel, where a man walks -- not runs, just walks -- and a series of ropes and pulleys raise and move these heavy stones.”

There’s also a well already there, created from the spring at the center of the castle. As it would have in medieval times, it will provide water to the castle once it is built.

I think I was expecting something a little smaller, more like a mansion or large house. But the enclosure is immense — wider than a football field and fully half as long, more in some places. The rains over the winter have filled the base of the two gate towers. It’s a climb from the bottom of the hill up through the future courtyard to the round bases of the towers and the larger Lord’s Tower that will one day reach 70 feet into the Ozark sky.

The work is already evident — such as the meticulously carved stones over doorways and the sills of the archer’s slits. The basis of the staircases that will carry people up to higher levels in the towers and the

abode that will be built there are still being built up.

At this point, little is off-limits. The masons pack up for the day around 1 p.m. and the guides prohibit walking on top of the bare walls. But that’s about it. They suggest you don’t fall in the well.

All around the castle are shelters, lean-tos and stands where artisans work and share with visitors. There’s a massive oven downhill for cooking crusty loaves of bread. The blacksmith’s shop is full of iron pieces and lengths of metal, horseshoes and primitive tools recently forged.

There’s a basket weaver, and up the hill you’ll find the potter, if not working at the wheel then tending to the firing of an earthen kiln.

There’s a rope-maker who shows how to weave fiber into strands into string and stronger ropes, a carpenter, a station where you can choose to illuminate your name or a favorite saying. For a small fee you can weave your own wool bracelet or carve your own piece of stone. All the while artisans and volunteers work on the castle, on the tools to create the castle and what will decorate it in years to come, and on the basic needs like sustenance and clothing for this small community.

It’s been just two years since ground was broken on the project, and already there have been visitors from as far away as Italy and Belize, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, Poland and Brazil. The castle has a growing popularity amongst locals here in Arkansas; during my travels I’ve heard from people who have raved over their visit and from others who are trying to fit a visit into their schedules.

There is a small problem that the project faces though — ­ and that’s money. Because the owners are French, they can’t apply for the same sort of not-for-profit status that might help a similar effort created by Americans. They’re having to rely on

the generosity of 14 investors, fees for those who come to the fortress and whatever else they can piece together. When you’re talking about a crew of several dozen artists in residence, administrative costs and advertising, that’s a lot of money to recoup.

But everyone I spoke with at the Ozark Medieval Fortress has the highest hopes on its success. For them, failure is not only off the list of options, it’s an impossibility. I’m looking forward to visiting again and

again to see the raising of this remarkable castle, to watch it grow and see who comes to observe its progress. Perhaps by the time my child is an adult she’ll be able to tell people how a group of artists and innovators grew a castle in the Ozark hills and merged Southern hospitality with the French age of chivalry.

For more information about visiting the fortress visit: ozarkmedievalfortress.com

Coming to Hot Springs, Arkansas May 19-21 a world class logging & forestry demo sponsored by the Forest Resources Association & the Arkansas Timber Producers Association

New Growth, New Iron

Delivering Sustainability Join more than 80 exhibitors on a 300-acre forested site managed sustainably by Weyerhaeuser Live Harvesting & Equipment Demos Prentice Loader Championship Biomass Harvest Display/Demos STIHL Ironjack Show Training & Education Come, meet with Equipment, Supply and Service Vendors!

New!

Wildlife & Hunt Club Management Exhibits

For exhibitor packet or attendee info & registration contact: FRA 301|838|9385 • rl@forestresources.org ATPA 501|224|2232 •lboccarossa@sbcglobal.net

Visit & register online www.in-woods-expo.com Thanks to In-Woods Expo partners Weyerhaeuser & Arkansas Forestry Commission May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 41

42 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Worth a Thousand Words: The Photography of

A.C. “Chuck” Haralson Spring brings new life to Arkansas. Each year Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism’s Chief Photographer, A.C. “Chuck” Haralson ventures out into the wild (and not so wild) parts of the state to photograph its beauty.

And, each year, he returns with beautiful photographs to share. One these pages Arkansas Wild present just a few of our favorites.

Clockwise from Top Left: Tulips outside Argenta Drug Co. in North Little Rock, Old Mill Spring in North Little Rock, Kids walking near Mirror Lake waterfall, Fern Waterfall.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 43

or visit greekfoodfest.com.

