Lessons Learned From my Dog’s Lymphoma Journey

 Every experience is surely different in terms of timing and things that help, but just in case it could be useful for even one person going through the process of a dog with lymphoma, here are some things I found that helped and some details on the timeline for our dog Buddy.

Disclaimer : This post just details my experience and understanding. Obviously you should consult with your vet and other sources of information when making any medical decisions for your dog.

What will Climate Change Mean for Outdoor Recreation in Arkansas?

Climate change will probably make poison ivy, ticks, and mosquito-borne illnesses worse in Arkansas while shortening the number of good floating, hiking, backpacking, and running days. Arkansas stands to benefit greatly from embracing technologies and agricultural/land-use practices that prevent carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere or help remove it. Now that I made sure you read that much, here is a more gradual introduction to this post:

Since I've published two Arkansas trail guidebooks and hundreds of posts on this site, hopefully you can tell that I'm passionate about the Natural State and about getting people outdoors to enjoy its incredible and diverse beauty. A lot of you might not know this, but I have a PhD in Environmental Dynamics, a MS in Environmental Engineering, and helped research parts of the NYT bestseller Drawdown which details the top 100 climate solutions.

Inspired by a recent tweet and this article, I decided to write a post on the impacts of climate change on outdoor recreation in Arkansas. I know lots of people who read this blog might not acknowledge the role human activities are playing in the rapidly changing climate, but I'm writing this anyways and hope if you are one of those people you'll read this and feel free to message me with questions. If you think I've gotten any details wrong, please let me know!

I'll start by saying, there is no doubt (in the scientific community) that humans are causing climate change and that the impacts of this are already being felt. Those changes are, and will be, felt most by the poorest and most vulnerable among us, but we will all be impacted.

While Arkansas is lucky and not likely to suffer the worst effects of climate change in the coming decades, you CAN expect your experience in the great outdoors to change in these not fun ways:

1. Poison ivy will get worse.
Scientists have shown that poison ivy and poison oak love a little extra CO2! Unfortunately for us, that means climate change is making these plants grow faster and larger!

This poison ivy loves climate change and wants to tell you all about it! Lean in closer!

2. The number of good floating days will decrease.
Climate change is bringing both longer dry spells and bigger floods to Arkansas (and many other places). This will likely mean more days when rivers are too low or too high to float!

This is the Buffalo River and its going to look like this more often.

3. Mosquito-borne illnesses will get worse.
New (to Arkansas) diseases will spread, while others that have been around will likely get worse. Think West Nile, Zika, dengue, etc. Good times.

4. Same with ticks!
This page has great info summarizing reports by Arkansas Game and Fish on the impacts of climate change in Arkansas, but in short, it isn't good. Ticks and the diseases they spread will get worse in Arkansas.

This tick says "Hi and thanks for the climate change!"

5. Summers will get hotter.
When I was born, Little Rock hit 90 degrees or more an average of 65 days a year. Now that happens 80 days a year. By 2060, 90+ degree days could be a reality for more than 100 days a year! Those are not good conditions for hiking, backpacking, or running! They might be nice for floating, but see #2 above.

You can find the stats for your hometown here.

For Fayetteville the numbers are:
90+ degree days per year:
When I was born: 42
Now: 51
By 2060: 76


What you can do:
Ok, so hopefully you are convinced that climate change due to human emissions of greenhouse gases is not going to be great for outdoor recreation in Arkansas. Luckily there are lots of ways you can get involved in addressing this issue.

As an agricultural state, Arkansas can do a lot to pull carbon dioxide out of the air and into our vegetation and soil. Landowners could even get paid for doing so if we supported policies to make that happen. In fact, some Arkansas farmers are already making money from California's climate-related policies!

If you want to get involved locally, check out these organizations and the references and resources below.

Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club
The Arkansas Citizens' Climate Lobby
Audubon Arkansas
Arkansas Interfaith Power and Light



References and Resources:
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/10/25/most-americans-dont-know-vast-majority-of-scientists-agree-on-climate-change/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mosquito-borne-diseases-on-the-uptick-thanks-to-global-warming/
http://www.ipcc.ch/
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ar.pdf
https://twitter.com/sjmmcd/status/1052118035455193088
https://www.the-trouble.com/content/2018/10/14/what-must-we-do-to-live
https://www.wildlifearkansas.com/materials/2015/ClimateChange.pdf
https://www.drawdown.org

Carrizo Plain National Monument - 2017 Superbloom

Carrizo Plain Superbloom 2017 - South of Soda Lake

All the rain California got this winter will have many positive impacts on the state this year. Snowpack and reservoirs are much higher than average and way higher than recent years meaning better skiing, more drinking water, more water for agriculture and wildlife, and more hydropower.

It also means SUPERBLOOMS in the desert! I wanted to see one of these superblooms after reading about the ones last year in Death Valley and a coworker recommended Carrizo Plain National Monument, which happens to be a couple hours less driving for folks living in the Bay Area.

This website has some maps and other information on the monument. Once you get there information, water, and garbage cans can be difficult to come by, so bring gallons of water and be prepared to pack out your trash!

The two developed campgrounds are beautiful, have great views, and interesting features to explore nearby. In my opinion, Selby Campground is a bit more scenic and interesting. You can also camp anywhere in large sections of the monument (generally in the higher elevations).

Most of the land here is BLM land, which gives you more freedom than typically found on National Park Service lands, but fewer amenities/services. We loved being able hike with our dog and even let him off in places. We didn't like struggling to get accurate information on water and other important topics.

I think we got there a big early for the superbloom, but we still saw a ton of yellow, orange, purple, and blue flowers. I think we'll try again in a year or two and either camp at Selby or backpack into the hills a bit.

