Byways Rivers & Lakes 2019

Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

Rivers & Lakes 2019 Banff National Park & Lake Louise The Lake Champlain Region The Highland Lakes of Texas Arkansas River Shapes North Little Rock California’s Mono Lake

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Byways Magazine ŠCopyright 2019 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.

For more than 36 years, Byways has been covering the leading destinations along the highways and byways of North America. Some of the most well-known, and least known, destinations to discover in the United States and Canada.

Byways is published in three versions. The is the Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iOS (iPhone and iPad). There is an Apple App Store edition. There is also a Byways Magazine Channel in Apple News. A Byways Podcast is available on major podcast apps, including the Apple Podcast app.

For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine 502-785-4875 or Email http://bywaysmagazine.com Byways • 3

PREVIEW

By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

Canyon of the Eagles is a 940-acre nature preserve. It elcome to the annual Rivers takes its name from the American Bald Eagles that nest & Lakes issue of Byways.

Come along on the journey to within the surrounding area from October through beautiful Banff National Park and Lake March. The Park is dedicated to showcasing the flora and Louise in the province of Alberta, fauna of Lake Buchanan.

The area is also well-known for its wine making.

Canada.

More than 50 wineries dot the landscape in the Texas This is one of the world’s most Hill Country, making it one of the largest wine growing breathtaking mountain lake destinations. regions in the country.

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park North Little Rock, Arkansas, is a charming, quirky city and was established in 1885. Located in the Rocky with a growing downtown district. Its past, present and Mountains, it is 68 miles west of Calgary.

Lake Louise is one of the most visited lakes in the future is forever tied to the flow of the Arkansas River. world and is framed to the southwest by the Mount The Arkansas River Trail winds almost fourteen miles of scenic path along the Arkansas River between the two Victoria Glacier.

Lake Champlain is a 121-mile long fresh-water lake cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock.

Recreation on the river itself has started to boom. With that boasts more than 600 miles of shoreline and 70 the help of an expert guide, kayakers can glide under the islands. The lake borders the LED-lit river bridges and states of Vermont and New York, enjoy the city skyline. And and is partially situated across the boaters can dock at US-Canadian border, in the Rockwater Marina and Canadian province of Quebec. enjoy nearby dining and The Lake Champlain Valley sits entertainment downtown. between the Green Mountains of California’s Mono Lake Vermont and the Adirondack is one of the oldest lakes in Mountains of New York. the western hemisphere. It There’s more than 400 years of was formed some 760,000 history to be discovered here. years ago. Hauntingly Lake Champlain has a history rich Cruising on Lake Buchanan beautiful, Mono Lake in war, from hostile relations in the Texas Hill Country. reflects the snow-capped between the Native Americans of Sierra Nevada Mountains the North and South, to controlling the trade route in its shimmering blue waters. through the St. Lawrence and Hudson Rivers. During It is called a closed lake. This means that water does America’s fight for independence, conflict involved not flow out of the surface of the lake. Water can only struggle between the French and British Empires, the escape the lake if it evaporates or is lost to groundwater.

Native Americans and the colonists.

Dissolved salts in the runoff thus remain in the lake Seven lakes and reservoirs make up the Highland and raise the water’s pH levels and salt concentration.

Lakes region of Texas, located northwest of Austin in the The lake is famous for its brine shrimp, a tiny species Texas Hill Country. no bigger than a thumbnail, that are endemic to the lake.

The lakes follow the course of the Colorado River of An estimated 4-6 trillion brine shrimp inhabit the lake.

Texas, an 862-mile long river which is the longest river Sand dunes in Colorado? That’s what we said. But in with both its source and its mouth within Texas.

What’s Happening, we discover Sand Dunes National The largest lake is Lake Buchanan, formed by the construction of Buchanan Dam by the Lower Colorado Park, located between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains River Authority to provide a water supply for the region and the San Juan Mountains in south central Colorado. and to provide hydroelectric power. The dam is more Not just sand dunes, but the tallest sand dunes in North America can be found here. Sand-boarding and sandthan 2 miles long.

A cruise on Lake Buchanan brings into view regional sledding are popular activities here.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways. and migrating birds, cascading waterfalls, native Texas wildlife and towering cliffs.

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Volume 36, Issue No. 4 2019 On the cover. Canada’s Banff National Park in summer. Photo courtesy Miguel Carraça on Unsplash. For more on Rivers and Lakes, turn to page 8.

Features Rivers & Lakes 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Banff National Park & Lake Louise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Lake Champlain Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Highland Lakes of Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Arkansas River Shapes North Little Rock Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 California’s Mono Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 French Lick, Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Departments Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

What’s Happening Colorados’s Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Coming in future issues of Byways ...Great American Roads, Dams & Bridges, Great American Railroads, Mountains & Valleys and much more!

Next Up: Great American Roads.

Featuring Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. Right.

Bourbon barrels stored at Maker’s Mark distillery.

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Rivers & Lakes 2019

Summer glaciers at Lake Louise in Canada’s Banff National Park.

Photo courtesy Jenelle Hayes on Unsplash.

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Hiking above Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Photo courtesy Banff & Lake Louise Tourism / Paul Zizka Photography.

