One way to ensure you catch the fall colors at their peak is to just spend the whole darn “peak week” out in the woods. I did just that with another week hiking and building trail along the Buffalo River.
I hiked the 29.5 mile OHT section from Ozone to Lick Branch trail heads this weekend with a couple other guys. They both had long drives so after dropping a car Thursday afternoon at Lick Branch we hiked in from the Ozone trail head to just past Boomer Branch creek before setting-up camp near mile 81.5 as it got dark.
I had the privilege today of working with 3 other members of the Ozark Highlands Trail Association to clear the trail from Indian Creek to the Lick Branch trail head. It was in pretty good shape with only 3 trees down on the trail and very minor brush.
Inspired by last weekend’s waterfall quest in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness, today’s adventure involved finding a couple waterfalls in the Poteau Mountain Wilderness a bit south of Fort Smith. It was my first visit there and the targets were Slate Falls and Belle Starr Falls.
Friday’s high was 89 and Sunday’s was 69. The long-range forecast has mostly 60’s and 70’s for the rest of the month. Backpacking season has finally arrived!
I was to kick-off the season with an overnighter in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness but plentiful precipitation on Saturday turned it into a day-hike on Sunday instead. I was part of a group of 10 that hiked in to Smith & McClure falls. There was surprisingly little water flowing – perhaps the rain runs-off very quickly and one needs to be there during or just after a shower for the real show.
My first trip into Okalahoma’s San Bois Mountains was a day hike in Robbers Cave State Park a bit north of Wilburton. I expected the trails to be rather tame – it’s a state park after all – but was pleased to find them pretty pleasantly primitive. The park has two or three primitive camp sites that can be used (with permit) by backpackers and 25+ miles of trails so one could arrange an overnight trip here or do a day hike of just about any length. Continue reading
The Redding Loop Trail begins at the day-use parking area in the Redding Campground ($3/day fee) and heads part way up Morgan Mountain, roughly paralleling Morgan Mountain Road (aka FR1504). At the north extremity of the loop are spurs heading west to Spy Rock and east to the Ozark Highlands Trail. The total distance is 8.8 miles around the loop with an out-and-back to Spy Rock. Continue reading
I hiked earlier in the week at Lake Alma (a bit NE of Fort Smith) and the Pigeon Roost Trail at Beaver Lake – two new trails for me – but the best of the week by far was today’s hike on the Black Fork Mountain Trail.
Black Fork Mountain is north of and runs parallel to Rich Mountain, straddles the state line with Oklahoma, is almost entirely contained in the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness, is home to a short piece of the Ouachita Trail, and is the source of the Ouachita River.
I had a 4-day Labor Day weekend and felt it was time to get out and explore the area around my new home.
A 4-night trip in Colorado’s Mount Zirkel Wilderness northeast of Steamboat Springs was just the escape I needed after months of doing little except packing, fixing-up, and cleaning the house in Kansas City. 3 friends and I left KC early Sunday (Aug 18) and arrived that evening in Walden CO where we stayed at a motel.
Michael R - The Compulsive Hiker
The Compulsive Hiker 
