Cave Spring Discovery

An afternoon to burn found an old campground of the Sante Fe, Oregon, and California trails in Raytown, Missouri.  The quiet little spot at the corner of Gregory and Blue Ridge Boulevards, known as Cave Spring at Barnes Enclosure, offers a slice of the variety in the history of the Kansas City metro area.

The interpretive center stood closed on this Sunday afternoon. A playground for children stands a brief distance down the trail and a myriad of paths crisscross the area beyond that point. The first encounter with the namesake occurs almost immediately.  A few old boards and other neglected items littered the entrance to the minor hollow in the earth, from which water trickles downstream to join with a small cascade further down the path.

Aside from identification by the Daughters of the American Revolution as an important camp site for the Sante Fe Trail, history extends beyond that single commercial use.  This spot and surrounding lands were once owned by the grandfather of President Harry Truman. Indeed, an article in Life Magazine from 1945 reflected on a time when the the President-to-be "often picnicked with friends at Cave Spring ...," among other places around the state.

A few decades later in the 1920's, a couple opened a private country club on the land, hosting cabins, boating, swimming, fishing, and a nine hole golf course. It lasted until owners, distraught by the loss of their son in World War II, closed the resort.  The only evidence remaining of what was likely a cozy little spot for the relatively wealthy of Kansas city are a graveyard of stone chimneys.

It was here that we paused to ask a passing woman if she could explain the chimneys, immediately discovering good fortune.  We had happened into the very soul responsible for ensuring preservation of this piece of history, Sylvia Mooney.  She had moved in next door to the park in the mid-1970's.  An artist with a love for nature and history, almost immediately organized a not-for-profit organization to preserve the historic landmark site in its natural state for the good of all future generations.  

A location like this takes a huge effort o support and maintain.  Restoration and improvements to the site are ongoing and minimally disruptive, supported by local residents, Boy Scouts, and other volunteers.  Associated wetland growth is mostly reestablished its hold on infrastructure and waterfowl enjoy the resident pond these days. It is a worthy afternoon outing for any that happen to be in the area, and will likely never look the same twice.

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Further Reading

Cave Spring Park

Cave Spring Association

Cave Spring

Raytown Chamber of Commerce

Harry Truman's Missouri

 Life Magazine - June 25, 1945

Google Books

A Journey to Oz

A random encounter in previous travels, the entourage made way for Wamego in Kansas once again.  The goal for this adventure, the Oz Museum.   Paying our requisite excessive fee for entry, the world of Oz unfolded throughout a few narrow hallways inside the old 1893 Columbian Theatre.

The collection spans the history of the variations on the original book and series by L. Frank Baum, written in 1900 and sensationalized through film.  All  the favorite characters are stuffed and propped here and there.  There are currently no interactive exhibits, only displays, but it does host a presentation of the 1939 film on constant replay within a small theater space.

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Further Reading

Oz Museum

Columbian Theatre

Cove Creek Contemplation

Lingering about north-central Arkansas for the day proved mostly uneventful.  It was good to rest a little, after the ordeal previously at Hemmed-in-Hollow.  A brisk walk through Josh Park Memorial Trail kicked off  the morning, and the day ended on the trail surrounding the Sugar Loaf.  In between, a scattering of minor events, good company and good conversation.

Turning sites west the following morning, a newly discovered location begged investigation a short 60 kilometres away.  Many of these sort of places are only just beginning to appear in searches, as the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission continues to improve online access to locations and conditions.  More importantly, these fine folks are work hard to ensure preservation of original landscapes within the state.

Cove Creek Natural Area hosts a moderately easy 2.5 km trail winding along the the creek and up onto the ridge of sandstone it continues to cut away, then back through the forest.  The overlook from the bluff is fantastic in the early spring, though probably not so much when trees are in full bloom.  A fresh burn lingered in the scenery, likely part of restoration efforts to restore the glades and woodlands in this area.