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Canada’s Banff National Park and Lake Louise

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The Chateau Lake

anada’s Banff National Park and Lake Louise are one of the world’s most breathtaking mountain destinations in the world. For centuries, Banff and Lake Louise have inspired people with their spectacular natural beauty. They are places steeped in legendary tales of adventure, exploration, and myth.

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with annual tourism visits to Banff increasing to over 5 million in the 1990s. Millions more pass through the park on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Times have changed and CPR no longer dominates the tourism operations in Banff, but their influence on the visitor experience in the park is a lasting legacy.

Canadian Pacific Rail

Banff National Park

The Town of Banff, formerly Siding 29, was created as a tourist town from its very inception and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was integral in shaping the development of the tourism infrastructure. Visitors from around the world used to arrive to the mountains via the CPR, who also established Banff’s most famous hotels, including the Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise.

The CPR attracted tourists through extensive advertising. In the early 20th century, roads were built in Banff, at times by war internees from World War I, and through Great Depression-era public works projects. Since the 1960s, park accommodations have been open all year, 12 • Byways

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park and was established in 1885. Located in the Rocky Mountains 68 miles west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, Banff encompasses 2,564 square miles of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise, connecting to Jasper National Park in the north.

The town of Banff is the largest municipality located in a Canadian national park. This provides residents and visitors with superb access to the surrounding wilderness. Conversely, the national park status also requires

the town to adhere to laws that regulate its growth, commercial development and population. What results is a very unique community that proudly acknowledges the privilege it is to exist in a protected park while serving the needs of the people who work, visit and play in the mountains.

Archaeology in Banff National Park The first Europeans to discover the Canadian Rockies were far from being the first to discover the wonders of this place. Excavations by archaeologists have discovered flint stone tools, spearheads, hearths and pit houses from approximately 10,000 years ago, revealing that the human history of the Rockies is anything but recent.

Pictographs found in the nearby Canmore region and Kootenay National Park reveal the artistic hands of an early native presence.

Bow Valley Parkway Adventure

e Louise. Photo courtesy Wenhao Ji on Unsplash.

This leisurely drive between Banff and Lake Louise features iconic attractions such as Johnston Canyon, Castle Mountain and Morant’s Curve. An abundance of wildlife calls the Bow Valley Parkway home and it is not uncommon to observe grizzlies, wolves, elk and deer along the road; osprey, eagles and harlequin ducks nest along the Bow River. Rich in natural and human history, this serene route offers year-round exploration of diverse wonders in a relaxed manner with numerous picnic areas, interpretive displays and scenic roadside stops.

Mountain adventures await year-round with numerous hiking trails, scalable peaks, paddling and angling opportunities and this is a premier route for cyclists. After a day of exploration, a charming collection of creek-side cabins and lodging offers mountain hospitality of a bygone era.

Banff Road in Banff National Park. Photo courtesy Gabriel Perelman on Unsplash.

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Breathtaking summer view of Lake Louise with glaciers.

Photo courtesy Mark Koch on Unsplash.

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Banff National Park in summer. Photo courtesy Banff & Lake Louise Tourism / Paul Zizka Photography.

Lake Louise

The Hamlet of Lake Louise

Lake Louise is world famous for its turquoise lakes, the Victoria Glacier, soaring mountain backdrop, palatial hotel, and incredible hiking and skiing. Surrounded by a lifetime’s worth of jaw-dropping sights and adventures, Lake Louise is a rare place that must be experienced to be believed. Lake Louise is one of the most visited lakes in the world and is framed to the southwest by the Mount Victoria Glacier.

The sight of the lake’s emerald green water and rugged peaks and glaciers hits you viscerally. You’ve never seen anything so dramatically beautiful. Late in the day, with the glowing sun dropping behind Mount Victoria, it is quiet and still. As you wander around the lakeside path it seems like the whole scene is for just you to enjoy.

With endless adventures in every direction, making Lake Louise your basecamp is a great way to explore Banff National Park. Those looking to wake up with a lakeside view will love the luxury of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Seconds away from the lake is Deer Lodge, a historic lodge with many amenities, including a rooftop jacuzzi.

The hamlet of Lake Louise is located just off the Trans-Canada Highway, Canada’s Highway 1.

Lake Louise is located 34 miles northwest of the town of Banff. It is home to the landmark Chateau Lake Louise at the edge of Lake Louise. Located 9.3 miles from Lake Louise, Moraine Lake provides a scenic vista of the Valley of the Ten Peaks. This scene was pictured on the back of the $20 Canadian banknote, in the 1969– 1979 (“Scenes of Canada”) series.

It has a small shopping center, with a grocery store, bakery, deli, bar, sporting goods store, and visitor information center. Lake Louise also offers a variety of restaurant and accommodation options. Smaller and quieter than the town of Banff, you are immersed in the mountains and nature when you spend time in Lake Louise.

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Banff’s Royal Legacy William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, chose Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park for their private getaway during their first official visit overseas to Canada. But this visit was only one of many

royal visits to Banff since the park’s inception. Banff and Lake Louise have enjoyed a strong connection to the British Royal Family since the Victorian era. In fact, Lake Louise was named after the daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, in 1884.