Have you been? What do you do? Where did you stay? Let me know in the comments!

Hill above KCL Campground - Carrizo Plain National Monument 2017 Superbloom

Congratulations to 2016's Iron Rangers! Get ready for 2017!

This is a guest post by John Chamberlin (3 Johns have now contributed material to this blog!). It details how he and his grandchildren completed the 2016 Iron Ranger Challenge. Did you attempt the challenge? Think you'll try in 2017? Read on for ideas on park and trail types you might not have considered like underground trails or walking around famous high schools!

2016 Iron Ranger - By John G Chamberlin

At the end of 2015 I became aware that the National Park Service in Arkansas was doing something special to celebrate the 100th year of NPS. If you hiked, paddled or biked 100 miles in the public lands of Arkansas, and submitted monthly email reports on your efforts, you would get an Iron Ranger award. That did not sound too hard. We have a place in Gilbert on the Buffalo National River and get up there most weeks. I could float Tyler to Gilbert 17 times, or hike the Railroad Trail each week. Or maybe do a three day, 30 mile float. 

 "2016 would be my 70th year and since I did a 50 mile trek at Philmont my 50th year, the Iron Ranger seemed like a great thing to do".

Winter

For the first trip to Gilbert in January, I hiked The Old Railroad Trail. The view of the river was great, that special green of flowing water visible from most of the trail because the leaves were off. I hiked past the site of the missing trestle and came back, 3 miles down in under two hours.

Next trip to the Buffalo I thought I would hike some of the Tyler Bend trails. The temperature was in the teens and I did not dress for that. I parked by the Collier Homestead and headed out on the Buffalo River Trail toward the highway. Lots of amazing frost and ice configurations in the dirt and leaves of the trail. Very cold body. I made it a little over a mile that day before freezing out. Lots of days left in the year.

February it mostly rained. The Buffalo River came up over the park toilet at Gilbert and flooded the start of the trail. No time to be paddling or hiking. I did roam around by car and took short walks to see the river almost reach the highway 65 bridge and see the fields at Shine Eye as a lake with a current.

Spring

On to March and Spring Break spent at Gilbert with my wife Shannon, our daughter Katharyn and our grandchildren, Lorelai and Griffin. I had gotten a small raft for Christmas and on Wednesday the 23rd we tried it out, floating from Tyler to Gilbert. The water was cold, but clear, and we saw our usual herons and other birds. On Thursday, Lorelai and Griffin hiked with me on the Horse Trail north of the Buffalo. The trail runs along the bluffs across from Tyler Bend and we had new views of the river and campsites from above. We turned around when the trail dipped down toward Mill Creek. Lorelai thought a meadow we crossed would be a great camping place. Two days later, on Saturday the 26th, we got the raft out again and floated Baker’s Ford to Tyler, wonderful water, and some of the early flowering plants made a show.

Somewhere on that trip I mentioned I now had 17 miles of my 100 for the Iron Ranger. Lorelai and Griffin said “How many do we have?”, well, they had 13 down, so 87 to go!

In early April we went to Gilbert with some friends. We got out the kayaks and floated Baker’s to Gilbert, another ten miles.

May was pretty busy with mentoring an Innovation Corps team and the first 20 days of June my daughter Mary and I were in Australia. I hiked some park miles there but they didn’t count! I brought back my niece Sarah from California on the return trip and we took her to Gilbert. Sarah had never floated a river, so we got out the raft and Katharyn, Lorelai, Griffin, Sarah and I did a short float, Tyler Bend to Shine Eye. Now the turtles were out on the logs and people were out on the gravel bars and in canoes. The real adventure was hauling the gear up the sand hill at Shine Eye.

 "Halfway through the year and 69 miles to go for me, 79 for Griffin and Lorelai...if they were serious".

Summer

Somewhere about that time they decided they were going for the 100 miles. Their mother, Katharyn, helped with that endeavor. They gained a couple miles on me with a river trail walk in July, and we three floated in kayaks from Grinder’s to Gilbert in late July. Somehow August got past us with no new miles.
Editor's Note: Summer is a tough time to hike (too hot, lots of poison ivy, & too many ticks and chiggers) or float (often not much water) across lots of Arkansas. Biking and swimming are great options though!

Fall

In September, Lorelai, Griffin and I did a full foliage walk on the Railroad trail at Gilbert, still late flowers – like asters – and berries on the bushes and vines. A week later we tried out the trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park for a couple of miles.

Entering October we still had many miles to go 59 for me and 69 for Lorelai and Griffin. Could we make it? The grandkids gained two miles on me with a visit to the Central High National Historic site on Oct. 1.
Editor's Note: The best high school in the world! Class of '99 in particular was an impressive group

Little Rock Central High School. Photo by ‎Katharyn Chamberlin Daniel‎ 

We all went to Gilbert and the grandkids and I floated the 6 miles from upper Tyler to Gilbert on the 2nd, a trio in kayaks. For the first time I was the last one to get to Gilbert. The leaves were changing color and the river was gorgeous.

Starting the Float. Buffalo National River. Photo by ‎Katharyn Chamberlin Daniel‎ 

Katharyn organized some outings and Griffin and Lorelai logged 3 miles on the Trail of Tears in North Little Rock on Oct. 8th and another 3 at Central High NHS the same day. They did two more miles on the 9th on the Heritage Trail around Mount Holly Cemetery.

"Wow, they were catching up to me!"

