Cave Mt. Road

[gannon311]

Going to stay in the cave Mt. Guesthouse this weekend need some good things to do. Do you thing exploring the creeks would be a bad ideal on account there is no water. We are going to hawksbill. We have already been to lost valley. Looking for someone of the way secret spots. We will have a 6yr old with us but she can hold her own on the trail. Just looking for some suggestion. Maybe something west of all the crowds Thank for the info folks

[Owl]

A few suggestions below. The National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the west half of the Buffalo River is a valuable planning resource and shows the river, trails, and points of interest in the area.

View/photograph the Elk in Boxley valley.

Visit the Villines homestead near the Ponca river access.

Take the short hike on the Buffalo River trail from Steele Creek to the overlook for a great view of Roark Bluff and the river.

Hike to Big Bluff via the old road & Goat Trail from the Centerpoint trailhead north of Ponca. Another great view. Then continue on down to Granny Henderson's cabin and Jim Bluff.

Hike to Hemmed-in-Hollow via the Old River Trail from Kyles Landing. The trail crosses the river several times but it's fun to wade or you could probably rock-hop at the low level it's at now.

Drive to Erbie and explore the Parker-Hickman homestead, the Cherry Grove cemetery, and the old Erbie church. Other artifacts are in that area, too.

Don't miss lunch, dinner, or the Sunday buffet at the Ozark Cafe in Jasper.

[Sparky]

You couldn't be in a better place for hiking. Try Dug Hollow. Park at Cave Mountain Cemetery. Walk back down the hill (on the road)to a culvert and take off down the creek. Dug Hollow is on the opposite side of the road from the cemetery.

Lower Fork and Whitaker Creeks are the watersheds below Hawksbill. Good hikes. Try Lower Fork on your way out of Hawksbill.

On down the Cave Mountain road to K Park and you have Bowers Hollow, Pruitt Hollow, and another access to Whitaker Creek.

These are all bushwhack hikes with some footpaths. Plenty of waterfalls that are all dry right now, but beautiful none the less.

Brent

WEAR ORANGE!!!!! and get a good topo.

[AR-Nimrod]

Definitely WEAR ORANGE!

Pedestal Rocks and Alum Cove are a couple more that are good hikes.

[Fish]

The Nature Conservancy's Smith Cr. Preserve is also a good spot at Boxley, about 3-4 miles of hiking if you hike down the hill, up/down the creek and then back up. The uphill at the end might tax the patience of a 6 year old though. :)

If the big Cave Mountain Cave were open, that's a perfect place to take a kid, but I bet it's still locked up due to endangered bats and the white-nose disease.

Crossing over the ridge to Compton (about 30 min from Boxley) gives you Hideout Hollow and Broadwater Hollow, both spectacular short hikes to do with kids.

- Fish

[EdP]

The Ponca Elk Education Center is a great place to spend some time and your daughter will love it!

Also, adding to Fish's list of the Compton area - McFerrin Point is another great (short and easy) hike with incredible views of the Buffalo River valley. It's located past the Hideout Hollow parking area. Park just before the road (which is no longer maintained by the park service) takes a hard right and turns downhill steeply. You'll see a small parking area on the right and the trail is across the road.


Ed