The Canyon Trail and Bear Cave

Wednesday May 11, 2011

Petit Jean State Park

Site #109

Near Hot Springs, Arkansas

This morning I ran the entire Hike/Bike trail all the way to Mather Lodge.

We did a few chores and house keeping tasks after breakfast,

 which was delicious as usual,

and then headed out to do about a 5 mile loop
that David had put together ,

starting with the Canyon Trail
and then connecting up with

a section of the Boy Scout Trail
which would then get us to the Bear Cave Trail.

So armed with walking sticks, full camelbacks,

lunch, cameras and binoculars,

we set out on the Canyon Trail.

The trail had many rock slab

bridges and water crossings

which we particularly liked.

 This lovely wildflower

anyone know its name?

It runs along a different section of Cedar Creek

And on it we found another perfect

toes in the water snack spot.

Nice view for nice toes huh?

 

Notice the hard day

at the office

these two folks

are having!

  Back on the trail, after our respite,

this made me start singing

"You really got a hold on me"

This tree, like us all,

was holding on as tightly as she can.

At the end of the Canyon Trail

was Blue Hole.

I assume that what's so special about

the Blue Hole area

is its swimming potential on a hot Arkansas day.

But I really liked its crossing.

Check out the "bridge".

From this point, which is the

end of the Canyon trial, we

hiked onto what is known

as The Boy Scout Trail.

Not sure about this signage.

And although there were some

wildflowers along this trail, it was

long and dry and I can't

say that I'd recommend it as

the best way to access the

Bear Cave.

Seemed like a very long couple of miles.

Its other HUGE drawback

was poison ivy everywhere (or oak I think they call it here).

Or is poison ivy the ivy on the ground and poison oak

is the tree version which grows up on a trunk over your head?

After hiking for what

seemed like forever after the

short trip on the Canyon Tail, we

finally came to the Bear Cave Trail.

Don't you love it!

Pink trail blazes

The path to  Bear Cave

went around numerous boulders.

through Great passageways

under Overhangs

and through slots

Here is some perspective

on how big this really is.

Bear Cave is just after the passage

under this rock.

David says this isn't clear.

The cave isn't under the rock it is after the passage

which is under the rock.

Anyway I'm glad it

didn't decide to tip over

while I was walking under it.

Under the overhanging rock

Here we are at Bear Cave 

Actually, a better picture.

This was taken of the underside of  the entrance.

Really beautiful I thought.

Inside Bear Cave.

Hope you can see it.

If you can't, and you want to,

click the picture

to make it larger.

We headed on down the pink blazed path

And then I found myself

hiking with Sir David Hillary

Who made it to the top

View from the top

I managed to get up there too

 Eventuallly we headed down and back to the car.

A final set of great steps

If I were scoring, I'd give the Canyon Trail  an 8.

The Boy Scout Trail gets a 2 boring, don’t do.

But the Bear Cave Trail and the

Whip-poor-will I heard singing his heart out after dark

both get a resounding 10.