We had a long weekend in mid-October. It rained before we went and the river was up enough we got the raft out and on the 15th Katharyn, Joe, Griffin, Lorelai and I floated the 12 miles from Woolum to Baker’s Ford. We paddled over the Bend Creek bar where I camped on the dry river almost exactly a year before. We had the river mostly to ourselves, had some fast riffles but we had to get out and push the raft over a few low spots. It was a long day and lots of hard boiled eggs were consumed. The next day Griffin, Lorelai and I floated from Grinders Ferry to Gilbert and then hiked two miles on the Railroad trail. The kids now had 69 miles and somehow I was lagging with 66 miles!

That night a couple from Wisconsin came to our door after dark. They had rented a cabin and had arrived after the store was closed. We helped them track down the guy with their key. They wanted to float but the man was not sure he could handle a kayak or canoe. His wife was an active paddler. So the next morning I got out the raft and floated with them from Grinders to Gilbert. The grandkids stayed at the house and now I was ahead with 71 miles. The remaining 29 and 31 miles seemed possible, especially if the river stayed up! As Griffin said “Miles paddling are faster and easier than hiking.”

I did not stay in the lead in miles long. On Oct. 30 we had Johnnie in town and we did a short but symbolic hike up Flatside Pinnacle. Griffin and Lorelai did an extra mile on the Ouachita Trail. This is where we did our first hike with Katharyn, when she was two, and where we had many outings in the '70s and '80s, including my encounter with the two bear cubs, that figure in the name of our house in Gilbert, “Saw Two Bears Den”. Katharyn, Griffin and Lorelai went to Toltec Mounds State Park and hiked four miles to retake the mileage lead for good. I picked up two miles at Gilbert on Nov. 13th.

The Team on Flatside Pinnacle

Flatside Pinnacle. Photo by ‎Katharyn Chamberlin Daniel‎ 

Thanksgiving week saw us back in Gilbert, with too little water for floating and some of the trails out of play due to deer season. Before Shannon and I went up, Katharyn, Griffin and Lorelai put in 4 miles of hiking at the Ozark Folk Center State Park and Blanchard Springs in the Ozark National Forest.

Some of these miles were hundreds of feet underground by the light of headlamps as part of a new type of tour Blanchard Springs Caverns is offering!

Here are some additional details on the cave miles provided by Lorelai and Griffin:

"Because there were no lights in there, we got to see a bunch of animals that lived there. We saw cave crickets, a big spider, and a lot of bats. Some even flew over our heads! I also liked seeing the ghost room. The calcite ghosts looked really cool". - Griffin

"We got to do a special cave tour with headlights. This meant we got to experience a less crowded, more personal tour that showed more of an original cave, without modern spotlights, and steel stairs everywhere. Having headlights instead of spotlights also meant we could go to places where the wildlife was not used to spotlights, and avoided, so we got to see a lot of wildlife. There were two tunnels where there were a lot of bats. One, we stood right at the entrance, and they flew really close to us! We also saw cave salamanders and crickets and other cave insects". - Lorelai

Salamander. Photo by ‎Katharyn Chamberlin Daniel‎ 

Then it was time for serious hikes around the Tyler Bend area, with Katharyn, Joe, Lorelai, Griffin and me. On the 20th we parked near the Highway 65 bridge, hiked across it, found our way down to the stream that the Buffalo River Trail follows, and hiked up past beautiful pools with limestone and green-tinted water. The trail went up the hill and we turned onto the Rockwall Trail, following it down to the visitor center at Tyler Bend. We encountered seven deer along the way, and no hikers. After a stop at the Visitor’s Center we hiked back – total 5 miles.

On the 21st we were back at Tyler Bend to hike the Riverview and Spring Hollow trails as a loop. We got great views of the Buffalo going up the Riverview Trail (duh!) and the kids found a big cedar to climb that grew out of the bluff. It was fairly scary to watch them. Coming into the park that day we passed a van labeled “Texas A&M Galveston”, the only other vehicle we saw en route to the trailhead. As we came from the Riverview Trail past the Collier Homestead, we saw people leaving the homestead. They all had pants with muddy seats and we caught up to them as they were reentering that van – bio-speleologists doing inventories in the cave in the park. Lorelai led the way down the BRT to the Spring Hollow junction. The trails were covered with leaves and difficult to follow. We saw interesting moss and lichen on stones and dead limbs on the ground.

On the 22nd we finished up most of the remaining Tyler Bend Trails, repeating a bit on the BRT and then following the Buckridge trail down to the Spring Hollow, where we split and Joe, Lorelai and Griffin headed to the Visitor Center while Katharyn and I climbed the trail back to the car. Again, we were the only people on the trail – holiday weekend, great weather and really nice trails all to ourselves. Twelve miles of hiking over three days and I had 14 left and the grandkids were ahead of me with only 11 left!

Winter

T’was the week before Christmas and we hit the trails at Two Rivers Park (county property) and the Arkansas River Trail. On the 21st of December, we crossed the bridge to Two Rivers and the grandkids did 4 miles each and played on trees at either end of the hike to let me do an extra mile. Lorelai picked up a stick and pushed it ahead of her on the paved trail. She managed to collect a mound of pine needles three feet wide and a foot high. After we returned to the car, I had 9 miles left and they had 7 to go. We came back the next day with Katharyn and hiked from Two Rivers Bridge to the Big Dam Bridge, back to the Two Rivers Bridge and across it to the climbing trees. Lorelai and I did extra distance over the Big Dam Bridge and Griffin and I did a loop at Two Rivers so he could get even with Lorelai. He swept a mile of trail clear of pine needles with his pushing stick and made several piles beside the trail. I went home and the kids went back over the bridge again and looped for an extra mile, so we all did six that day. Three more for me and one more for Lorelai and Griffin to get to that 100 miles mark.

Iron Ranger Challenge completed!