Star-Gazing Lake cruise

May 21: View the stars while we cruise aboard our tour boat on Lake Maumelle near Pinnacle Mountain. A park interpreter will serve as your pilot and guide to learn about stars, constellations, and satellites in the sky. Advance reservations and payment required.

Event time: 9-11 p.m. Admission: $10 adults, $5 children ages 6-12. Meeting place: Jolly Roger’s Marina. For more information call 501-868-5806.

Calenda r of

Events

Critter Crunch

May 21: Lake Dardanelle State Park’s diverse habitats provide homes for many creatures large and small. Join a park interpreter in the children’s corner of the visitor center as she describes some of the smaller creatures. Stick around for a discovery opportunity as she feeds these creatures, too! Admission: FREE. Event time: 1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call 479-967-5516.

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

Full Moon Kayak Tour

Riverfest

Kayak Campout

May 14 and 15: Join us at the Marina Boat Ramp on Lake Ouachita for our popular overnight kayaking adventure!

Admission: $85 per person. The trip includes meals and evening programs as well as information on the history, geology, and wildlife of Lake Ouachita.

Bring your own kayak and supplies or rent them from us. Space is limited, so make reservations early. Contact the park for more details at 501-767-9366 or visit arkansasstateparks.com.

Sunset Lake Cruise

May 15: Experience the vibrant colors of the setting sun while cruising over the calm waters of Lake Maumelle near the base of Pinnacle Mountain. A park 44 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

interpreter will serve as your pilot and guide on this boat tour. Dress in layers for cool evening temperatures. Advance payment is required. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12.

Event time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. We’ll meet at the Jolly Roger’s Marina. For more information call 501-868-5806.

27th Annual International Greek Food Festival

May 20 thru 22: The International Greek Food Festival is the largest ethnic festival in Arkansas. For the past 26 years, we’ve been serving food, friends and the community, put on by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Event place: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.

For more information call 501-221-5300

May 21: See our lake in a whole new way! Join the park interpreter at the marina for a peaceful moonlit kayak tour of the lake, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Fee includes use of kayak, paddle, and life jacket. No experience is necessary, but you should be comfortable around water. Event time: 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Pre-registration and payment at visitor center is required. Space is limited. Admission: $15 per person. For more information call Lake Catherine State Park at 501-844-4176.

Spring Kayak Tour

May 22: Take off from the Little Maumelle boat launch and experience the beauty of spring on this guided 4.5 mile gentle float. See parts of the park that many people don’t get to see.

No paddling experience is necessary, but you should be comfortable around water. Fee includes use of boats, paddles, and life jackets. Advance reservations and payment required. Event time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission: $10 adults, $5 children ages 6-12. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park 501868-5806.

Overnight Canoeing Adventure

May 27 and 28: Join a park interpreter on the Little Maumelle River for overnight camping in a remote location only accessible by canoe. The park will be providing canoes, paddles, life jackets, and dinner (included in the

fee); guests are responsible for bringing the rest of their gear and a sense of adventure! Advance reservations and payment required. Admission: $85 per person. Meeting place: Little Maumelle Boat Launch. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806

34th Annual Riverfest

May 27 thru 29: Riverfest is a celebration of visual and performing arts held annually over Memorial Day weekend on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock and North Little Rock. Riverfest features six outdoors stages, children’s entertainment, activities, and more! The 2010 Riverfest Recycles program collected 17 tons of recyclable materials. The program encourages festival-goers to keep recyclable plastic bottles and aluminum cans out of landfills by collecting them on the festival grounds and exchanging them for fun items at the Riverfest Recycles centers. Admission: $15 for an adult in advance while supplies last. Six and under get in FREE with an adult.

Ages 7 thru 10 $5 per day. For more information call 501-255-3378 or visit riverfestarkansas.com.

Memorial Day Mania

May 27 thru 30: Lake Catherine State Park is jumping with fun over this holiday weekend! Park interpreters will lead hikes, lake tours, and nature programs.

There will be swimming, games, crafts, and a sandcastle competition! We will also celebrate the Nature Cabin’s grand opening for the season. For further details and program times please contact the park at 501-844-4176.

Memorial Day Weekend Activities

May 27 thru 30: Hayrides, games, hikes, and nature programs are on the agenda for this long holiday weekend.

Bring the family and have fun in the sun!

Mount Nebo State Park will celebrate the summer opening of the pool for the summer season with an ice cream social along with all sorts of recreational and nature activities. Contact the park for a schedule at 501479-229-3655.

