Fall Colors

[idratherbehiking]

I drove up Hwy 7 to the Hwy 123 / 16 junction this morning which is about 30 miles north of Russellville. The leaves are just in their beginning stages of turning and it looks like the next 2 to 3 weeks will be the best time to get out and visit the Ozarks. In normal years it always gets so hot in August that the leaves begin to dry up and fall prematurely. This summer was rather mild in this area with plenty of rain so I am hoping for more intense fall color than usual. Hopefully I can find the time to get out and take some pictures to share with you. Let us know how things are looking in your neck of the woods throughout this great season called Fall and perhaps provide us with some photos so we can enjoy the many areas of the state that we cannot make it to this season.

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."
- Elizabeth Lawrence

[HikerRon]

thanks for the post! i'm planning a camping trip in that area 10/25 and will be watching this topic for more updates.

[cfd29]

Yes, thanks for the info, just north of Clarksville, about the same conditions, just starting, our daughter in Springdale advises the same, some trees are getting some good color while others haven't even begun yet, I hope this will be a very colorful fall...

[oenavigator]

All the hardwoods here are still stubbornly holding onto their green for the most part. With the cooler temperatures I'm hoping to see a spectacular display i the next few weeks.
We're camping at Petit Jean on 10/25 so hopefully I can post some photos.

[B62GTAWK]

What a great thread. I believe this has the makings of the most beautiful fall we all have seen in a long time. Get out and enjoy it!

[Gaddiel]

Just starting to see the beginnings of some color change here in the Conway area.

Wayne

[cfd29]

We were out in northern Conway County today and if you look at the mountains you can see just a slight hint of color in some of the trees, most are still very green, everyone keep a close eye, I think when it starts, it will start and change in a hurry..
Enjoy the weather, it was really great today for sure..

[QuartzCachers]

I drove down to deer camp today, and the colors were starting to really show themselves for the first time this year. Oddly enough, I think as I went South, I saw more color than here in Northern Garland County at the old homestead. Differnt species of trees I guess, but I am excited at the prospect of possibly one of the best leaf years in recent memory. Let's hope! :D :D :D

[SJClimber]

Back through Joplin, then south this last week. Black gum, dogwood, PI and sweet gum are turning. Very little change in oaks or hickory. Almost no color south of Green Forest.

[idratherbehiking]

Still not a lot of color yet. Then again I have not been out much this past week. I am off for the next couple of days and will get up in the mountains and see whats going on up there. Here is a LINK (http://www.ozarkmtns.com/foliage/index.asp#Best) to an interesting site that I found the other day. Maybe I'll get some good pics to share in the next few days.

[oenavigator]

Thanks for the great link! I've bookmarked that one.

We couldn't get a campsite at Petit Jean so we're going to be camping at either Crystal Springs or Tompkins Bend. We'll be doing a lot of driving around in the area so hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures Monday or Tuesday.

[idratherbehiking]

We couldn't get a campsite at Petit Jean so we're going to be camping at either Crystal Springs or Tompkins Bend. We'll be doing a lot of driving around in the area so hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures Monday or Tuesday.

If you are planning on attending the Conway County event don't forget about the Corps of Engineers Parks that still have campgrounds. The one near Russellville SWEEDEN ISLAND PARK (http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/dardanelle/parks.htm#SweedenIsland) has plenty of campsites and will be open until the end of the month. Thanks to HotRodOnFootandBike there are now 7 caches in that park and 3 others close by. Just thought you might want to stay a little closer to the event.

[cachemates]

We haven't been there in years but if you are in Harrison be sure to go to the Maplewood Cemetery. If you catch the color just right this place is breath taking, it is the prettiest Cemetery we have ever visited.

[oenavigator]

We're not going to the event but thanks for the info. That looks like a good place to stay when we get around to a Russellville geocaching trip. I still want to get ORR's "Main Street" cache.

[OldRiverRunner]

I still want to get ORR's "Main Street" cache.

Heh, heh, heh .... :twisted:

[cfd29]

The colors are starting to get going, I'm this next week, thing will be getting in full swing up north, will be another week or so before a lot of color in the south. Going up 540 is starting to look pretty good

[HikerRon]

i spent last weekend doing the hwy 23/215/103 scenic loop, camped at Redding, and at one point rambled over to DevilsDenSP. the leaves were beautiful. my guess would be that the peak will happen next weekend. but the colors at DDSP made for some great hiking. No water coming over the waterfalls in that part of the state though.