100 miles down! Photo by ‎Katharyn Chamberlin Daniel‎ 

Bonus Points:

On Dec. 29th we loaded the dogs in the car with Shannon, Griffin, Lorelai and me and headed to Gilbert to finish where we began. Gracie and Shelby accompanied us on the Railroad trail and we were joined by one of the Gilbert dogs, Toots (alias Indiana S’mores for his attitude and coloring). We did two miles out and back and I went on for another mile with Shelby while they went down to the Gilbert gravel bar. Technically we were done but the kids wanted a real finale. So we went back to the river and they laid out a circular path in the gravel and ran around it. Lorelai kept on until she had run a mile in celebration. Griffin took Gracie back to the house a bit earlier.

Final mileage totals: Lorelai 103, Griffin 102 and PopPop 101 on public lands in Arkansas in 2016. So we are all Iron Rangers and should get our patches in January! And now they say there will be another go at Iron Ranger in 2017! Katharyn says we need to get the miles in earlier in the year.

Pantoll to Stinson Beach Loop Via Matt Davis, Dipsea, and Steep Ravine Trails - Mount Tamalpais State Park, California

We recently did the popular Matt Davis, Steep Ravine loop connecting Pantoll Campground to Stinson Beach. We chose to start at Pantoll and take a food break at Stinson Beach, but it also makes sense to start at Stinson if you want to get the hard part out of the way first (and claim a coveted parking spot at the beach which become scarce after 11 most weekends).

The parking lot at Pantoll is located off of Panoramic Highway at Pantoll Rd. about 4.5 miles west of Mill Valley and 4 miles east of Stinson Beach. It costs $8 to park there, but there are other parking options nearby (if you dislike the idea of supporting the conservation of incredible natural resources for future generations).

Named after a man who helped build many of the trails in the area back in the 1910's & 1920's, the Matt Davis Trail is about 4.2 miles long and starts across the road from the Pantoll parking lot and kiosk. This route is longer than the way back but has a nicer grade for trail running. It starts out somewhat level for the first mile or two before heading downhill via numerous switchbacks into Stinson Beach. The views along the way are stunning as the hillside alternates between being grassy and wooded with the ocean in the background.

At Stinson Beach we hit the famous Siren Canteen on the beach for some great food (nachos) and drinks (options include a variety of shakes, mimosas, kombucha, beer, wine, etc).
After that we relaxed on the beach for a bit before starting back up the hill. Going back we took the Dipsea and Steep Ravine route which was shorter at about 3 miles, but steeper (including lots of steps and a 10' wooden ladder). The redwoods and low branching oaks along the later part of this trail give the area a magical feel.

For info on more hikes in the area, explore the labels on the left or click some of the links below:
North Bay Trails
California Trails 

Matt Davis Trail Heading Towards Stinson Beach

Things to Do This Summer When Biking, Walking, or Hiking Around Sausalito, Tiburon, & Mill Valley

Every summer, as soon as the rain stops, tons of people make their way to Sausalito and Tiburon usually through some combination of biking and ferry riding. Here are some ideas for things to checkout while you are in the area!

Marin Headlands, Rodeo Beach Area: After biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, instead of cruising down the hill into Sausalito, you can turn left and go through a tunnel into the Marin Headlands. Bicyclists love biking on the roads and trails in this incredibly scenic area.
http://trailsofarkansas.blogspot.com/2016/04/rodeo-beach-to-muir-beach-marin.html
http://trailsofarkansas.blogspot.com/2016/01/marin-county-parks-trails-and-open.html

Stairs of Belvedere

Belvedere (once an island) is a beautiful town (more like a nice neighborhood) next to downtown Tiburon. Its small winding streets offer spectacular views of Tiburon, Sausalito, Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and incredible homes. On a recent stroll, we discovered that the island also has lots of steep pedestrian pathways, each with its own painted sign! If you are looking for something a bit different to do in the area, see how many of these you can do before your legs or lungs give out!

I've provided step counts, but keep in mind that not all steps are created equal. Some are steep and others are less so. Some paths had sloped sections with no steps. Also, I was walking Buddy, taking photos, and checking two mapping apps so some counts could be off by 10-20 or so. Let me know if you count a different number and I'll post averages!

The main thing to focus on here is that each route had beautiful hand-painted signs at each end. The map below shows a 2.25 mile, 1,600+ step route that takes you to most of the pedestrian paths on the island (you can zoom in or open as a larger map to get a better idea of the route). Clicking any of the photos below should open larger versions in a slideshow format.

Woodwardia - Lower 61 Steps, Upper 131 Steps

Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, Marin Headlands

JC & JK3 recently got together in California and hiked from Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, ate brunch at the Pelican Inn, and then hiked back.

This incredibly scenic hike in the Marin Headlands has two big ups and downs with 600-800 feet of elevation change. You can eliminate the biggest one by starting at the Tennessee Valley Trailhead instead.

As you can see on the map below, our route out varied a bit from the route we took back and each way had its pros and cons. The way out was a little longer and had more elevation change, while the way back involved a steep, challenging section that I don't recommend for inexperienced hikers or people with kids.

Going out: There is a big uphill from Rodeo Beach to Battery Townsley and beyond. We followed signs for the Coastal Trail, which is wide and even paved in places here, and then turned left onto the Wolf Ridge Trail which is dirt, single track, somewhat steep and can be slick due to loose grit, fine gravel. After a big downhill into Tennessee Valley, we crossed a small stream and a trail to the beach and then took a left followed quickly by a right to get back on the Coastal Trail.

From here, the trail heads up another big hill and then back down around Pirate Cove. The last stretch into the Muir Beach area is somewhat level before heading down. You can go left to the beach or right to go more directly to the Pelican Inn, which is a fantastic place to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner or grab a beer before turning around.