Gateway to the Rockies Exhibition

The Whyte Museum’s exhibit in Banff, “Gateway to the Rockies,” communicates the history of the Canadian Rockies using artifacts, artworks, archival photographs, recordings and documents. For ten years, this fun, interactive exhibit will bring alive the men and women who Banff Big Foot shaped the culture of the Canadian Rockies, including The legend of Big Foot, also known as a Yeti or the First Nations, first explorers, outfitters, entrepreneurs Sasquatch, is alive and well in Banff National Park. To and artists. date, the ape-like creature remains elusive and no one can prove its existence. Yet some claim to have encoun- Natural Beauty tered Big Foot and are determined to show the world.

Since Banff National Park’s inception in 1885, its Does Big Foot really exist? Man in an ape suit or the real spectacular beauty has inspired artists of every kind. deal?

Many of the first explorers and mountaineers were painters, writers, photographers and musicians, each one Bankhead, The Coal Mining interpreting the mountain landscape in a way that would Ghost Town make the destination even more famous than before.

The ghost town of Bankhead lies just outside of the Continuing with that tradition, each April the Spring town of Banff. Just 100 years ago, the town of Bankhead Alive festival offers a rich collection of events that are as outnumbered Banff in terms of both popularity and pop- diverse as they are educational and inspiring. ulation. More than 1000 people lived in the coal mining For information on visiting Banff National Park and town. Once the mines were closed down in the early Lake Louise: 1920s, Bankhead’s buildings were moved to Banff, Canmore and Calgary, leaving behind only remnants and https://www.banfflakelouise.com relics of its coal mining history.

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park.

Photo courtesy James Wheeler on Unsplash.

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The Lake Champlain Region 400 Years of American History

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The Lake Champlain Bridge.

Photo courtesy lakechamplainregion.com

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Fort Ticonderoga. Photo courtesy Mwanner and Wikimedia Commons. are recreational facilities in the park and along the relatively undeveloped coastline of Lake Champlain.

The cities of Plattsburgh, New York and Burlington, Vermont are on the lake’s western and eastern shores, respectively, and the town of Ticonderoga, New York is in the region’s southern part.

The Quebec portion is in the regional county municipalities of Le Haut-Richelieu and Brome-Missisquoi.

There are a number of islands in the lake; the largest include Grand Isle, Isle La Motte, and North Hero, all part of Grand Isle County, Vermont.

Adirondack Park is a part of New York’s Forest Preserve in northeastern New York. The park’s boundary corresponds with the Adirondack Mountains.

Established in 1885, it was the first state preserve of its US-Canadian Border Lake Champlain borders the United States (in the type in the nation.

Lake Champlain is in the Lake Champlain Valley states of Vermont and New York), but is partially situatbetween the Green Mountains of Vermont and the ed across the US-Canadian border, in the Canadian Adirondack Mountains of New York. It drains northward province of Quebec. by the 106-mile-long Richelieu River into the St. Most of this area is part of the Adirondack Park. There

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ake Champlain — a 121-mile long fresh-water lake that boasts more than 600 miles of shoreline and 70 islands — not only provides endless opportunities for water recreation. It offers 400 years of significant history, charming waterfront towns, fun attractions and easy access to outdoor adventure.

The Lake Champlain region features rolling hills and fertile farmlands, all resplendently green and full of life.

Quiet, rural roads with views of the Adirondacks to the west, Vermont’s Green Mountains to the east and Lake Champlain offer picturesque scenery and moderate inclines that are perfect for road biking, running or leisurely walks.

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Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, northeast and downstream of Montreal, Quebec.

History Discovered in 1609 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, the Lake Champlain region offers 400 years of significant history — and is now home to numerous museums and historic sites. For visitors, each site offers a glimpse of the way life used to be.

Lake Champlain has a history rich in war, from hostile relations between the Native Americans of the North and South, to controlling the trade route through the St. Lawrence and Hudson Rivers. During America’s fight for independence, conflict involved struggle between the French and British Empires, the Native Americans and the colonists.

Evidence of these battles is still around today and can be experienced throughout the Lake Champlain region.

New France allocated concessions all along Lake Champlain to French settlers and built forts to defend the waterways. In colonial times, Lake Champlain was used as a water passage between the St. Lawrence and Hudson valleys. Travelers found it easier to journey by During the Revolutionary War, the British and boats and sledges on the lake rather than go overland on Americans conducted a frenetic shipbuilding race unpaved and frequently mud-bound roads. through the spring and summer of 1776, at opposite ends of the lake, and fought a significant naval engagement on Fort Construction October 11 at the Battle of Valcour Island.

Forts were built at Ticonderoga and Crown Point (Fort While it was a tactical defeat for the Americans, and St. Frederic) to control passage on the lake in colonial the small fleet led by Benedict Arnold was almost times. Important battles were fought at Ticonderoga in destroyed, the Americans gained a strategic victory; the 1758 and 1775.

British invasion was delayed long enough so the approach of winter prevented the fall of Lake Champlain lighthouse at dusk as seen from these forts until the following year.

Today you can explore the forts at Crown Burlington, VT. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Point and Ticonderoga and learn how America changed the course of world history forever. Built by the French and British militaries in the 18th century, these strongholds were critical posts during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

Fort Ticonderoga still stands and is one of the oldest historic sites in North America.

