Not quite Spring at Flatside Pinnacle

Last Friday, work let us out a few hours early. We had been in training for the entire week, and I admit to being grateful for the free afternoon. I had planned on driving out that day to Charleston to spend the Easter weekend with family, and leaving early meant I got to cram in a few hours of picture taking along the way.

My first stop was Flatside Pinnacle, located in the Ouachita National Forest about an hour from Little Rock. While Spring has comfortably settled in around Little Rock, it hasn't quite reached Flatside yet. I guess because it is a higher elevation, but the trees were just barely starting to get their leaves. This is the view along part of the Winona Scenic Drive on the way to Flatside:


And a bit closer to Flatside, the new growth contrasting with an evergreen and the hillside beyond...


I parked the car and made the short but steep hike up to the top of Flatside Pinnacle. The views there are always amazing, and its one of my favorite places to go in the state. On all sides are rolling hills, each with trees beginning to shine with Spring growth.


My apologies in advance, I got a bit carried away here with the Orton effect on some of these shots, but I liked the look it gives. This is looking off to the west from Flatside. The mountain in the distance is called Forked Mountain.


And a few more hills rolling off into the distance:


And part of the view from the lichen-covered rocks at the peak of Flatside Pinnacle:


And again, one more view from the top:


I hiked back down to the car and started back on the bumpy dirt road. I passed by this hillside that was covered with ferns and quickly pulled over for a quick shot.


After that I decided to take the "scenic route" to my relative's house, taking Hwy. 10 west instead of the freeway....

Spring at Pinnacle Mountain

There have been some good benefits from starting the new job last week - namely the fact that I am going to be getting a paycheck. The downside is that working has made a deep cut in the large amounts of free time I previously enjoyed. I tried to remedy that last week with a quick trip out to Pinnacle Mountain. The new job is located far out in west Little Rock, which is conveniently close to Pinnacle Mountain State Park. So last Wednesday I took the camera to work, and drove out to Pinnacle instead of battling rush hour traffic.

The park was busy, which was no surprise since it was a gloriously sunny Spring day. I ended up taking the short Kingfisher Trail, which runs alongside the Little Maumelle River. Spring has made its presence known here, the trees have gotten their bright shiny new leaves. This was taken along a little collection of water just off of the trail.


The Kingfisher Trail runs alongside several towering old cypress trees, with dozens of cypress knees poking out of the water. This was the view along part of the trail:

And apparently I just missed another Flickr photographer out there, who was taking pictures along the trail. His version of this spot can be seen here.

Spring here is a neat sight. When trees first get their leaves, they come in a neat shade of green that is unique for a week or so. Before too long they'll turn to the usual muted green that will stick around until fall.


I walked over to a different spot along the Little Maumelle River, trying to find a place to get pictures. There is one certain spot that I've been trying to get a good picture from, but have had little success with. I think that this one spot will let you get a good view of Pinnacle Mountain reflected in the river, but I haven't quite gotten to it yet. I tried to get that shot on this trip, but realized the flaw in the plan of taking pictures after work. I was still dressed in the "business casual" clothes, and didn't want to get my nice shoes or pants too muddy or dirty. So I filed the shot away in things to try again later.

But on my way out I stopped at some dogwood trees that were blooming along the base of the mountain.


To get these shots I used a conveniently placed picnic table to get high enough to be amongst the blooming trees.

Spring at the Old Mill

I was offered a job and will start work on Monday, so I tried to take full advantage of being unemployed for the last time. I slept in, and made a few trips out to take pictures. It was really sunny out, but I drove off to the Old Mill in North Little Rock for some pictures. I was happy to see that the roof had been repaired, some awful vandals tried to set fire to it a few months ago. But also the grounds were overflowing with Spring flowers, and blooming trees.


I probably looked a bit silly taking this. This branch of tree didn't quite hang low enough to get into the best spot for a shot, so I had to hold onto it so it fit best in the composition. It was a bit windy, and the trees would blow around a lot. I probably got a few odd looks from people, me hanging onto a branch of the tree while trying to hold the camera steady at the same time.

We Walk In Two Worlds

Next time you're in downtown Little Rock, be sure to swing by the Historic Arkansas Museum and see the new exhibit there, "We Walk In Two Worlds." The exhibit chronicles the history and culture of the three Native American tribes that were indigenous to Arkansas - the Caddo, Quapaw and Osage. It is an interesting exhibit, with artifacts and first-person narratives to help bring out the story of these tribes.

I contributed a small part to the exhibit, the museum hired me in 2006 to travel with them to rural Oklahoma to take pictures of the Caddo Nation. It was an amazing experience, and we were able to watch several of their traditional dances. Also the museum paid me, which in turn let me finally pay off my camera. But there are about five or six of my pictures used throughout the exhibit. This is one from that trip, taken during the Turkey Dance:

Hwy. 21 in the fog

After Lichen Falls we headed on home, driving through the heavily falling snow. It was just barely starting to stick, but as we drove farther south it turned to rain and wasn't quite as pretty. The road south goes over a few mountains as it makes its way towards Clarksville, and one mountaintop was shrouded in a thick fog. I found a place to pull over and we both hopped out of the car trying to find some stuff to get pictures of. There was a house just down the road, but we pointed our cameras at some fields and pasture that was nearly swallowed by the fog.


Luckily there wasn't much traffic out there, but I hurried to get this taken before a car suddenly appeared out of the fog...


And the view from across the street: