Scenic Route

After a quick visit to Fayetteville to see my brother, I decided to take the scenic way home. Which meant forgoing the freeway and instead taking the Pig Trail south through the thick woods of the Ozark National Forest. The Pig Trail is one of the prettiest drives in the state - the road curves through the mountains, and is often flanked by tall trees.



Near the town of Cass I turned onto Hwy. 215 and headed east. This is another scenic road, passing through more forests and even running parallel to the Mulberry River for awhile. Along the way is this old church, which sits just above the river.



There wasn't much traffic on the road, so it was ok to run out and get a few pictures.



As we got closer to Clarksville, we passed by this old store. It's now closed and abandoned, with overgrown trees surrounding the outside of the building.



I headed into Clarksville, where I was feeling a little nostalgic. This is going to make me sound old, but twenty years ago I was just beginning my freshman year of college at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville. So for old times sake, I drove by the campus to have a quick look around. Surprisingly, things haven't changed all that much in the two decades since I first stepped foot there (I'm sure the cafeteria food probably hasn't improved much). I ended up parking and walking onto campus to see if I could get some pictures inside the chapel, which is the oldest and prettiest building at the University. But of course, the doors were locked. I was a little frustrated that they didn't roll out the red carpet for such a valued and important alumni such as myself. Oh well. Maybe they're mad that I still owe on my student loans?

I made one more stop, visiting an old bridge over Spadra Creek in Clarksville. The bridge dates back to at least 1930, and is now part of a trail that runs for several miles along the creek. I got a few pictures before heading back to the car and heading on home.