Open to the public during the summer and fall months, along with the ruins of Fort Crown Point and Fort St. Frederic, visitors can experience history first-hand through tours, special events and reenactments.

War of 1812 During the War of 1812, British and American forces faced each other in the Battle of Lake Champlain, also known as the Battle of Plattsburgh, fought on September 11, 1814. This ended the final British invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812. It was fought just prior to Byways • 21

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Vermont in Fall with Lake Champlain.

Photo courtesy Vermont.org.

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Lake Champlain at sunset, viewed from Grand Isle looking 5 miles west towards Plattsburgh, NY and Crab Island.

Photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons. the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, and the American victory denied the British any leverage to demand exclusive control over the Great Lakes or territorial gains against the New England states.

Lake Champlain Monster In 1609, Samuel de Champlain wrote that he saw a lake monster five feet long, as thick as a man’s thigh, with silver-gray scales a dagger could not penetrate. The alleged monster had 2.5 foot jaws with sharp and dangerous teeth. Native Americans claimed to have seen similar monsters 8 to 10 feet. This mysterious creature is likely the original Lake Champlain monster. The monster has been memorialized in sports teams’ names and mascots, i.e., the Vermont Lake Monsters and Champ, the mascot of the state’s minor league baseball team.

Water Transportation In the early 19th century, the construction of the Champlain Canal connected Lake Champlain to the Hudson River system, allowing north-south commerce by water from New York City to Montreal and Atlantic Canada North of Ticonderoga, New York, the lake widens 24 • Byways

Lake Champlain Transportation Company ferry slip at Grand Isle.

Lake Champlain viewed from Charlotte, Vermont.

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appreciably; ferry service is operated by the Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Service includes: • Charlotte, Vermont, to Essex, New York (may not travel when the lake is frozen) • Burlington, Vermont, to Port Kent, New York (seasonal) • Grand Isle, Vermont, to Cumberland Head, part of Plattsburgh, New York (year-round icebreaking service).

Explore the Region With its remarkable history, it’s no surprise that the Lake Champlain region is home to a variety of museums and historic sites that preserve and display the artifacts of bygone eras.

Explore the Hancock House-Ticonderoga Historical Museum, Penfield Homestead Museum, the Iron Center Museum, Ticonderoga Heritage Museum, the Adirondack History Museum, or consider a scenic walking tour through the historic hamlets of Essex, Keeseville, Westport, Fort Ticonderoga or Port Henry.

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Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves

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he name alone was reason enough. But from my two rural Indiana friends, the place came with a raving review: “You should see it,” they said. And from them, that’s almost frenzied.

In our travels together, a yard sale can be worth a rave.

And we happily drive 50 miles to a church smorgasbord, if it promises fried chicken and bread pudding.

So I was not sure what I would find at French Lick.

I researched the name: Free-flowing mineral springs here left rocks covered with a residue of salt. Deer, buffalo and others were attracted to the salt, making this one of the many “licks” in this part of Southern Indiana.

Rounding out the name – the French had a trading post here in the early 1700s.

A local doctor hyped the spring’s “miracle waters” as a cure for every ailment that had a name. And they came: They soaked in it, but they drank it mostly. The drinkers had instant results – of necessity, outhouses were placed along the hiking trails leading from the springs.

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French Lick, Indiana Recently it was discovered the water contains lithium, a mood altering thing that may have been the unknown secret to the doctor’s success: Nobody actually got cured, but after a while they didn’t care.

Hotels and a resort sprung up here in the mid-1800s as did a plant to bottle the water. Called Pluto Water, in one year 455 railcars left here filled with it. By 1910, it was a national rage – “for those feeling out of sorts.” An ad for the French Lick Springs Resort was on every bottle.

So things here got bigger and grander.

That much I knew as I turned south onto 56 from highway 150. I had been passing farms, woods and rolling fields of mid-July corn. My GPS was set for the French Lick Resort and Casino.

The resort has been here for more than a hundred years catering often to the movie stars, gangsters and politicians of the 20s and 30s. Al Capon – he was married here – and gangsters from Chicago came to gamble.

This was Las Vegas, before there was a Las Vegas, but without the neon, as gambling was illegal.

A mile before reaching the resort, however, my curiosity was peaked by a huge, ornate structure, back from the road, that was almost hidden by trees. It offered a brick road, so I took it.

Passing under an arch, I was surrounded by acres of beautiful landscaping. Ahead was the sprawling West Baden Springs Hotel – a total surprise. In some metropolis, this elegant hotel would fit. But this is as outback as Indiana gets. The closest thing of note here is the Hoosier National Forest.

Now an historic landmark, it has a domed atrium that spans 200 feet. It was the biggest in the world until the Astrodome was built in Houston in

Photos courtesy Bill Graves.

walked around, but there was little sound.

The cities of the world have some magnificent hotels, marvels of architectures and art. And this is one of those hotels.

But, amazingly, it’s here in West Baden, Indiana, population less than 800.

1964. This one was put up in 1901.

I parked and went in, totally unprepared for the majestic solemnity of this atrium. It was like walking into the Coliseum in Rome; in fact, it’s almost the same size.

Five floors of hotel rooms – 94 in all – face into the perfect, 1010-foot circle of the atrium.

