Hobbs State Park

Last weekend, we drove to Hobbs State Park.  Hobbs is Arkansas largest state park, and includes 12,054-acres in the scenic Ozark mountains, including a 36 mile hiking trail system.  

Exploring Hobbs State Park is a great weekend trip.  The secret I did not realize until we got up there, is that it is ten degrees cooler due to the elevation difference.  It was a welcome respite from the 90 degree weather.   

Southern summers can be tough to navigate outdoors with the intense heat. It was a huge relief to hike in spring-like weather.   Be sure to pack up extra water bottles, or leave a cooler in the car to visit between hiking trails.  Another good thing to remember is bug spray, sunblock, and a light lunch if you plan on staying for a bit.  Some of the easy trails are paved well enough for a stroller, so as long as you are prepared for the heat, you can navigate some of this park with small kids.

The park is adjacent to Beaver Lake, which provides an important source of water for the ecosystem.  On the state website, (click link here) you can find a list of the trails and click on the level of difficulty, and the state park you wish to visit.  According to the state site, 

"Highlights of this day-use park include a diverse, 36-mile trail system with hiking, ADA, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails, 5 primitive campsites, and a public outdoor shooting range (closed Mondays for maintenance). It’s the only state park in Arkansas to allow regulated hunting. The visitor center includes exhibits about the park’s natural resources, limestone landscape, and history. Interpretive programs and workshops are offered throughout the year."

In our case, we have young kids, so we found the "Historic Van Wrinkle Trail" which is not only paved, but is the site of a few recent archaelogical digs, an interesting thing for kids to explore and learn more about as they walk. 

Our first stop was War Eagle Mill.  Functioning mills are a thing of the past, and only a few hundred remain up and running in the US.  The interesting thing about this mill is that it has been destroyed several times and it keeps returning to its community.  The mill sells an array of flour and corn based products, as well as some local artisanal products on the second floor.  The third floor of the mill features a homey restaurant, with amazing chili and cornbread at a reasonable price.  If you forgot to pack a lunch it is really cute, and if you visit for breakfast which is served only in the earlier hours, it would be great.

Pioneer Woman Mercantile & Lodge, Pawhuska Oklahoma

This weekend we visited the Pioneer Woman's Mercantile and Lodge in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.  The town is about an hour outside of Tulsa, and a beautiful day drive. Ree Drummond began her journey as a blogger, photographer, and home chef, and soon grew a food empire around the small town.  Her show documented the renovation of the building now housing "The Mercantile" a 25,000 square foot store with a bakery, two coffee shops, a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, and retail store. The food is everything you would hope for - warm and welcoming, with a elegant touch and recipes influenced by the ranch.  Next door, you will find her boutique hotel (which was booked solid in the first year rooms were released, I know because I tried to get a room!)  The hotel has beautiful decor.  If you are her fan, your best bet to a get a room is to subscribe to her newsletter and get updates!

Ree Drummond's idea was to bring back some of the business activity to Pawhuska, after the area's rise and fall as a oil town.  Her blog and show chronicled the 4 and a half year renovation of the 1910 Osage Mercantile that she painstakingly took on with her family to bring the life back to the town.  It is a very inspiring place to visit, as you can see her dream come full-circle. The attention to the true architectural history of the building is evident. You can view displays of her photography of the ranch, as well as an ample selection of well-curated fine food and kitchenware, as well as fun kids' toys.  I picked up a Rosehip hibiscus syrup for seltzer and cocktails. The kids loved seeing the stuffed dolls of Ree's dogs on the show, and some of the children's books dedicated to her pets.  Her store does not disappoint.

We began our tour at the Mercantile, where you go to pick up tickets for the lodge tour (which is where the show is filmed).  We were surprised by the site of hundreds of visitors lining the streets of the little downtown area.  It was a happy site, especially because it was so well-managed by employees eager to help us. 

The lodge is only open select dates.  The staff person on the outside line noticed we had a big family, so she offered to grab our ticket inside, and we waited for her and she brought the ticket to us! 

We noticed that people waiting to eat at her restaurant were being entertained with friendly conversation, and even umbrellas to stay out of the sun!  I heard that at times (when there is a wait for the restaurant) they give out water, play games, and explain the history of the area.  The food looked fabulous and everything on the menu is very reasonable for the quality (from $10-$20).  Do not miss the pecan pie-it is also available upstairs at the bakery to go-it is the best I've ever had-and I lived in Texas which is Pecan Pie Capitol, I am not exaggerating about this Pecan Pie-trust me, try it.