Holy Rosary Altar Society Fish Fry

June 3: Catered by King Kat includes, chicken, fish, or mixed. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children. Event time: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This event will take place inside the Holy Rosary Parish Center located at 920 West 19th Street, Stuttgart. For more information contact

Mary Nina Fischer at 672-2501.

Outdoor Adventure Series — Take A Hike Weekend

June 3 thru 5: This is the best time to take a hike, before the heat of summer sets in and Lake Catherine State Park is just the place to do it! We have over nine miles on three trails with views of the lake, the Ouachita Mountains, waterfalls, wildlife, and more. Join us as we take guided hikes on our trails, give hiking demonstrations, and more. We will be celebrating National Trails Day on June 4th. Contact the park for a schedule at 501-844-4176.

Kids’ Fishing Adventure

June 4: Hey kids, bring your parents down to the pond for a free fishing contest! There will be how-to-fish clinics, casting contests, free snacks, and lots of prizes. Prizes will be given away throughout the event with a special prize for the biggest fish. Bring your own bait and tackle. Contest is for kids 15 and under, although everyone with a valid license is welcome to fish after 11 a.m.

Event time: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Admission: FREE. Meeting place: Environmental Education Pond at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. For more information call 501-868-5806.

Little Maumelle Kayaking Adventure

June 5: Explore Pinnacle Mountain State Park on a kayak with a park interpreter as your guide. Hunt for

Mountain Fishing Derby

June 11: Hook, line, and sinker! See if you can catch a fish at Petit Jean State Park. The derby is open to children ages 15 and under. Parents are welcome to help, but the kids must do the fishing.

Bring your own bait and tackle. Fish will be stocked and prizes provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Admission: FREE. Event time: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meeting place: Boathouse at Petit Jean State Park. For more information call 501-727-5441.

Asian Festival 2011

June 11: The Asian Festival is a much awaited event that is a celebration of the Asian culture and Arkansas diverse community. Come to enjoy Ethnic Foods, Retail, Health, Business, Employment, Entertainment, Martial Arts Demonstration, Game Area, Silent Auction, Hula Hoops Contest, and more.

All indoors! Admission: $3 for adults, children under 12, Seniors, Firefighters, Military, and Law Enforcement get in

Take a Hike at Lake Catherine Fishing! Fishing! Fishing! — Kayaking Everywhere hhh

Gaze at the Stars

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Ecology - Kayaking ❰ ❰ CAMPS ❱ ❱ Nature Explorers - Etc. Alzeiheimer’s Walk — Father’s Day on the Lake

RiverFest views of some of our feathered, furred, and reptilian friends while enjoying the peaceful surroundings of the Little Maumelle River. See parts of the park that many people don’t get to see. No paddling experience is necessary, but you should be comfortable around water.

Fee includes use of boats, paddles, and life jackets. Advance reservations and payment required. Admission: $30 per person. Meeting place: Little Maumelle Boat Launch. Event time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information call 501-868-5806.

FREE. Event place: Mosaic Church, 6420 Colonel Glenn Road, LR. For more information contact Wilma Houston at 501-244-2490 or visit arasianfest.com.

Evening Kayak Float

June 11: Explore the Big Maumelle River as nighttime unfolds. Possible sights and sounds for the night include bats, coyotes, deer, owls, beaver…and maybe even the elusive alligator! No prior paddling experience is required, but you should be comfortable around water. Fee May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 45

includes use of boats, paddles, and life jackets. A park interpreter serves as your guide. Advance payment is required.

Admission: $35. Event time: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Meeting place: Big Maumelle Boat Launch. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806.

Sunset On The Mountain

June 12: A park interpreter will be leading a hike up Pinnacle Mountain’s

Meeting place: Visitor Center, Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park. For more information call 501-861-9442.

Nature Explorers Day Camp 1

June 14 thru 17: This “nature detective” camp is designed for kids ages 7-10. There will be four whole days of hikes, visiting with live animals, nature programs, and more! Advance registration and payment required.

Space is limited to the first 10 campers.

Camp fee: $75. Meeting time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meeting place: Visitor Center.

For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

53rd Annual Auto Show and Swap Meet

West Summit Trail for a special sunset viewing. This is a great hike for the whole family to get outdoors and active, while learning how to be safe hiking at dusk. Dress in layers for cool and windy temperatures at the summit. Please, wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water. You may also want a flashlight or headlamp for the walk down after sunset. Admission: FREE. Meeting place: West Summit Trailhead. For more information call 501-868-5806.