Off to one side, people were having lunch on tables of white linen; it appeared as a sidewalk café. Nearby was an enormous fireplace that takes 14-foot logs. People

About the author: After seeing much of the world as a career naval officer, Bill Graves decided, after he retired, to take a closer look at the United States. He has been roaming the country for 20 years, much of it in a motorhome with his dog Rusty. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is the author of On the Back Roads, Discovering Small Towns. of America. He can be reached at Roadscribe@aol.com.

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Cruising Lake Buchanan, one of the seven lakes of the Highland Lakes of Texas. Byways photo.

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The Highland Lakes of Texas

By Stephen M. Kirchner

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Fall Creek Falls on Lake Buchanan. Byways photo..

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he seven lakes and reservoirs of the Highland Lakes region of Texas are located northwest of Austin in the Texas Hill Country.

Located on the Colorado River of Texas, they are Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake. Lake LBJ along with Inks Lake and Lake Marble Falls are pass-through lakes for Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis.

Colorado River of Texas The Colorado River of Texas is an 862-mile long river which is the longest river with both its source and its mouth within Texas.

The Colorado River originates south of Lubbock, on the Llano Estacado, near Lamesa. It flows southeast, out of the Llano Estacado and through the Texas Hill Country, After passing through Austin, the Colorado River continues flowing southeast until emptying into Matagorda Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, near Matagorda.

Lake Buchanan Lake Buchanan was formed by the construction of Buchanan Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority to provide a water supply for the region and to provide hydroelectric power.

Buchanan Dam, a structure over 2 miles in length, was completed in 1939. Lake Buchanan was the first of the 30 • Byways

Texas Highland Lakes to be formed. With 22,333 acres (34.9 square miles) of surface water, it is also the largest lake. The surface of the lake includes area in both Burnet and Llano Counties. The lake is west of the city of Burnet, Texas.

Cruise Lake Buchanan You can enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Buchanan with Vanishing Texas River Cruises. The Scenic Wildlife Cruise is the original cruise started over 35 years ago. It features an 18-mile journey across Lake Buchanan to the mouth of the Colorado River. You can view regional and migrating birds, cascading waterfalls, native Texas wildlife and towering cliffs. Groups are welcome.

Three waterfalls are visible from the lake, Fall Creek Falls, Sometime Falls and Deer Creek Falls. https://vtrc.com The Canyon Cruise at Canyon of the Eagles on Lake Buchanan offers a 2-hour sightseeing guided tour on smaller craft holding up to 8 persons.

Much of the property bordering Lake Buchanan is privately owned. Many lakeside cottages and homes are rented out on a regular basis. The Lower Colorado River Authority maintains three parks on the lake: Cedar Point Recreation Area, Black Rock Park, and Canyon of the Eagles. County parks and private marinas offer boating access to the lake.

Marble Falls

Lake Buchanan cruise. Photo courtesy Vanishing Texas River Cruises.

Burnet The city of Burnet blends frontier history with Hill Country beauty. Founded in 1852 after the establishment of Fort Croghan in 1847, Burnet today has a population of 6,000. Farming and ranching have always played large roles in the local economy, and tourism tied to the popularity of the lakes has become more prevalent.

The connection from history to current tourism can be seen when the Austin Steam Train Association’s Hill Country Flyer brings visitors from Austin to shop and eat in the downtown square. The railroads arrival in 1882 helped spur the growth of the city.

Fort Croghan Museum was one of the original four forts erected in Texas by the US Government to protect settlers from Comanche and Apache warriors.

Marble Falls is the center of water recreation, shopping, golf, hunting, hiking, camping and award-winning wines and winery tours. With a population of 6,317, the city retains its small-town charm Telescope, photo courtesy in a location with Canyon of the Eagles. easy access to larger cities, including both Austin and San Antonio, both about an hour away.

The city was founded in 1887 on the Colorado River in southern Burnet County. The falls from which the city gets its name were covered by water when Max Starcke Dam was completed in 1951 to create Lake Marble Falls.

As one of the two smallest lakes in the Highland Lakes, Lake Marble Falls offers recreation opportunities without the larger boats and water traffic found on some of the larger lakes.

Canyon of the Eagles A 940-acre nature preserve, Canyon of the Eagles takes its name from the American Bald Eagles that nest within the surrounding area from October through March.

Night sky over Lake Buchanan.

Photo courtesy Canyon of the Eagles.

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A view of Buchanan Dam showing the arched structure and floodgates. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

The Park is dedicated to showcasing the flora and fauna of Lake Buchanan. The Park offers 61-guest rooms, 24 RV sites and 33 campsites. Groups are welcome.

Educational and recreational programs are offered for all ages, and include reptile shows, guided nature walks, private boat cruises, astronomy events and more.

Stargazing is especially popular. This is one of the best locations in Central Texas for viewing the cosmos due to minimal light pollution in the region. Five telescopes offer spectacular views of the bright planets, nebulas and distant galaxies. https://canyonoftheeagles.com

regions in the country.

