Up To The Ozarks

A few weeks back I was able to get away for a weekend, so I headed up to the Ozarks to visit with my good friend Zack Andrews. Along the way, I stopped for gas along the freeway in the small town of Blackwell. Across the road from the gas station was this field with lots of cows grazing amidst a carpet of yellow wildflowers.



Next I drove through Clarksville, which was my old stomping grounds for a few years when I went to college at the University of the Ozarks. I was a little surprised to see that some things haven't changed in the two decades(!) since I graduated. The Dodge's gas station, which was one of the few places open 24 hours and which fed countless college students with chicken strips and pizza sticks, was still going strong. The Mexican restaurant we frequented (El Parian) was still there, along with the venerable Diamond Drive In. I did make one quick stop at the back of this old abandoned building, home to The Fair Store. I wasn't able to find much info about the store, but did find a picture that was dated 1935 of the Fair Store, which had a sign proclaiming that it was "Clarksville's Greatest Value Store." No telling how long it's been closed.



And from Clarksville I headed north, up into the Ozarks. I made another quick stop at this old abandoned house, which had some flowers blooming out front. They were no doubt planted there may years ago by someone who once lived here.



The house had a really great covered front porch, complete with an old recliner. I bet this would have been a great place to sit and relax at the end of the day.







And further up the road was this row of abandoned buildings in the tiny community of Salus. I pulled over and got a few pictures before heading further up the road, deeper into the Ozarks...

Paradise Falls

Paradise Falls definitely lives up to its name, since it is one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Ozarks. The falls sit within the Upper Buffalo Wilderness of the Ozark National Forest and can be reached by a difficult 2.5 mile hike/bushwhack. Zack and I headed out there early in the morning, and followed the trail as it dropped downhill and then followed the creek. There were several nice little waterfalls and cascades along the way.







It had poured rain the night before, so we were lucky that there was a nice amount of water in the creek.







And soon enough you reach Paradise Falls, which tumbles 32 feet into a deep turqouise pool. The lush forest around the falls really does make it seem like a tropical paradise.







We stayed there for awhile, taking pictures and enjoying the view (and putting off the hike back to the car).

Wiley's Cove

There are a few highlights to see when you're driving north on Hwy. 65 out of Conway. First is the inherent silliness of the name of Pickles Gap (I mean, what is the deal with it?). Then there is the dramatic excitement of the runaway truck ramp. After that, as you begin to approach the Leslie metro area, you can see the iconic red barn at Wiley's Cove. The barn is scenically situated along a hillside, with a blanket of trees behind it. I couldn't resist stopping for one quick shot along the way....