Youth Ecology Camp

June 12 thru 17: Do you know any 11 or 12 year old boys or girls who can’t get enough of birds, mammals, snakes, frogs, plants, rocks, and insects?

Visit the Arkansas Audubon Society website at www.arbirds.org for more information about the Halberg Ecology Camp, an extraordinary week of handson outdoor nature study and so much more. Or contact the camp’s director, Liz Fulton, at 501-663-9380.

Archeology Day Camp

June 14 thru 16: Campers ages 8-12 will dig deeper into Arkansas’s past and learn that it is not what you find, but what you find out. Learn excavation and laboratory techniques and participate in a variety of fun archeology-related programs and Native American crafts.

Lunch, drinks, and snack will be provided. Reservations are required.

Payment in advance confirms your reservation. Event time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

46 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

June 14 thru 18: This annual Antique Car show is co-hosted by the MidAmerican Old Time Automobile Association and the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain.

Classic and vintage vehicles from all over the region will be on display. Call the museum at 501-727-5427 for more information.

Walk To End Alzheimer’s

June 18: Mark your calendar for the 2011 Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s and unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions. Join us as we walk to end Alzheimer’s, the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death and a disease that devastates millions of families across the country. With your help, we can raise awareness and funds to enhance Alzheimer care and support and advance critical research. Together, we are an unstoppable force in the fight against Alzheimer’s Registration time: 9 a.m. Walk starts: 10 a.m. Length: 1 Mile.

Meeting place: Riverfest Amphitheatre.

For more information contact Tommy Glanton at 501-265-0027.

Junior Fishing Fest

June 18: Kids, grab your lucky fishing rod and get ready to reel in a “lunker”.

This youth fishing derby takes place on Golf Course Pond #7 which will be stocked with hundreds of catfish for the event. Kids need to bring their own bait and tackle (one rod per participant) and may want to bring lawn chairs too.

Parents can help, but the kids must to the fishing! Prizes will be awarded in several categories. Kids ages 5 to 12 years old are eligible to participate. The event is co-sponsored by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Meeting place: Golf Course Pond #7, DeGray Lake Resort State Park. Event time: 8-11 a.m. For more

information call 501-865-5810.

Summer Solstice Celebration

June 18: Celebrate the arrival of summer with an array of outdoor activities for the whole family. Try your hand at using primitive style weapons and learn a game played by some American Indian tribes. Create and take home a pinch pot, arrowhead necklace, and other native style crafts. Event time: 4-8:30 p.m. Beginning at 6 p.m., the resident archeologist will provide a presentation on the alignment of the mounds with the summer solstice sunset. Following at 7 p.m., there will be a special guided sunset tour of the prehistoric mound site. The evening will end with the observation of the sunset over Mound B. For more information call Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park at 501761-9442.

Father’s Day Lake Cruise

June 18: Bring Dad out for a relaxing trip on Lake Maumelle. A park interpreter will be cruising the lake on the park’s pontoon to view the beautiful landscapes, historic structures, and the lake’s resident wildlife. Advance reservations and payment required. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12. Meeting place: Jolly Roger’s Marina. Cruise times: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on the 19th 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information call 501-868-5806.

Full Moon Kayak Tour

June 18: See our lake in a whole new way! Join the park interpreter at the marina for a peaceful moonlit kayak tour of the lake, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Fee includes use of kayak, paddle, and life jacket. No experience is necessary, but you should be comfortable around water. Event time: 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Pre-registration and payment at visitor center is required. Space is limited. Admission: $15 per person. For more information call Lake Catherine State Park at 501-844-4176.

Youth Ecology Camp

June 19 thru 24: Do you know any 11 or 12 year old boys or girls who can’t get enough of birds, mammals, snakes, frogs, plants, rocks, and insects? Visit the Arkansas Audubon Society website at arbirds.org for more information about the Halberg Ecology Camp, an extraordinary week of hands-on outdoor nature study and so much more. Or contact the camp’s director, Liz Fulton, at 501-663-9380.

Wilderness Explorers Day Camp

June 21 thru 24: Older children ages 11-13 will enjoy this chance to explore the wilderness at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Camp activities may include canoe/kayak floats, extensive hiking, and survival skills. The camp will end with an overnight camping opportunity Wednesday night including dinner provided by park staff. Advance registration and payment required.