Fall Creek Winery, the oldest winery in the Texas Hill Country, is located at the confluence of Fall Creek and Lake Buchanan. https://www.fcv.com Torr Na Lochs Vineyard and Winery in Burnet has one the best views in the region. It sits above the Colorado River Valley overlooking both Inks and Buchanan lakes. https://www.torrnalochs.com Inks Dam was constructed from 1936 to 1938 and forms Inks Lake. The dam is located 10 miles southwest of Burnet. It was constructed to provide hydroelectric power, and helps buffer the large changes in water flow Texas Hill Country Wineries Buchanan Dam, 3 miles upstream, tends to produce. It is More that 50 wineries dot the landscape in the Texas the smallest dam in the Texas Highland Lakes chain, and Hill Country, making it one of the largest wine growing is the only one that does not have floodgates.

View of the Texas Hill Country from Torr Na Lochs Vineyard and Winery. Byways photo.

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Lake LBJ near Log Country Cove. Byways photo.

Lake LBJ Lake Lyndon B. Johnson (more commonly referred to as Lake LBJ (originally named Lake Granite Shoals) is 45 miles northwest of Austin. The reservoir was formed in 1950 by the construction of Granite Shoals Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The Colorado River and the Llano River meet in the northern portion of the lake at Kingsland.

The towns of Granite Shoals, Kingsland, Horseshoe Bay, Highland Haven, and Sunrise Beach are located on the lake. The boundary line separating Burnet County and Llano County runs down the center of the lake.

President Johnson owned a ranch on the lake (which was separate and apart from the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, Texas). He and Mrs. Johnson entertained national and foreign dignitaries on the lake during his vice presidency and presidency.

Located on Lake LBJ, Log Country Cove is one of the more interesting resorts we found in the region. Its log cabin construction offers plenty of opportunities for families or group tours. They offer 36 log cabins, many more spacious than some homes, and with all the amenities you would expect in the best hotels. Each of the Canadian log cabins is unique, and are nestled in a wooded area of cedar, oak and pecan trees. https://www.logcountrycove.com

Log Country Cove on LBJ Lake.

Byways photo.

For additional information, visit https://www.highlandlakesofburnetcounty.com

About the Author: Stephen M. Kirchner has been Editor & Publisher of Byways Magazine for the past 36 years. He is based in Louisville, KY. Byways • 33

The Arkansas River viewed from Emerald Park in North Little Rock.

Photo courtesy North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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Arkansas River Shapes North Little Rock Experience Paddle, cycle, walk, and climb through history in North Little Rock.

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Cyclists under the Big Dam Bridge.

Photos courtesy North Little Rock CVB.

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uirky, friendly, charming, creative. Low-key downtown with fast-paced recreation. All set on the gorgeous backdrop of the Arkansas River and city skyline.

Named “most underrated city” in Arkansas by Thrillist in 2018, North Little Rock, Arkansas, is a charming, quirky city with a growing downtown district, a 1,700acre city park full of outdoor recreation and well-trodden paths through American history.

Today the Arkansas River Trail winds almost fourteen miles of scenic path along the Arkansas River between the two cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock. Ride your bike past a 200-foot bluff named Big Rock, by which French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe navigated the Arkansas River in the early 1700s. Markers and painted murals along the Arkansas River Trail describe the “Trail of Tears,” along which Choctaw, Muscogee, Chickasaw and Cherokee were forced to travel west in the 1800s. Jog across what today are the Clinton Presidential Bridge and Junction Bridge, which are repurposed old 17th century railroad bridges across the Arkansas River.

Rock’s downtown district. Where rough-and-tumble saloons once stood, now you’ll find everything from fine dining to local breweries, theaters to art studios. The Birney-style streetcars that you see rumbling down Main Street and across the river bridges are replicas of the streetcars that were 1920s fixtures in Little Rock. Hop on today, and you’ll get unparalleled views of the river and hear local folklore from the knowledgeable operators.

In more recent local history, the Murray Lock and

River & Railroad Influence The influx of traffic from the river and railroads resulted in the birth of Argenta, now North Little 36 • Byways

Aboard the USS Razorback.

Dam was built in the 1960s as part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. In true Arkansas fashion, local leaders saw the dam as a tourism opportunity. More than 50 years later, the Big Dam Bridge – the longest pedestrian bridge in the US –- spans the dam and attracts thousands of visitors every year for events such as the Big Dam Bridge 100, Arkansas’s largest cycling event with 3,500 cyclists.

Sunset kayaking tour with Rock Town River Outfitters.

USS Razorback History takes an unusual turn in North Little Rock; yet another opportunity for an attraction presented itself in 2005 with the decommissioning of an old World-War-II-era submarine. Local leaders brought USS Razorback from Turkey, cleaned her up and have her on display at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, where she is lovingly maintained by submarine veterans and is one of the most authentic submarine experiences in the world.

For a landlocked state, a submarine is a rare occurrence; for a submarine from the end of World War II and a tugboat from the beginning of World War II to be docked together, well…that’s one-of-a-kind. The tugboat Hoga received a commendation for its 72 continuous hours fighting fires during the 1941 Pearl Harbor

Evening marina view from the Arkansas River.

Downtown’s fast growing Argenta District.