The store really is a family-affair and visitors often get to interact with family members at different times, and to our surprise at the end of our tour we got to meet Ree herself in the upstairs coffee shop, where she was signing cookbooks. The welcoming environment really made us feel at home.

The ticket for the lodge tour is free and it provides a map of how to get to the Pioneer Woman Lodge.  Although you will not see the actual home, the lodge is on the property and you will pass the "Drummond Family" Ranch sign on the way.  The road is a gravel road-so your car will get a bit dirty, but is totally worth it-you will see many of the familiar sights from the show and experience the beauty of the countryside.  

The lodge is the exact location where her food network show is filmed. A guide wanders around willingly offering information about how the show is filmed, the history of the area, and friendly conversation about anything you want to know about!   

My daughter Lilliana, has been an avid fan of her show since she was 3.  As in, she would rather watch the Pioneer Woman's cooking show, than a cartoon.  I have such great memories of cooking with all of the kids, so this trip really was a way to celebrate our love of cooking as a family. The view is beautiful - and the sights of the ranch and scenery above the hill are very peaceful to take in.  On the tour, you can see her big kitchen, cooking utensils and food lining various pantries, as well as the guest rooms, outdoor space, and the family area.  You really feel at home, and are allowed to explore the lodge at your own leisure. It is a very relaxed feel - and in case you are wondering- you might catch a glimpse- like we did of the dogs that are on the show lounging away in front of the lodge.  It is really apparent that the dogs are just chilling as they do on the show.

It was fun to see her different hand-painted kitchen-aides up close, and also see the catering kitchen that is not on the show in the back.  There is no room that is off limits, which is pretty amazing, as you really feel like you are fully immersed in the set of the show.  It is much bigger than it appears on TV and it lets you appreciate the authentic nature of the show on a fully working ranch.

From there, we went back to the Mercantile. I picked up a Rosehip hibiscus syrup for seltzer and cocktails.We decided to go upstairs to the bakery to grab some coffee & dessert, to discover that the Pioneer Woman was signing autographs, so we quickly bought a cookbook for her to sign. 

She was authentic and gracious - even being the last family in the line we felt that she took her time with us and got to know our family. It is apparent that she really loves what she does.  She was so warm and played with our baby - Jeremy- who gave her lots of smiles.  This was just a beautiful end to a wonderful day exploring the Pioneer Woman's world.  This trip taught my daughters that any dream they envision can become a reality with hard work and persistence.  I was so happy they got to see a real tv set, and got to talk to the person they had felt connected to through this wonderful show. I highly recommend a visit- it is well-worth the drive and you will leave feeling relaxed and not hungry.  The pecan pie, lemon bars, blondies, and cowgirl coffee (with a bit of cayenne) left me very happy!  It was a great memory and a wonderful day drive.  

For hours of the mercantile & lodge tour visit the official page below.  Also keep in mind that the site is closed on Sundays.  The lodge tours are on select dates which you can find on the website and I have reposted below. 

https://www.themercantile.com/pages/lodge-tours

Here are the remaining dates of the lodge tours, for this year as posted on her site: 

UPCOMING DATES 2018
July 30 - 31

AUGUST

August 1 - 4
August 6 - 11
August 13 - 18
Friday, August 31 

SEPTEMBER

Saturday, September 1
Monday, September 3 (Labor Day) 
Tuesday, September 4
Friday, September 7
Saturday, September 8 

OCTOBER

Friday, October 5
Saturday, October 6
Monday, October 8

Restaurant & General Store

Monday through Thursday — 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday — 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday — Closed

Bakery

Monday through Friday — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday — 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday — Closed

*At this time, The Merc is not able to book reservations for the dine-in restaurant Wait times can vary, but tend to be shorter in the early morning and in the late afternoon! We have recently expanded our seating to decrease wait times.

Parties of 15 or more can reserve The Dinner Experience on Monday-Thursday evenings. Email events@themercantile.com to schedule your party!