[idratherbehiking]

I took a drive last Friday to check out the colors north of Russellville and posted some photos on MY BLOG (http://ratherbehiking.blogspot.com/). The overall color was still mostly green with many nice scattered areas but I think with the cooler temperatures we are now getting the peak of the color will be here this weekend through next week. I will be heading north again this weekend and hope to get some more nice shots to post.

[cfd29]

We have made a trip up hwy 23 today to Eureka Springs then over to Mountain Home, the colors are fantastic, the valleys were really great early this morning with the sun coming up and some fog in the valleys. Really nice, :D

[Gaddiel]

Drove up to Woolly Hollow state park this afternoon. The colors on the way to the park and around the lake were really amazing. The next couple of weeks in central/north central Arkansas should be spectacular! Hope to take a day or two next week to enjoy it...

Wayne

[idratherbehiking]

I left the house yesterday morning around 5am and headed up to the Buffalo River. After spending a couple hours along the Buffalo River Trail I headed over to Lost Valley. It began to rain on the way in and that just made all of the fantastic color even richer. I spent about an hour in Cobb Cave waiting for the rain to stop and then headed up Cave Mountain Road to Hedges Pouroff and then Hawksbill Crag. It was just an awesome day to be out in the mountains. That part of the state is at or past its peak right now and it won't last long. Some stats for yesterday: 212 miles driven, 8.3 miles hiked, found 3 caches, and took over 300 photos.

[cfd29]

We got back home this afternoon from our North Arkansas trip, made the trip today from Mountain Home, to Mammoth Springs, then down the Mountain View, then on down to Clinton and then to Morrilton to the Interstate. The colors were awsome. Drove 477 miles this weekend, got 4 more Parkcaches , with 24 caches found in total. The weather and the fall colors were all worth it.. :)

[AR-HICK]

I have seen a lot of color this weekend and I got to take a few pictures on Petit Jean today.

I put some of them on Photobucket here is a link:

http://s276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/Petit%20Jean/

I think this has been a great year for colors of the trees, I just wish it would have been cloudy, today it was hazy.

[searcykid]

Those were some great pictures AR-HICK.
Now I don't have to spend the money to go see the fall colors in person. Those pictures were so lifelike it is almost like being there.
Your camera sure makes some good pictures.

[Nukeworker]

Great pics AR-Hick. NW had to work all weekend so we couldn't get out and enjoy the beautiful colors and spectacular weather. Thanks for bringing the fall foliage colors to those of us that are housebound. RBG

[jclaudii]

Very nice. The color is really starting to show around the Russellville area.

[idratherbehiking]

Just thought I would revive this thread again since we are fast approaching the color change. This weekend should be a really great weekend to get out with some color change already started.

Looking at places I have been recently there will probably be some good color by this weekend but the peak of color to the north of Russellville will probably be about the same time as last year, the last week of October into the first week of November.

Let us know how things look in your area.

[jclaudii]

Dang it IRBH!, here I was all excited looking through all these photos of October color changes and such only to finally see the post dates of LAST YEAR!!!

The family and I are headed up to Eureka for a few days starting the 24th so I'll give you guys a report then with hopefully some photos. I have to remember the "magic light" comment I read somewhere.

[idratherbehiking]

That should be the perfect time for plenty of color up there unless it is already past its peak. Just remember that the best pictures of fall colors are taken with the sun behind the trees. It brings out lots more color that way. Ya'll have a fun and safe trip if I don't see you before then.

[edieo]

Thank for reviving this thread I love the fall color and can hardly wait to get out and hike in them ...

[Geezer_Veazey]

I was in Eureka Springs this past Saturday and the maples are still 90 % green but the tips are turning red. Hwy 23 north of Eureka will be a beautiful drive. Sumac is already red and gums are turning yellow. It wont be long.

[AR-HICK]

I went thru Ada Valley today (east of Petit Jean Mountain) and Petit Jean colors looked very good. what the experts and myself call "Peak Color" don't alsways agree. I think the "Peak" for Petit Jean will be this weekend.

Just in case anyone was wondering.