Rush Ghost Town/Indian Rock House, Arkansas
My buddy Brian and I headed south on Saturday morning to hike and camp along the lower Buffalo River in Arkansas. We had planned to leave the night before and hike a larger loop trail, but rain and high water kicked the trip back a few hours and made us choose a Plan B. So, we hiked Indian Rock House Loop and then wandered around Rush Ghost Town, checking out the history of the place.
A building on the way down, in Yellville, Arkansas. It was shaped like a pirate chest.
At Rush Campground
Since we usually camp in fairly cold weather, we often have campgrounds completely to ourselves.
The Buffalo River at Rush.
The view from Buffalo Point. I've canoed this stretch once, about 7-8 years ago.
Brian and I
A small waterfall along the trail.
There were markers along the trail that explained anything of a historical nature.
This mine entrance went back about 30 or so feet, then ended in a collapsed ceiling.
Small flowers, about the size of your fingernails.
Inside a cave with a sky light
Bear in the cave.
Indian Rock House Cave - There's evidence of people living here as far back as 7,000 BC. With a stream exiting one wall behind us and entering another to our right, it's easy to see why.
There are two deer in this photo, can you spot them?
Rush Ghost Town - Zinc was mined here till World War I and the town had a population at one point over 5,000 people. Then the market on zinc bottomed out and so did the town. Nothing remains but mines, buildings, rusting implements and daffodils.
A bald eagle landed just across the river from us Sunday morning, while we were having coffee around the campfire. It hung out and watched us for a couple of hours.
We heard coyotes and owls at night, saw close to two dozen deer, by foot or car and saw some signs of beaver in the area.
Right to the left of this, a spring literally rolled up out of the hillside like it was boiling.
It was a nice trip. A bit lazier than usual, but I had only had four hours sleep the night before heading down and the rainy cold weather sidetracked us a bit.
A building on the way down, in Yellville, Arkansas. It was shaped like a pirate chest.
At Rush Campground
Since we usually camp in fairly cold weather, we often have campgrounds completely to ourselves.
The Buffalo River at Rush.
The view from Buffalo Point. I've canoed this stretch once, about 7-8 years ago.
Brian and I
A small waterfall along the trail.
There were markers along the trail that explained anything of a historical nature.
This mine entrance went back about 30 or so feet, then ended in a collapsed ceiling.
Small flowers, about the size of your fingernails.
Inside a cave with a sky light
Bear in the cave.
Indian Rock House Cave - There's evidence of people living here as far back as 7,000 BC. With a stream exiting one wall behind us and entering another to our right, it's easy to see why.
There are two deer in this photo, can you spot them?
Rush Ghost Town - Zinc was mined here till World War I and the town had a population at one point over 5,000 people. Then the market on zinc bottomed out and so did the town. Nothing remains but mines, buildings, rusting implements and daffodils.
A bald eagle landed just across the river from us Sunday morning, while we were having coffee around the campfire. It hung out and watched us for a couple of hours.
We heard coyotes and owls at night, saw close to two dozen deer, by foot or car and saw some signs of beaver in the area.
Right to the left of this, a spring literally rolled up out of the hillside like it was boiling.
It was a nice trip. A bit lazier than usual, but I had only had four hours sleep the night before heading down and the rainy cold weather sidetracked us a bit.
Comments