On the way back: After checking out Muir Beach and later along the trail accepting plastic eggs with candy from an adult wearing large bunny ears, we took a trail down to Tennessee Valley Beach, crossed the stream, and took a somewhat difficult to follow, incredibly steep and windy section of the Coastal Trail to get back up to Battery Townsley. This area has a maze of trails that wind through interesting old military buildings and tunnels. After doing some exploring, we headed down the hill to the parking area feeling tired, but accomplished.

Rodeo Beach

Iron Ranger Challenge: Miles 10-20 (Buffalo River Trail - Maumee to Highway 14 Bridge)

Greetings my friends!

For my second leg of the Iron Ranger Challenge, I retraced my footsteps back to a hike along the Buffalo River Trail I first traversed in February of 2013. The trail section from Highway 14 to Maumee offers scenic views and a dynamic terrain, from open vistas of the river to crossing through giant river cane fields. I used Johnnie's previous post on this blog for reminders of the trail. It was a special memory for me because I was in my second year living in Arkansas and was still getting settled in. For my and Johnnie's basically shared birthday, February 1st and 2nd respectively, we celebrated with friends by spending the weekend in Gilbert, Arkansas. We traveled to the Buffalo River for hiking and the list of trail participants went Johnnie, Angela, Justin, Laura, and Michael. All of these people are some of my favorite friends and we had an amazing time exploring the Buffalo River Trail that weekend. I have known Justin and Laura since 2005 and shared lots of good times in college and on the baseball field with Justin. And you know Johnnie, he is cool. Angela is another wonderful friend who is passionate about sustainability. And my main bro Michael Eastham is doing big things in DC, and I will be seeing him soon. They all are amazing people.

This time around I wanted to make sure to hike with friends again and not just solo like my first Iron Ranger trek. I plan to mix it up throughout the Iron Ranger Challenge between solo and shared experiences. Because of springing forward for daylight savings, there were not too many up to the morning hike, but my good friend Nick was willing and eager to join. It was his first time on this part of the Buffalo River Trail and since we didn't have the shuttling option with two cars we chose to do an out and back starting at the Maumee trailhead. This trailhead can be a bit difficult to find and I suggest using the following marker to get directions to this point, whether you are starting here or shuttling from the location.

36°01'22.7"N 92°36'59.5"Whttps://goo.gl/maps/18SVzunGc1k

The hike started out in a heavily wooded area and it took about a mile to get to some waterfall action. I have always found it special to hike after a heavy rainfall because you find falling water where it only happens every once and awhile. Nick and I often stopped to listen to passing water, one of my favorite sounds in the world. Any babbling brook has my attention. When you get to Mile 3 be on the lookout for a river crossing. No matter what time of year, you will be wading through water. Just to note, if your shoes get wet, you can use them again. At around Mile 3.9 you are treated to one of the best of vistas of the Buffalo River (see picture 3 below). After we took a break here, we continued to mile 5.5 where there is clear marker (see picture 5) and is when we chose to turn around. The weather could not have been better for an early spring hike and I was so happy to be outside for trek on the Iron Ranger Challenge.

Sharing the trails with my friends makes me smile inside and out. Johnnie and I also had a chance to hike this past weekend along the infamous pacific coast and we look forward to sharing that experience with you soon!

I'll be back on the Buffalo River Trail later this month. Let me know any of your favorite sections, I may just check them out and am always open to suggestions. Happy trails to you, until we meet again!

*All pictures below taken by my friend Nick*

1. Waterfall

2. Be on the Lookout for White Blazes

3. Buffalo River Vista

4. Trail Marker

5. Friendly PSA: Gilbert is the Coolest Town in Arkansas

6. JK3, Mark Eastham - future Iron Ranger Trek friend, Nick (from left to right)

Eagle Rock Loop - Ouachita National Forest

As a lover and avid-explorer of the Ozark mountains, I was surprised to find myself in personally-uncharted Arkansas territory. Just four hours south of northwest Arkansas sit the Ouachita mountains, a must-experience for outdoor enthusiasts. Distinct from the Ozarks in their shaping through plate collision rather than water carving, the Ouachitas offer a unique magic and array of trails of their own.

The first time I visited the Ouachitas was last summer for a leisurely weekend of camping. While heading to swim in the river we bumped into a couple, carrying hefty packs on their back. They were in the middle of backpacking a 26.8 mile loop. Inspired, we vowed to make it back during the colder months.

A weekend trip in late January finally brought myself and two others back to tackle the multi-day hike we’d been dreaming of. The Eagle Rock Loop is a connection of three trails-- Little Missouri, Athens-Big Fork, and Viles Branch Trail-- each with its own unique challenges and jewels. For those looking for an alternative to the Buffalo River Valley, or other Ozark Mountain classics, I’d highly recommend this trek. Close enough for a weekend trip, this mountainous loop offers a fresh perspective on our state, closely resembling the ecosystem of the lower Rockies.

The Eagle Rock Loop is one of thick evergreens and recurrent river crossings. It is one of steep climbs and spacious views, of physical challenge yet mental freedom, and offers those who take on the feat a rich reward around every corner. Trails carved into the faces of six different mountains, the loop leads its visitors to six unique panoramic views...

Click here to read the rest of the article over at the Fayetteville Flyer!

-Ashleigh Rose (@aroseprice) is an Arkansas native, yoga instructor, adventure-addict, and blog producer for Fayettechill Outdoors Co.