Camping fee: $100. Meeting place: Visitor Center. For more information call 501-868-5806.

Outdoor Concert Featuring Kerry Grombacher

June 25: Performing songwriter Kerry Grombacher will appear in concert at the Lake Catherine State Park amphitheater.

In the spirit of the troubadours of old, Kerry Grombacher’s contemporary folk and western songs paint vivid portraits and tell the fascinating stories of roadside motels, old camp cooks, wild land firefighters-the landmarks and denizens of the west. Kerry has been performing an annual free concert at Lake Catherine State Park since 1999.

Event time: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Contact the park for further details at 501-8444176.

astronomy will be presented at 9 p.m.

Admission: FREE. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806.

Little Maumelle Kayaking Adventure

June 25: Explore Pinnacle Mountain State Park on a kayak with a park interpreter as your guide. Hunt for views of some of our feathered, furred, and reptilian friends while enjoying the peaceful surroundings of the Little Maumelle River. See parts of the park that many people don’t get to see. No paddling experience is necessary, but you should be comfortable around water.

Fee includes use of boats, paddles, and life jackets. Advance reservations and payment required. Admission: $30 per person. Meeting place: Little Maumelle Boat Launch. Event time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information call 501-868-5806.

Adventure Overnight Camp

June 28 thru July 1: Adventure Camp is a 4 day, 3 night camp designed to introduce children ages 11-13 to the wonders of our natural world. Our outdoor laboratory allows us to explore forests, streams, ponds, and meadows while having fun! Campers will be setting up their own campsite and

Geocache of the Month from ARKANSAS DEPT. OF PARKS AND TOURISM

Louisiana Purchase ParkCache N 34° 38.735 W 091° 03.229 The Louisiana Purchase State Park is one of 52 beautiful, historic state parks, each with their own special mission.

The other thing they each have is a geocache. This adventure is based around visiting all 52 state parks. Each park cache has a clue that you will need to find the final, 53rd cache located somewhere in the state. Just download the clue sheet and start your adventure.

You can also upload photos on the geocaching.com page when you find one and also to tell about your visit to the park on the state park blog. As an extra incentive, for a limited time you can pick up an Arkansas State Park geocoin at the final location and send it on it’s way to visit parks throughout the world!

The Arkansas State Parks ParkCache at Louisiana Purchase State Park near Brinkley is a great state park that is not only scenic but extremely important to the history of our country. The cache is an easy one — great for beginners!

Get out there and get geocaching!

For more information visit arkansas.com/geocache

Star Party

June 25: Join amateur astronomers at the visitor center for an evening with the stars and other celestial phenomena. Event time: 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. As twilight settles in, the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society will provide telescopes for viewing objects in the night sky. If cloudy skies prevent observations, an indoor program on

cooking (and cleaning up after) their own meals, becoming more independent and confident in outdoor settings.

Supervision and instruction is provided by park interpreters. Advance payment is required. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806.

May/June 2011  Arkansas Wild | 47

news briefs The Shell With It

Tons of Fun Ahead at the Emerson Purple Hull Pea Festival

By Kat Robinson

The tiny town of Emerson, AR (population 368) will boom as hundreds come to town for the festival, June 24 & 25. Peas will be shelled, cooked, devoured and celebrated at this annual fete just north of the Louisiana Border.

Enter to win great prizes in the annual PurpleHull Pea cookoff, Cornbread cookoff or Peach Cobbler cookoff. Behold the spectacle of the Million Tiller Parade (plus or minus a couple hundred thousand tillers).

Join the community at the fabulous PurpleHull pea dinner -- featuring PurpleHull peas, hot cornbread, fresh peppers and onion slices, peach cobbler and cold iced tea.

And don’t miss the World Championship Rotary Tiller Races. Each year folks come from all over Arkansas and states around to enter and win the amazing races. Bring your chair and your sunshade or umbrella out to watch as opponents vy for the championship. Expect lots of kicked up dirt and dust.

Take Highway 79 south from Magnolia and turn when you see the signs. For more information, call (870) 547-3500 or check out the event website at www.PurpleHull. com.

AGFC considers appeal in Dave Donaldson Black River WMA case

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission may appeal the opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that overturned a lower court award for millions of dollars of timber damage to its Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area.