Photos courtesy North Little Rock CVB. attack and pushing USS Nevada to safety, preventing her The Old Mill from blocking the narrow channel – the only way for A short ten-minute drive north of the river into the quiships to escape or help to arrive. et neighborhood of Lakewood, you’ll find a hidden gem with lakeside views. The Old Mill at T. R. Pugh River Recreation Memorial Park is arguably one of the best locations for Recreation on the river itself has started to boom in photography in Arkansas. Built in 1933 as a replica of an North Little Rock. One of the most unique experiences is 1800s gristmill, The Old Mill is surrounded by gorgeous a sunset kayak tour with Rock Town River Outfitters. foliage year-round and boasts beautiful concrete bridges, With the help of an expert guide, kayakers can glide painstakingly detailed to look like trees. The free, public under the LED-lit river bridges and enjoy the city skyline park is a welcome contrast to the fast-pace energy downfrom the Arkansas River. Transient boaters dock at town. It also happens to be the last standing structure Rockwater Marina and enjoy nearby dining and enter- from the 1939 film, Gone with the Wind. tainment downtown. Yoga classes exercise on paddleboards out on the water. Fishermen Dickey-Stephens Park take advantage of convenient boat ramps to hosts professional catch some bass or catfish.

AA league baseball.

In North Little Rock, you can even RV on the river. While most RV parks around the United States tout natural surroundings and relative seclusion, the Downtown Riverside RV Park offers the opposite. Attracting RVers from all over the country and even internationally, the RV park boasts riverside views, proximity to the Arkansas River Trail and walking distance from dining and entertainment in the downtown districts. For those tired of cooking in an RV, it’s a welcome change of pace.

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Old Mill Gardens Here, the Arkansas River and quiet lakes are active, living members of the local community and an attractor for visitors. The Arkansas River that was such a viable part of Arkansas history is still molding history today. It’s the backdrop for festivals, the venue for watersports, and the romantic setting for weddings. The river influences the latest architectural achievements in North Little Rock, such as the new Argenta Plaza that features oxbow-shaped berms reminiscent of Arkansas’s lakes and a water wall inspired by the river.

Whether you enjoy getting out on the water or just enjoy the views with a great glass of wine, North Little Rock promises a memorable experience. Start planning your visit today at www.northlittlerock.org

The Old Mill

Covered Bridge at Burns Park.

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California’s Mono Lake

Mono Lake at Sunset. Photo courtesy Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash.

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Mono Lake. Photo courtesy Eniko Polgar on Unsplash.

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ne of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere, California’s Mono Lake is hauntingly beautiful, reflecting the snow-capped Sierra Nevada in its shimmering blue waters.

An immense inland sea, the 70 square-mile lake fills a natural basin, 700 square-miles in size. Together with nearby volcanoes, ghost towns and trout-filled streams, this area is a natural wonderland for visitors.

The town of Lee Vining is at the base of the Sierra Nevada, on the shore of Mono Lake. US Route 395 runs through the town, connecting to Los Angeles 390 miles to the south, and Reno, Nevada 135 miles to the north.

tonic algae. These algae reproduce rapidly during winter and early spring after winter runoff brings nutrients to the surface layer of water. By March the lake is “as green as pea soup” with photosynthesizing algae.

Brine Shrimp The lake is famous for the Mono Lake brine shrimp, a tiny species of brine shrimp, no bigger than a thumbnail, that are endemic to the lake. During the warmer summer

Lake Formation Mono Lake was formed about 760,000 years ago. It occupies part of the Mono Basin which has no outlet to the ocean. Dissolved salts in the runoff thus remain in the lake and raise the water’s pH levels and salt concentration.

It is called a closed lake. This means that water does not flow out of the surface of the lake. Water can only escape the lake if it evaporates or is lost to groundwater.

The whole food chain of the lake is based on the high population of single-celled plank42 • Byways

Mono Lake Committee Store

Lee Vining lies at the base of the Sierra Nevada, on the shore of Mono Lake. US Highway 395 runs through the town. Photo courtesy Joe Shlabotnik. months, an estimated 4-6 trillion brine shrimp inhabit the lake. Brine shrimp have no food value for humans, but are a staple for birds of the region. The brine shrimp feed on microscopic algae.

Alkali flies live along the shores of the lake and walk underwater, encased in small air bubbles for grazing and to lay eggs. These flies are an important source of food for migratory and nesting birds.

Birding Site of International Importance

Mono Lake with the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Photo courtesy Eniko Polgar on Unsplash.

As a result, Mono Lake is a vital resting and eating stop for migratory shorebirds and has been recognized as a site of international importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Nearly 2,000,000 waterbirds, including 35 species of shorebirds, use Mono Lake to rest and eat for at least part of the year.

Some shorebirds that depend on the resources of Mono Lake include American avocets, killdeer and sandpipers. Over 1.5 million eared grebes and phalaropes use Mono Lake during their long migrations.

Late every summer tens of thousands of Wilson’s phalaropes and red-necked phalaropes arrive from their nesting grounds, and feed until they continue their migration to South America or the tropical oceans respectively.

In addition to migratory birds, a few species spend several months to nest at Byways • 43

Girl standing on Mono Lake. Photo courtesy Nicole Y-C on Unsplash.