Blue Spring Heritage Center - A Gem of Nature, Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Finding Blue Spring

Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, you will find a hidden gem of nature in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 

At Blue Spring, you can experience the serene beauty of nature.You will find a site rich in history, where you can learn about our country's Native American history. You can still clearly see the bluffs where many took refuge centuries ago, and envision countless people's journeys through this land, stopping to drink at the spring and finding safety in nature's refuge.  Here you can pay homage to our country’s Native American history.

The drive to Blue Springs is beautiful- an overlook of canyons and bluffs surrounds you.  Here you will find this incredible opportunity to see a spring - a thing of life and joy for weary travelers over the centuries - that still holds meaning today.  

The spring's water is usually a deep cobalt blue. My photographs were taken after a rain storm, when the lagoon turned greenish-brown due to the increased water flow. Other times, the lagoon was green. Either way, the different seasons highlight different aspects of nature's cycle. The spring is more than 500 feet deep, one of the deepest in Arkansas. 

History

As far back as the Archaic period (8000 BC), Indigenous people, known as "Bluff Dwellers," lived here and revered these lands as sacred ground. It is a place recognized in the oral tradition of Native American elders, as the bluffs were also used for sacred rituals (Blue Spring Heritage Center).  Archaeological research performed by the University of Arkansas uncovered animals bones, shellfish, and fauna dating back to 8,000 B.C., as well as pottery from later periods.  (Blue Spring Heritage Center). Oral histories of Tsalagi (Cherokee), Osage, and Quapaw cite journeys to Blue Spring for tens of thousands of years (Blue Spring Heritage Center).  Due to its historical significance in ancient history, Blue Spring was recently added to the National Registrar of Historic Places.

Touring the Grounds 

Blue Spring is a welcoming place. The guide gave us a detailed map of the grounds and explained that you can feed the trout in the lagoon and walk along the banks of the entire lagoon, which the kids loved.  The tour is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs (stairs are optional).  As we entered, we saw a couple touring the grounds, perhaps planning for one of the many wedding ceremonies that take place here. 

My children ran along the nature trail - and found a spot to sit on the edge where the spring rushes into the lagoon (see video above).  Here you can sit and put your feet in the water and feel the rush of water as it pours into the lagoon.  The water feels cold, and you can feel the power of nature as you watch the water flowing.

Blue Spring is tranquil. Water flows consistently - 38 million gallons in fact - from the Spring into a serene lagoon filled with trout, which is connected to the White River.  The water itself is symbolic of the healing connection to nature - which Native Americans celebrate and revere here to this day.

Blue Spring is a very special place. Here, the Osage Indians, nicknamed "Strongboat Indians," used their boats on trade routes carrying fur, bear oil, and beeswax on the White River on the way to New Orleans (Blue Spring Hertiage Center). The White River being as accessible as it is to view, allows one to envision the land's use as a trading post and the stairs constructed along the banks allow you to see the River from above.

In the 1830s, Blue Spring was a stop on the Cherokee Trail of Tears, which ran from Echota, Georgia, to Parkhill, Oklahoma. You will find a sign commemorating this history, noting that of the 13,000 that took this treacherous journey, only 7,000 made it to the final stop.  

Once you continue the nature walk through the grounds, you will find a medicine wheel, reminding us of the incredible power of healing that Native American culture preserves and upholds in its teachings.  This medicine wheel is a circle divided into 4 sections representing the endless cycle of nature and its connection to everything.  In this quiet garden, you can sit and contemplate the cycle of life and how the earth heals all things.  After taking time to appreciate this garden, you can continue wrapping around and view the bluffs.

Our last stop on the tour was the indoor visitor's center.  It features a video about the history of the area and artifacts found on the land.  Among these items, in the display cases is a poem about the Trail of Tears. 

Poem on display at Blue Spring Heritage Center in Exhibit display cases.

More Info: 

Blue Spring Heritage Center is 5 ½ miles west of Eureka Springs, Arkansas (10 minutes) off Scenic Highway 62. We are 45 minutes from Rogers, Arkansas, one hour and fifteen minutes from Fayetteville, Arkansas and one hour from Branson, Missouri.

Phone Numbers

• General Information: 479-253-9244

• Group Reservations: 479-253-9244

• Wedding Information: 479-253-9244

Blue Spring Heritage Center
1537 Co Rd 210, Eureka Springs, AR 72632

The tour is handicap accessible

To plan a visit see:

http://www.bluespringheritage.com