On July 1, 2009, Judge Charles F. Lettow of the U.S. Court of Federal 48 | Arkansas Wild  May/June 2011

Claims decided in a 61-page order that the AGFC was entitled to $5.8 million, plus accrued interest and costs of litigation from the U.S. Government. Yesterday’s 2-1 vote

by Federal Circuit Court of Appeals judges nullified the trial judge’s decision.

The AGFC filed suit against the U.S. March 18, 2005, to recoup the value of dead and dying timber, and to restore areas where timber died on Dave Donaldson Black River WMA, which covers about 24,000 acres in Clay, Randolph and Greene counties. During the 11-day trial in December 2008, which included a site inspection of parts of the WMA, the AGFC was able to prove that the Army Corps of Engineers’ management of water from the Black River and Missouri’s Clearwater Lake caused significant damage to the WMA’s bottomland hardwood timber.

AGFC Chief Legal Counsel Jim Goodhart said, “The opinion apparently allows the United States to escape all liability for its superinduced flooding that permanently destroyed or degraded thousands of hardwood trees on the WMA, totaling nearly 18 million board feet of timber.”

Goodhart said the AGFC agrees with dissenting Judge Pauline Newman that the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires compensation for such a taking.

“We are carefully studying both the majority and dissenting opinions and considering options for continuing this fight on behalf of the sportsmen and citizens of our state” Goodhart said.

AGFC attorneys anticipate a recommendation to AGFC commissioners and the director to petition for a rehearing by the full 16-member Federal Circuit Court of Appeals and, if necessary, seek review by the Supreme Court.

The case involves the Clearwater Lake water-control plan of 1950 that the Corps was following until 1993, when the Corps began deviat-

ing from the plan to accommodate farming requests in the Missouri Bootheel region. The water deviations caused increased flooding on Black River WMA, particularly during the summer growing season.

By the mid-1990s, the AGFC had repeatedly warned the Corps about flooding and potential hardwood damage on Black River WMA. In the Federal Claims Court ruling, Judge Lettow agreed that had the Corps “performed a reasonable investigation of the effects the deviations would have on downstream water levels, it would have been able to predict both that the deviations would increase the levels of the Black River in the management area and that the flooding caused by these increased levels would damage timber.”

Instead, it was 2001 when the Corps performed water testing near the WMA of the modified water-control plan it had been using since 1993 and determined it could no longer continue the practice because of the potential for significant impact on natural resources. The Corps then returned to the water management plan used before 1993.

From late 1999 to the filing of the lawsuit in early 2005, the AGFC attempted to negotiate with the Corps, hoping to receive compensation and avoid a lawsuit before the statute of limitations ran out. In the end, the lawsuit was unavoidable.

The corridor of bottomland hardwood timber in Dave Donaldson Black River WMA is the largest contiguous block of forest along the Black River in Missouri and Arkansas, and is among the largest contiguous areas of bottomland hardwood timber remaining in the Upper Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Much of the WMA land was purchased by the AGFC in the 1950s and 1960s to preserve bottomland hardwoods and provide wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl. The AGFC operates the WMA as a wildlife and hunting preserve, with special emphasis on the waterfowl that pass through the area in the late fall and early winter

on the Mississippi Flyway.

Flooding of this greentree reservoir at specific times during winter enhances waterfowl hunting opportunities and helps provide food for migrating birds. Long-term flooding caused by the Army Corps of Engineers, which the AGFC didn’t control, has taken its toll on this valuable resource.

Gas Bubble Trauma Likely Cause of Fish Kills

Turkey hunting in the Shirley Bay Rainey WMA cancelled due to flooding.

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

Gas bubble likely cause of drum fish kills on Arkansas River

Photo by Keith Stephens

The Purple Hull Pea Festival parade makes its way through Emerson.

LITTLE ROCK – According to recent tests, two large fish kills below Ozark Dam on the Arkansas River were likely caused by increases in atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen in the water after spillway gates were opened.

About 83,000 freshwater drum and 800 yellow bass died Dec. 29 after 10 spillway gates were open for 10 hours. About 500 drum died Jan. 28 shortly after seven gates were open for two hours.

Bob Limbird, an AGFC district fisheries supervisor; Frank Leone, an AGFC fisheries management biologist; Kelly Winningham, an AGFC fish pathologist, and Andy Goodwin of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff conducted experiments Feb. 15 at Dardanelle Dam and Feb. 17 at Ozark Dam and filed the report.

They had the cooperation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, UAPB and Arkansas Tech University.