Sunrise at Eagle Rock Vista. Photo by Rush Urschel

Map and additional details  at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_039482.pdf

Yosemite in the Spring

I visited Yosemite once again last weekend, but for the first time since moving back to the Bay Area. It was my first time staying in Yosemite Valley and that made a huge difference in terms of getting on the nearby trails before the crowds. We picked a perfect time to go because the waterfalls were raging and the roads were clear, but you could still get in a snowy experience if you wanted. We also went at a unique and confusing time when many landmarks had been renamed as part of a trademark lawsuit, but they weren't renamed on every sign, map, or brochure, so we had to learn two names for some things.

We did a few hikes/casual strolls in the valley and a nice snowshoe near Badger Pass and I've described them below.

I've also written about Yosemite here and here.

Mirror Lake - 
There are multiple trails that lead to Mirror Lake and they range from wide and paved to small and somewhat rocky. Two or three routes start (or pass by) The Awahnee /Majestic Yosemite Hotel and another leaves from Curry/Half Dome Village.

It is about a 2-mile round-trip walk if you just go to the lake and back. A longer, 5-mile loop takes you to the lake, around it, and back. The paved trails are great for people with kids, strollers, or wheelchairs, but be advised the paved section ends right at, or right before, the lake.

One of the paved trails to Mirror Lake with nice view of Half Dome.

Mirror Lake being true to its name.

More Mirror Lake

Examples of two different types of trails leading to Mirror Lake.

Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls -
This spectacular and strenuous hike takes you up close to two amazing waterfalls. If you just go to the top of Vernal Falls it is 2.4 miles round trip via the Mist Trail and much of the trail is paved or stone. Nevada Falls is a bit farther (5.4 round trip) and the trail beyond Vernal Falls is more natural.

Don't take the Mist Trail (which is closed in Winter) if you have trouble with sheer ledges or walking on steep, moist, stone steps. On a separate trip I learned these steps can get really icy too! Taking the longer way may not take much more time since it is more gradually sloped, typically has less traffic, and has no bottlenecks. We took the Mist Trail up and decided to avoid it on the way back down by taking the John Muir Trail.

Vernal Falls has a large open rock area that is great for resting, eating, or waiting your turn to take photos close to the waterfall.

Looking over Vernal Falls

Vernal Falls

Nevada Falls

Badger Pass Snowshoe - It has been a goal of mine to one day snowshoe or crosscountry ski on Yosemite's many miles of machine-groomed snow trails. In the winter and early spring, much of Glacier Point Road is converted to a maintained snow trail with many more miles of marked trails often packed down by human traffic. I still hope to return and maybe backpack out to the Glacier Point Ski Hut for a night or two, but we did get in a nice snowshoe.
Our route left the Badger Pass Ski Area on Old Glacier Point Road, then turned up a steep hill to take in the views of the Clark Range from the Old Badger Pass Summit. From there we went back down the hill and on to Summit Meadow where we had lunch before returning via Glacier Point Road. My favorite parts were off the maintained tracks, but the machine-groomed sections definitely take less energy to travel on.

Valley Loop (parts of it) - 
As you may have guessed already, the Valley Loop Trail loops through much of Yosemite Valley. The full loop is 13 miles, but it can easily be done in smaller sections. While exploring the Valley, we frequently found ourselves on this trail enjoying its great views of all the waterfalls and impressive rock features. If you have the energy, this trail offers a fantastic alternative to driving slowly around the valley while stuck in infuriating traffic. It is quieter, more peaceful, and provides a more personal experience of the awe-inspiring scenery that draws so many people to Yosemite.

Check out my other Yosemite posts on:
Ten Lakes, Emerald Lake, Cathedral Pass, & more
Hetch Hetchy


California Readers: Interested in getting paid to unplug your laptop or turn off a light for an hour? $20 just for joining OhmConnect, learn more at: https://login.ohmconnect.com/ref/30315

Iron Ranger Challenge: Miles 0-9 (Pea Ridge National Military Park - Horse Trail)

Greetings!

On Saturday, February 27, I set out on my first Iron Ranger trek of the year on an unseasonably warm winter morning. For my first hike this year, I chose to go to a new spot I have never visited in the Arkansas National Parks, Pea Ridge National Military Park. Lucky for readers, Johnnie has already visited this spot before and has prepared a write-up for a forthcoming guidebook. I will be including his notes for details about the trail itself.

The short history of Pea Ridge is as follows: "On March 7-8, 1862, 26,000 soldiers fought here to decide the fate of Missouri and the West. The 4,300 acre battlefield honors those who fought for their beliefs. Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles and is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the United States." [source] The cost of entry will run you $7.00 unless you are a current National Park pass holder or fall into the child or senior categories. It was well worth the price and I was happy to support the NPS. The staff were welcoming and the visitor center was pleasantly set out in front of the expansive battlefield of Pea Ridge.

There are two options for hikers at Pea Ridge National Military Park. The Horse trail or the Hiking Trail. I chose the Horse Trail because it was easier to find the trailhead and I ended up enjoying it because there were no other people on the trail and I enjoyed the solitude the Saturday morning experience brang. I always favor the road less traveled by, it makes all the difference. I was joined by Roxie, a terrier mix, who I was dogsitting, and she proved to be the perfect companion for the hike. We stopped for water only a few times. I was amazed by the vistas and taken aback by the sheer size of the battlefield. The following paragraphs are Johnnie's detailed trail notes.