Mono Lake. The lake has the second largest nesting population of California gulls, second only to the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Snowy plovers also arrive at Mono Lake each spring to nest along the remote eastern shores.

rapidly. By 1982 the lake was reduced to 69 percent of its 1941 surface area. By 1990, the lake had dropped 45 vertical feet and had lost half its volume. As a result, alkaline sands and formerly submerged tufa towers became exposed, the water salinity doubled, and Negit Death by Aqueduct Island became a peninsula, exposing the nests of The city of Los Angeles diverted water from the California gulls to predators (such as coyotes), and forcOwens River into the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913. In ing the gull colony to abandon this site.

1941, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power extended the Los Angeles Aqueduct system farther The Mono Lake Committee Appalled by this prospect, a Stanford University grad northward into the Mono Basin with the completion of student named David Gaines formed the Mono Lake the Mono Craters Tunnel.

So much water was diverted that evaporation soon Committee in 1978 and began talking to conservation exceeded inflow and the surface level of Mono Lake fell clubs, schools, service organizations, legislators, lawyers 44 • Byways

and to anyone who would listen about the value of this high desert lake.

Under Gaines’ leadership, the Mono Lake Committee grew to 20,000 members and gained legal and legislative recognition for Mono Lake.

They joined with the Audubon Society to fight a now famous court battle, the National Audubon Society v.

Superior Court, to protect Mono Lake through state public trust laws.

While these efforts have resulted in positive change, the surface level is still below historical levels.

But because of their efforts, Mono Lake and its surrounding watershed remain a unique region in California.

Embracing 14 different ecological zones, over 1,000 plant species, and roughly 400 recorded vertebrate species within its watershed, Mono Lake is one of California’s richest natural areas.

For information on visiting Mono Lake: http://www.leevining.com https://www.monolake.org

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Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

A couple walks in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America. Photo courtesy Lionello DelPiccolo on Unsplash.

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ne of the most exotic National Parks in the United States can arguably be found in Colorado.

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is reminiscent of the Gobi or the Sahara deserts, sitting between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Juan Mountains in south central Colorado.

These unique landforms that are the tallest dunes in the country, rise up to 750 feet in height. Those who hike to the top are rewarded with panoramic views of nearly endless dunes.

In addition to a popular hiking destination, the dunes offer the chance to try out sand-boarding and sand-sledding too. And because of its high elevation and frequently clear skies, this is also an incredible place for stargazing.

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History Evidence of human habitation in the San Luis Valley dates back about 11,000 years. The first historic peoples to inhabit the area were the Southern Ute Tribe, while Apaches and Navajo also have cultural connections in the dunes area. In the late 17th century, Don Diego de Vargas—a Spanish governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México—became the first European on record to enter the San Luis Valley.

The first known writings about Great Sand Dunes appear in Zebulon Pike’s journals of 1807. As Lewis and Clark’s expedition was returning east, US Army Lt. Pike was commissioned to explore as far west as the Arkansas and Red Rivers. By the end of November 1806, Pike and his men had reached the site of today’s Pueblo,

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Bull elk at Big Spring Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

Photo courtesy National Park Service.

Sandunes rise up to 750 feet.

Photo courtesy Josh Gordon on Unsplash

r Video Click fo Sand-boarding on the dunes.

Photo courtesy Joseph Tumidalsky and National Park Service.

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Summit of Star Dune, the tallest dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park. Photo courtesy Brian W. Schaller and Wikimedia Commons.

Colorado. Still pushing southwest, and confused about May to early June in most years. From July through the location of the Arkansas River, Pike crossed the April, the creek is usually no more than a few inches Sangre de Cristos just above the Great Sand Dunes. deep, if there is any water at all.

Hiking is permitted throughout the dunes with the Park Created in 1932 warning that the sand surface temperature may reach The Park was originally designated Great Sand Dunes 150 °F in summer.

National Monument in 1932 by President Herbert Sand-boarding and sand-sledding are popular activiHoover. A boundary change and redesignation as a ties, both done on specially designed equipment which national park and preserve was authorized by an act of can be rented just outside the park entrance or in Congress in 2004.

Alamosa.

The park encompasses 107,342 acres while the preThe Park Visitor Center features a 20-minute movie serve protects an additional 41,686 acres. Nearly about the park and interactive exhibits. The Park store 450,000 people visited the park last year. offers a wide selection of books, postcards, magnets, TShirts, posters, and more.

Tallest Sand Dunes in North America The closest parking to the dunefield is the Dunes The “Park contains the tallest sand dunes in North Parking Area, located 1 mile north of the Visitor Center.

America. The dunes cover an area of about 30 square For more information, visit: miles and are estimated to contain over 1.2 cubic miles, https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm 5 billion cubic meters of sand.

Visitors must walk across the wide and shallow Medano Creek to reach the dunes in spring and summer months. The creek typically has a peak flow from late 50 • Byways

r Video o f k c i l C Sandhill Cranes dancing, dunes, and Mount Herard at Sunset.

Photo courtesy Patrick Myers and National Park Service.

River of gold aspens above the dunes.

Photo courtesy Patrick Myers and National Park Service.

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Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.

Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators /Travel Trade through the Internet. Subscriptions are complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes in the App Store. An Android browser version is available at www.issuu.com/byways.

Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, meeting planners and the travel trade. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2019 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.

Editor and Publisher Stephen M. Kirchner

Advertising 502-785-4875 Internet bywaysmagazine.com byways@motorcoach.com Byways on Facebook Byways on Twitter

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