They tested the water below Ozark Dam for temperature, oxygen, oxygen saturation and total gas saturation with spillway gates closed.

About 50 minutes after 10 gates were opened, drum and white bass began struggling.

“We collected 21 freshwater drum and four white bass,” the report states. “All fish were floating upside down at the water’s surface but were still alive. All fish were stiff and had hard sides. Internal examination revealed the fish had distended and full air bladders.”

Whatever you call it, the fish will bite.

Tests taken after the gates were closed showed the water temperature unchanged, a drop in dissolved oxygen and a rise in total gas saturation.

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news briefs Dam revealed similar results.

According to the report, “The results of our test give us a high level of confidence regarding the cause of death as related to the Dec. 29 and Jan. 28 fish kills observed below the Ozark Dam on the Arkansas River.

It is our opinion that these kills were the result of increased atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen gases being added to the water following the opening of the spillway gates of Ozark Dam.” The AGFC Fisheries Division decided to conduct the tests because Winningham and Goodwin believed Gas Bubble Trauma may have caused the Jan. 28 kill. The fish had full air bladders, which made it impossible for them to dive and orient their bodies.

“Freshwater drum are highly susceptible to gas supersaturation and gas bubble trauma,” states the report. “In addition, a very deep hole (48 feet deep) exists below gate 5 (Ozark Dam) and may act to congregate freshwater drum during the winter months. These facts may

help explain why freshwater drum were the most affected species during the kill events.”

Flooding closes turkey hunting on Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA

STRAWBERRY – Commissioners with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission unanimously approved an emergency proclamation closing the upcoming permit turkey hunt on Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Wildlife Management Area in Lawrence County.

Recent heavy rain has caused several rivers across Arkansas, including the Black River which courses through the WMA, to rise well above flood stages.

As rivers rise, driving conditions become very dangerous and jeopardize the safety of turkey hunters trying to access areas. Birds are also concentrated on high ground. The high water is forcing the cancellation of the last turkey permit hunt

scheduled for the WMA. The permit hunt was to run April 29-May 1.

The Black River at Black Rock was at 30.14 feet early Wednesday morning. The river is expected to stay above 28 feet at least through May 2. Because of extreme flood waters creating hazardous access conditions, this permit hunt has been cancelled.

Hunters who won permits through the AGFC’s permit draw will receive refunds of their permit fees. In the coming weeks, the AGFC will mail refunds to all hunters who won permits and paid permit fees for the cancelled hunt. The AGFC will attempt to contact permit holders and notify them of the turkey hunt cancellation.

“We have a database of all the hunters who will be affected, so anyone who won a permit and bought the permit can expect a refund and their preference points adjusted accordingly,” said David Goad, chief of the AGFC Wildlife Management Division.

Crawdads, crawfish or crayfish are excellent bait

By Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Call ’em crawdads, crawfish or crayfish. Even label them mudbugs.

They’re excellent fishing bait and a cure many anglers have found for summer fishing doldrums.

Crawdad is the term of the Arkansas masses or the casual name for them.

Crawfish is a bit more formal but universally understood and is the term dictated for newspaper usage by the Associated Press Stylebook.

Crayfish is preferred by scientists.

And, no, the distinctions aren’t on a north-south basis like some other of our wildlife terms.

In Arkansas, crawfish are all around us, available for most anyone who will get out and hunt for them, work a little. Catch a few, and you’ve got the makings of a fishing outing that ought to be successful, if you otherwise are halfway competent in angling.

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Bream, bass, catfish and trout all go for crawfish or parts of crawfish.

Probably, crappie will eat them too, although they’re not a normal crappie bait.

You’ll find crawfish for sale in bait shops across Arkansas, but this availability is spotty. A phone call or two could save some frustration.

Some Arkansans have the opinion of small crawfish for fishing, larger

ones for eating. The little ones can be used whole by slipping a hook under and through a section of the shell and tossing it into the water.

The crawfish will supply natural movement on the bottom of the water, drawing attention from fish.

If you can find a shallow stream with a rocky bed, you’ve got a likely spot for getting enough crawfish for fishing use. Turn rocks over and move quickly to grab them. Keep them wet and as cool as possible. If you can locate a farm pond being drained, that’s a potential major crawfish supplier.

For bream and trout fishing, even bass fishing when the fish are finicky, try using just a peeled tail from a crawfish for bait, burying the point of the hook in it.

For more information visit agfc.com.

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