The Horse Trail is a long loop trail, approximately 9 miles, and visits parts of the park that the hiking trail misses. Hiking this trail is discouraged when horses are present, but you can check at the Visitor Center or look for trailers at the trailhead. Due to the horse traffic, the trail can be mucky and boggy in places, especially in the days following a rain. That said, the trail is generally flatter and less rocky than the hiking trail. The main Horse Trail trailhead is shown on the park brochure map and is west of the Visitor Center. From the parking area, follow the gravel road west. After 0.1 mi. the trail forks, go left on what looks like a grassier dirt road. The trail is flat here and passes through an area with lots of oak trees and then through a cedar grove. In about a quarter-mile, the trail turns to the right and follows a what must be an old road or railroad bed. This half-mile long flat straight section is lined with mature trees and feels like a tree tunnel. Near the end of the straightaway, Pratt's field is visible off to the right and inland seaoats fill the understory. From here, the trail turns left and goes slightly downhill into more of a bottomland area with young sycamore and oaks.

At the 1.0 mile mark, the trail crosses Lee Creek, which has a bedrock bottom that can be slick when wet. Across the creek, moss-covered cedar provide color in the winter months. In another 250 yards, the trail crosses a smaller creek. The woods in this area are fairly open and likely kept that way through the use of controlled burns (some evidence of which was visible when I visited). In a quarter-mile, the trail forks in an open grassy area with lots of sumac. The branch to the left connects to the loop road north of the Leetown Battlefield site. Stay straight and continue on the main trail.

In another quarter-mile, the trail passes through another open area and then into some drier rockier woods as it makes its way around the west side of Round Mountain through Morgan's Woods.

At the 1.9 mile mark, the horse trail hits Ford Road, you can take a right to do the shorter horse trail loop. Turn left and follow Ford Road to the paved loop. A hundred yards after you cross the road, you'll come to nice pond on your right which is at the 2.0 mile mark. The trail here is wide, slightly eroded, and lined with Osage Orange trees and cedars. As you head northwest, some large fields are visible through the woods off to the left. A small, less scenic, pond off to the left marks the 3.2 mile mark.

A couple hundred yards later, a side trail branches off to the left and leaves the park. Stay right to stay on the main trail which follows the park boundary for just under half a mile before turning south and heading back towards the heart of the park. The road continues straight, but the trail, sign, and blazes directing you to the right are easy to spot. The trail heads gradually uphill for the next mile or so. At the 5.1 mile mark, a side trail forks off to the right and connects to the paved road. The trail can be difficult and boggy in this area. A short rock wall parallels the trail off to the right here for about half a mile, then the trail turns right and steeply uphill passing through the rock wall and up on top of Elkhorn Mountain where it levels out.

At 5.8 mi. the trail reaches the edge of the mountain, offering great views in the winter of the surrounding hills, before heading downhill. Shortly after that, the trail crosses a small ephemeral stream, which when flowing, is home to a small scenic waterfall and cascades up the hill to your right. This section of the trail has some interesting large moss-covered boulders and logs. For a short distance a fence lines the left side of the trail, marking the edge of the park. At the 7.25 mile mark, the trail crosses the Hiking Trail and 100 yards later it crosses the paved road into a small wooded area with lots of Osage Oranges, oaks, and hickories. You can see the Elkhorn Tavern off to the left and in another 200 yard the trail reaches the road again and runs alongside it.

At 7.5 mi. the trail intersects Old Ford Road (this is where you'd come out if you took the shortcut mentioned earlier, or feel free to check it out from this side. Continuing along the road, in 250 yards, the hiking trail forks off to the left. This section of the trail offers great views of the large fields in the center of the park where much of the fighting took place. Numerous cannons and vivid descriptions on educational signage aid in imagining how different the now peaceful and beautiful area must have been for those days in 1862.

At the 8.1 mile mark, with the visitor center visible off to your left, the trail slants away from the road following the fence line and into the woods.

At the end of the day, the solitude of hike and the perfect weather helped me reflect on the winter experiences thus far and prepare for the week ahead. I am grateful to Johnnie for providing his trail notes and definitely plan to visit Pea Ridge National Military Park again.

Lastly, if anyone didn't see the exciting Lonely Planet announcement, Northwest Arkansas was ranked #7 on their Top 10 places to Visit in the U.S. This is a big deal, go Natural State!

Until next time, thanks for reading and I wish you a wonderful transition into the spring.

John


Pictures Below Include: 1. Welcome Sign on Visitor Center 2. Picture of Horse Trail Marker, be on the lookout for these to stay on track 3. Picture of Roxie by pond along the trail 4. Picture of battlefield 5. My Route of the Horse Trail, there is also a map available on the NPS website

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Old St. Hillary's Open Space Preserve in Tiburon, CA

I recently moved to Tiburon in California and am too lazy to start a new blog, so there will be lots of CA related posts on here going forward. Most people access individual articles on here directly from Google anyways, so I don't think this will be a big deal. If it gets too annoying I can hide them down in the archives. John Kester III and I will continue to post articles on Arkansas trails and issues as well.

I have a new favorite park/trail in the Bay Area and it is St. Hilary's Open Space Preserve in Tiburon! This gem of a park has INSANE views of the bay. From the top of the hill, you can see much of the East Bay, San Francisco, and Marin County; including 3 of the major Bay Area bridges (Bay, Golden Gate, and Richmond-San Rafael). From one point, shown in the panorama below you can see Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland, Angel Island, San Francisco, Sausalito, and up to Mt. Tamalpais.

This site has more information on the history and ecology of the area:
http://landmarkssociety.com/landmarks/st-hilarys/

Click to Enlarge. That is Richmond on the left and Mt. Tam area on the right! Angel Island is near the center.

Old St. Hilary's

Iron Ranger Challenge: Get a Move on in Arkansas National Parks!

