Little Rock information

[lwe]

My other half will be in Little Rock June and July doing an internship . I did the basic internet search for the area, but wanted to tap into the ACC knowledge base. What are some good weekend "must see/do" for the area? Not just paddling, but hiking, camping or simply scenic road trips from Little Rock.
Thanks for any information.

[Jim Krueger]

Pinnacle Mountain SP is right there on the western edge of Little Rock and is very scenic, nice hiking trails around the mountain as well as the trail to the summit.
A nice road trip from Little Rock could be the trip over to Petit Jean Mountain SP, very scenic and has good hiking, drive-tour potential. You can drive the back roads over there, or interstate either.
You can also check the message board, 'trips page' at that time for any trips the local members have posted for streams in the area, and join in.

Best Regards
Jim

[Twindad]

What's your maximum travel distance from LR?

[lwe]

We are pretty accustomed to driving to get anywhere; I drive 3 hours to get to roll practice in Arlington. Time is probably more limiting that miles, she will be limited to being off Saturday and Sunday. It would not be uncommon for us to leave on a Friday evening after work, drive 3 or 4 hours, have Saturday to play then return Sunday.

[Jim Krueger]

With that much of the weekend open to you, I would sure plan to head up to the Buffalo River for sure, especially if you've not been before. The mountain, river and bluff scenery is unforgettable! The earlier you can go in June, the better chances of some floating on the upper portions, however much of the lower sections will remain floatable.
There are several good guide books on the river and trails, and lots of info on the net.

The Spring River, a little further East of the Buffalo is also a good floating and camping destination especially during the summer when other streams have fallen too low for floating.

Just South of Little Rock is the Ouachita River at Malvern, close-in popular WW play spot in the Summer with cool dam-released water.

Best Regards
Jim

[sig]

Lost Forty Brewery in downtown LR (6th street, east of I30) for great beer and food.

Seven Hollows trail and Cedar Falls trail at Petit Jean are great.

Pinnacle Mountain to catch a sunset.

[lwe]

Thanks for all the input, I knew ACC people would come thru.

My wife has to eat gluten-free. If anyone knows of restaurants in the LR area that have a good gluten free menu we would like to know about it.

I really appreciate all the input, she is looking forward to being in LR and I am looking forward to visiting Arkansas as much as my work will allow.

[sig]

Dempsey Bakery is a GF bakery that you may check out.

[seark]

Root Cafe on South Main is a great local foods restaurant that offers vegan, gluten free, and carnivore. Lot ox farmers markets - recommend Argenta or Hillcrest instead of Rivermarket. Def. check out Arkansas River Trail and Big Dam Bridge or Emerald Park for best sunset views in the city (great for weekday evenings.). From Little Rock, you can get almost any where else in Arkansas in three hours so you've got a lot of options for camping, hiking, biking as well as paddling.

[lwe]

Thanks for all the input, we are really looking forward to getting to know Arkansas better.

[Tim Eubanks]

Drop in on one our chapter meetings, 4th Tuesday evening. Also our annual SurfnTurf event is the last Saturday in July. We grill burgers and dogs, the rest is pot luck. Should be a Home Town throw down at the Malvern Whitewater Park, too.

Drop by the Hillcrest neighborhood on a First Thursday. The one in June is usually the best of the year. Kind of like a street party, but we don't call it that.

[GN YAKN]

Visit Hot Springs, go to the races, hike the trails, (Gulpha Creek?), dance in the lobby of the Arlington.

Visit North Little Rock Argenta district, ride the trolley, catch some music.

Definitely paddle Rockport.

Buffalo Valley, especially the hike at Lost Valley.

Altus wine country!!! Post, Wiedekher, Mt Bethel wineries. Fun stuff.

Fayetteville and Bentonville Saturday farmer's markets. Crystal Bridges museum. Slaughterpen Bike Trails.

New bike trails near red star................

Blanchard Sprgs Caverns, Mountain View Loco Ropes course!!! More music on the square at Mtn View.

