buffalo national river {pet friendly} trails - 2020

This past fall we again traveled to the Buffalo National River area for a hiking vacation. This location is our favorite place to relax and explore. Since we decided to bring our puppy, Moonlight, we researched pet friendly trails. This "boundary" opened up so many new areas to us that we are actually thankful that some trails are not pet friendly or we may have repeated favorite trails and not discovered new favorites. 

We like to break the drive down to Ponca with a stop just across the border in Bella Vista for a simple hike at Tanyard Creek. It was a drizzly afternoon, but still refreshing to stretch our legs on this pretty walk.

{Tanyard Creek - Bella Vista}

The rest of the time at our destination in Ponca, Arkansas was spent exploring five new trails and one old favorite (that is pet friendly). Our evenings were frequented with rainfall which provided us with amazing waterfalls to view and many times, at which to have our lunch pinic. 

We viewed the majestic natural bridge at Alum Cove, the gentle beauty of the Sweden Creek waterfall {my favorite trail of the trip}, the backwoods, no-sign trail that let us to the somewhat secretive Boys Woods and Mangolia Falls, the stunning {and popular} Glory Hole, the gentle landscape of Smith Creek Preserve, the peaceful view from our mountaintop cabin and return to the second trial we ever hiked at the BNR, Whitaker's Point with the Hawksbill Crag. 

Most of our hikes were quite a quiet experience - and that's how we really enjoy our time in the woods. The Glory Hole trail is quite popular, being right off the highway with a large sign. We did not linger after seeing that waterfall as it was just so crowded. We finished our time on the Whitaker's Point trail and found a larger parking lot had been created at the trail head. We were just the third car that morning and it was an enjoyable hike. Once back at the lot there were probably 20 cars. The trail itself looked quite worn, maybe abused somewhat, which was a disappoitment. The trailhead is actually at the top of a rough road, about 6 miles off the main road. I guess it is becoming popular like Glory Hole. I am glad that more people seem to be enjoying getting outdoors and exploring, it has been a gift of a discovery to me personally and a great blessing to share as a family. I do hope these beautiful areas a the BNR can be maintained even with renewed interest in this activity. The area is so much out of the way of big cities, accomodations, etc., that I'm optimistic!

{Alum Cove}

{Sweden Creek Falls}

{Boys Woods Falls + Magnolia Falls}

{Glory Hole}

{Smith Creek Preserve}

{Cabin View}

{Hawksbill Crag at Whitaker's Point}