Iron Ranger Challenge: Mile 0 

My name is John Kester III and you may have seen me mentioned in some of Johnnie's previous posts (see Dogwood Walking Spring Path; Mt. Kessler Greenways; Swimming Holes 2). I am grateful to Johnnie for introducing me to the awesome outdoors of Arkansas. I now have the privilege of posting on the Trails of Arkansas blog in the coming year to document my experience pursuing the Iron Ranger Challenge.

On January 1, 2016, the national parks of Arkansas kicked off the Iron Ranger Challenge (http://www.ironranger2016ar.org/) — a year long program to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and encourage healthy and active lifestyles for park visitors.

Over the course of the year, visitors can choose to hike, bike, paddle, walk, run, or roll 100 miles in any or all of the Arkansas National Parks. Arkansas National Parks include: Arkansas Post National Memorial; Buffalo National River; Central High School National Historic Site; Clinton Birthplace National Historical Site; Fort Smith National Historic Site; Hot Springs National Park; Pea Ridge National Military Park; Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.

Visitors who complete 100 miles of activity will receive a special Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge commemorative award. 

As of January 7, over 400 people have signed up for the Iron Ranger Challenge!

To register for the Iron Ranger Challenge, simply enter your first name and email at the following website http://www.ironranger2016ar.org/. Once you confirm your subscription, you'll receive periodic emails with event details, training and wellness tips, and activity suggestions. On the first day of each month -- beginning February 1 -- you'll receive an email form to record your mileage for the previous month.

Buffalo National River Deputy Superintendent Laura Miller encourages visitors of all ages and fitness levels to participate in the Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge. "The National Parks in Arkansas have so much to offer. Visitors can see spectacular views paddling the Buffalo River, take a bicycle tour of President Clinton's hometown at the Clinton Birthplace Home, hike in the Ouachita Mountains and then relax with a thermal bath at Hot Springs National Park, and see places where history was made from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. There are so many great options in Arkansas, so get out and have fun." Source.

I will be posting at the end of each month to share the miles covered and my experiences during my treks. I have copied below some additional information about the monthly guided hikes in Hot Springs National Park and the social media outlets for the Iron Ranger Challenge. Please share any comments and feel free to share your experience in Arkansas National Parks this year!

John

--

Hot Springs National Park Hike, 1st Saturday of each month through December 2016

Social Media for Iron Ranger Challenge:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pictured below: Johnnie and I after the annual Mt Kessler Trail Run 

Marin County Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces

I've been exploring the parks, trails, and open spaces of Marin County since moving here in early 2016. I've given some (like Old St. Hilary's) their own posts but am going to cram a lot of them in this one and provide more limited descriptions. If you want more info on any of these, let me know in the comments!


The Hippy Tree - Tiburon

The Hippy Tree is located off Gilmartin Dr. in Tiburon. There is parking available along the street and it is just a few hundred yards to the Hippy Tree from the road. After taking in the views from the tree, you can do a longer stroll up to and along the ridge just uphill from there. The first time I went there was a swing, but it was broken by my next visit. If you go, wear good shoes (and maybe bring a trash bin) because there is a lot of broken glass in the area. Leave a comment if you want to organize a cleanup with me!

View from the Hippy Tree in Tiburon

The Hippy Tree

Hippy Tree Views

The Old Railroad Trail - Tiburon

This trail runs along the coast of Tiburon, has great views, and is fairly flat. Lots of people use it to commute, get to school, and for recreational jogging and biking. The longer Bay Trail overlaps the Old Railroad Trail in places and if you do this section of the Bay Trail consider side-trips to the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Main Street Tiburon, and Ark Row. I also like taking the scenic route through Belvedere and taking in the views of fancy houses, San Francisco, and the Bay from Beach Rd.

Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary 

Beach Road View

Ring Mountain - Tiburon

Ring Mountain is an open space in NW Tiburon with lots of great trails. While the views may not be quite as amazing as nearby Old St. Hilary's, they are still fantastic and Ring Mountain has interesting rock features and wooded patches to boot.

Rodeo Beach and Lagoon - Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Rodeo Beach is one of my favorite spots in the area. I like to take my dog there in the morning when almost no one else is there. The beach is pretty long and nearby trails provide interesting hikes around the lagoon, up to nice viewpoints, and to old military structures. If you are lucky, you might spot an otter in the lagoon.

JK3 and I once hiked from Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, ate breakfast (and drank a beer) at the Pelican Inn, and hiked back. I'll post a link here once we get that written up.

Make sure you stop by the Marine Mammal Center while you are nearby, but check their schedule first!

Tennessee Valley Trail and Beach - Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area

A lot of great trails intersect the Tennessee Valley Trailhead at the end of Tennessee Valley Rd. One of the easiest and most popular is the fairly flat and wide trail down to the Tennessee Valley Beach. If you get to the beach and have a little extra energy, be sure to head up the steep, but short trail to the overlook.

Mt. Tamalpais

The drive up to Mt. Tam is long but has amazing views (and other great parks and trails) along the way. You can drive most of the way to the top of both summits and there is a nice fairly flat loop trail around the east summit that gives great views without too much work.

Camino Alto Open Space - Mill Valley

Two fire roads crisscross this open space area, providing nice views of Mill Valley, San Francisco, and the Bay Bridge. The Escalon / Lower Summit Fire Road is pretty flat, while the Camino Alto / Del Casa Fire Road is steeper and in rougher shape. There are some smaller trails in here, but I haven't done any of them yet!

California Readers: If you live in CA and want to earn money by turning off some lights or unplugging your laptop for an hour visit: ohmc.co/961916
You get $20 just for joining and by reducing your electricity consumption for an hour when notified by text, email, or the app, you will help protect local air quality, fight climate change, and lower everyone's electric bills by eliminating the need to turn on an expensive and dirty peaker plant.