Hire a guide and go trout fishing.......... :myday"

[Cowper]

You didn't say what level of paddling you and your wife would be looking for; but we've got the range from flat water "swamp trips" as we call them, to mild WW, to some pretty good WW that can get up to the IV range, +/- depending on levels, although catching those in June would require a lot of luck with the rain. Here's my list, and why I like each one:

Hiking:
1) Pinnacle Mountain (go to the top for exercise and the view). Close and very scenic.
2) Petit Jean - Hike to the base of Cedar Falls. Several other nice short hikes too.
3) Lost Valley, near Ponca, Upper Buffalo Area - Very scenic trail; an Indian Rock House (overhang bluff), but for a real treat take a flashlight and crawl into the cave where the creek comes out of the mountain. There's a beautiful little waterfall in there a short distance back. About half way up the trail to that cave, the creek also goes through a short cave that is too long to be called a natural bridge, but maybe too short to really be called a cave. You don't need a flashlight for that one. The creek through this one has been run at high water, a trip I regret missing to this day because it cost me not one, but two or three "first known descents" in a single day. I was in route to join those who did it, and my pager literally went off as I was driving past my place of work. (I was foolishly responsible, hoping it was only a simple question I could answer as I continued driving.) That memory helped me decide to take an earlier retirement.
4) Goat Bluff trail, also near Ponca. Great View overlooking the Buffalo River, don't fall!
5) Pedestal Rocks, just east of Sand Gap/ Pelsor, which is North of Russellville on Hwy 7.

Paddling:
1) Steel Creek to Kyles (some still put in upstream at the Ponca Low Water bridge). Many Arkansas Paddlers trace their very first moving water trips to this specific stretch of the Buffalo. Along the way, if you don't stop and take the short hike in to see Hemmed In Hollow your first time, you should be tarred and feathered. Totally suitable for beginning paddlers in the company of others. Often hard to catch with enough water by June, but if you get there and the water is too low, two of the hikes mentioned above are within 10 miles. You can of course check water levels before you go, the National Park web page has links to gages.
2) Rockport, with guaranteed dam releases every Saturday and Sundy, great for fun, meeting other paddlers, and "park and play" skill building, near Malvern (45 minutes from LR if you drive slow). Suitable for all skill levels; there are easy surfing waves, and some hydraulics where kayakers in play boats work on more advanced skills. There's also a lazy downriver float that ends at the play spot, most Saturday's someone does that so you can watch the Trips Forum and find folks to shuttle with.
3) Big Piney Creek if it runs in June (North of Russellville)
4) Cadron Creek if it runs in June (Just North of Conway)
5) Cossatot River (western Arkansas) - if you have Class III /IV skills - but this one is a long shot in June. If you're an advanced boater this should be on your "must do" list, but travel with other experienced boaters is a REALLY REALLY GOOD IDEA for this one.
6) Swamp Float - Little Maumelle - Put in at Pinnacle Mtn State park boat ramp; paddle downstream, drag one or two shoals if necessary, keep going downstream. Beautiful Scenes and some birding. Return to your starting point. Through floats are also possible if you have two cars.
7) Swamp Float - Watttensaw Bayou Water Trail - 45 minutes East of Little Rock. Can be paddled all summer; info on Game and Fish site, again can be enjoyed by paddling "in and out", or via through floats if you have two cars. There will likely be one remote float camp in place by June; my wife is committed to finish that SOON. Big trees; birds and other wildlife. One of the cypress trees is so big that we can squeeze through a hole and get INSIDE the tree; I've been in there with up to three other people all standing around with flashlights. Bug spray needed around sunset in June, but during the day it is normally not an issue except on cloudy days.

Checking levels on many of these things - find the links to either the AWA page or the Ozark WW page from the front page of this site, http://www.Arkansascanoeclub.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Those are both coded to show "too low", "low", "good", and "getting too high". Terminology differs for what you call these levels, but "too low" generally really means you'd be hiking, too high means you'd need skills well above average for that type of water if you want to stay safe. The swamp floats I listed are not on our levels page but I've pointed you to sections that should be good all summer.

Gluten Free eating:
Big Orange in Little Rock - has some local brews (not gluten free of course), but also has a gluten free burger bun that I actually liked better than their regular bun. (I can eat either but I was just curious.)
Additional: Find Elene Murray on Facebook; she would know all about other gluten Free options.

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Cowper speaks da truth on suggested outdoor adventures. I would add Flatside Wilderness Area and specifically the very short hike up to Flatside Pinnacle. Someone else will have to provide GPS coordinates or directions. It is I think it is one of the best kept secrets in Central Arkansas.

[sig]

You can tag Flatside and North Fork Pinnacles on the same trip.