On the way out, a pause to take in a view of the historic Mallet Town United Methodist Church.  The single story masonry structure was built than none other than Silas Owens, Sr., a regionally prominent African-American stonemason in 1947.  The stonework style is a sort of giraffe masonry, as are most in this region of the world.

Passing over Cadron Creek, a small set of falls near the road offered the opportunity to stomp through the brush and down into the muddy banks.  Not noted with any other source, Mallet Town Falls seems appropriate name enough for now, being on that road and near that community.

Later in the afternoon, lurking about Searcy only yielded one point of interest, built in 1889.  The two-story made of stone native structure is one of the oldest courthouses in Arkansas.  Other purported points of interest the remainder of the day turned up empty promises at Riverside Park.  The trails went off in so many different directions, it proved somewhat unmanageable and subsequently abandoned.. 

One last night on the trail wandered through the early evening of  Mossy Bluff National Nature Trail.  The lateness of the hour necessitated a brisker step along the splashing cascade and through this quiet bluff line forest.

A hard pack trail enabled arrival back at the trail head, before the sun completely disappeared, but not before the moon arrived on stage., above the opposite ridge.  It capped a perfect little getaway in the early springtime of the Arkansas Ozarks.

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Further Reading

Cove Creek Natural Area

Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Searcy County Courthouse

Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Along the Mossy Bluff

jusTodd - Medium.com

Falls down in the Holler

Cloudy skies and cool temperatures cloaked the first day out on this particular adventure. The only immediate goal, an overnight in Berryville, enabled delaying departure until afternoon and a relatively easy path southward.

The following day did not look much different.  The northern edge of the Boston Mountains stood shrouded in low flying clouds, encapsulated by an over-saturated air mass.  It promised to clear later in the day, and the cool, overcast morning would undoubtedly prove an advantage on the trail.

Arriving at the road leading to the trailhead, access appeared questionable, at first. A friendly road grader passing through assured no difficulty though.  He had only just littered the road with new gravel through to the site in question.

This early Tuesday morning hosted only one other soul, who had departed on their journey earlier in the day.  Another man and his son were only just embarking, quickly disappearing into the misty morning.  After a few more preparations of my own, vanishing into the fog of the Ponca Wilderness at Hemmed-in-Hollow, the trek began.

The first part of the trail is a Siren, luring travelers gently down the first km, among the hardwoods lining this massive box canyon along the Buffalo River.  It quietly descends 60 meters over the first kilometre, hosting a special sort of solitude this mid-week in March.

The next couple of kilometres test the resolve, as awareness of the descent begins to become more and more apparent, dropping another 275 meters.  A graceful landing near the bottom of the canyon finishes off the final km, meandering up and down through the minor sub-basin and up through the narrow opening into the canyon, offering up its much anticipated reward.

Somewhere along the way, the early morning fog was replaced by clear blue skies.  Rain in recent days, to include the prior night, ensured a good flow from the horsetail falls.  Showering down nearly 70 meters, this highest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians made the perfect setting for a little lunch and relaxation.

It had taken a couple of hours to get to this point.  There was no hurry, but anticipation of a longer return journey urged tackling the ascent sooner rather than later.  It took about the same amount of time, with much more effort than the descent.  Late afternoon tourists just then making the trip down paused to chat for a moment.  The same general phrase issued from most, "Are we there yet?"

Silence prevailed throughout most expedition, until near the end of the trail.  A group of Apaches broke the silence, shattering the peace of the forest momentarily, before quickly moving on.  Their target apparently lay elsewhere, and arrival back at the trailhead occurred without incident.  A sense of accomplishment accompanied the remainder of the journey, and fascination towards the construction of this massive feature in the Ozarks.  Lost in thought, few stops seemed worthy enough to interrupt the reverie; that is, excepting moments along beside the highway at Gaither Mountain Overlook, where one can see for miles and miles, and of course, a healthy, replenishing meal on the way to the final destination for the evening.

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Further Reading

Hike to Hemmed-in-Hollow

Buffalo National River - National Park Service