Longpool

Dear National Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture,
I would like to issue a formal complaint regarding a recent visit to the Longpool Recreation Area, in the Ozark National Forest of Arkansas. The complaint centers around the waterfall there, called Longpool Falls. You see, I have visited this recreation area many times before, but have never been able to actually see this waterfall with a decent amount of water flowing though it.

My most recent visit was on Easter weekend. I stupidly assumed that the large amount of rain dumped over Arkansas beforehand would be enough to get the falls going. In fact, it was actually raining on the day I visited the falls. I just knew the falls would be running! And to cap it off, it was a perfect day for waterfall photography. It was cloudy, with the rain from earlier helping to saturate the new Spring growth. Also, a layer of fog was rising off of Big Piney Creek. I was thrilled. No, actually, I was almost downright giddy when I headed off to the falls with the camera and tripod.

I eagerly hiked the trail to the falls, with visions of waterfalls dancing through my head. But as I rounded the bend of the trail, my dreams were viciously destroyed. The lower Longpool Falls, which is the one you first see when hiking the trail, were barely running. It would be a stretch to even call it a trickle. It was almost like the tiny bit of water percolating down was cruelly mocking me.

Longpool Falls, why does thou forsake me?

To the Sirs and Madames reading this, I do not intend to sound like a Negative Nellie. On the contrary, the trip to Longpool did result in a few other pictures. Just sadly, none of the waterfall. The rainy and foggy weather created a neat atmosphere to point the camera at. This was the view along the trail:


And the opposite view, looking back downhill...


And the view from the road running through the campground:


And I will admit that Big Piney Creek did look beautiful in the soft light and fog.




But I remain again thwarted and disappointed in my attempt to view this waterfall when it actually has water falling in it. Therefore, I ask the National Forest to please correct this issue. The next time I plan to visit Longpool, I request that the waterfall there be running. If that would require dumping millions of gallons of water above the watershed, or somehow diverting water from the Big Piney to the falls, then so be it. Please spend as many taxpayer dollars as necessary to see this happen.

I know this request will be given top priority. But to be on the safe side, I will also be sending copies of this letter to the governor of Arkansas, the six members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation, to President Obama, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to Bono.

Yours truly,
Mr. Brian E. Cormack