CYCLEMARINE.COM.

>> IT'S CALLED BEAUTY CAVE, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE THE LARGEST CAVE IN ARKANSAS JUST NORTH OF THE BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER, AND ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU INSIDE AND SHOW YOU THAT IT DOES INDEED LIVE UP TO ITS NAME.

THEN WE'LL TAKE YOU TO THE LARGEST TREE IN THE STATE IN THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, AND WE'LL CLOSE IT ALL OUT WITH A RAFTING EXPEDITION DOWN THE BIG PINEY.

BUT FOR NOW MIKE MILLS AND CHUCK BITTING WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE JOIN US AS WE BEGIN OUR UNDERGROWN ADVENTURE INTO BEAUTY.

BEAUTY CAVE GETS ITS NAME FROM THE GRANDEUR OF THE HUGE ENTRANCE ROOM WHICH WAS DISCOVERED IN THE1920s.

>> MID TO LATE 20s IT WAS DISCOVERED SUPPOSEDLY BY AN OLD MAN IN HIS 80s.

>> IN HIS 80s?

>> IN HIS 80s.

CAN YOU IMAGINE WALKING AROUND THESE HILLS LOOKING FOR CAVE IN YOUR 80s?

THEY DIDN'T HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY I GUESS.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE LATER EXPLORATION OF IT AND THE MILES AND MILES OF PASSAGEWAYS.

>> WELL, AFTER THEY DISCOVERED THE CAVES, SOME TIME LATER WHEN PEOPLE WENT FURTHER BACK IN THE CAVES, PROBABLY IN THE 1930s, THEY DISCOVERED THEY COULD GO IN THIS ENTRANCE AND COME OUT ANOTHER ENTRANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, TO SPEAK.

SO THAT BECAME A REAL POPULAR TRIP THROUGH THE... WELL, IT'S STALE VERY POPULAR TRIP TODAY.

THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE MANAGES THE ENTIRE CAVE SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE THE BAT CAVE ENTRANCE CLOSED AND ABOUT A MILE OF PASSAGE CLOSE FOR NINE MONTHS OUT OF YEAR BECAUSE OF THE ENDANGERED BATS, BUT FROM MAY 15th TO AUGUST 15th OF EACH YEAR WE HAVE THAT OPEN.

THEN IN THE 1950s, JIM STERMAHORN AND SOME OTHERS DISCOVERED THERE WERE A WHOLE BUNCH MORE BACK TO THE EAST OF THE LOOP THAT WASN'T REALLY KNOWN VERY WELL.

THERE HAD BEEN PEOPLE BACK THERE AS EARLY AS THE 1930s, BUT HE REALLY OPENED UP THE CAVES IN THAT DIRECTION, AND MOST OF THE CAVES WERE DISCOVERED BY JIM OR CONTEMPORANEOUS EXPLORERS WITH JIM.

>> WHICH ALL LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF THE TENNOURI ROOM IN THE EARLY '60s.

>> I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY GREAT FRIEND.

HIS NAME IS JACK HERSCHEND, AND, IN FACT, HIS ENTIRE FAMILY AND JACK AND DAVE SMITH AND LLOYD DAVIS WERE HELPING JIM STERMAHORN EXPLORE THIS CAVE, AND THEY WERE AT A PLATEAU CALLED THE ROUNDHOUSE, AND THEY WERE EATING LUNCH, AND ONE OF THEM SAID, "WONDER WHERE THAT GOES," AND SO THEY ALL THREE TOOK OFF GOING DOWN THAT PASSAGE, SOME CRAWLING AND SOME CLIMBING DOWN AND UP AND A LITTLE MORE CRAWLING, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT OPENS UP INTO A HUGE ROOM WITH SOME FANTASTIC FORMATIONS.

AND THEY SAT THERE IN AWE OF THIS GIANT ROOM AND THIS BEAUTIFUL CAVE, AND THAT WERE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME NAME FOR IT.

AND THEY REALIZED THEY EACH REPRESENTED TWO DIFFERENT STATES, TENNESSEE AND MISSOURI, SO THEY CHOPPED THE TENNESSEE AND MISSOURI IN HALF AND CAME UP WITH TENNOURI.

AND THEN WITH CARBIDE LIGHTS, THEY USED THE SOOT FROM THOSE LIGHTS TO WRITE THE TENNOURI NAME AND THEIR NAMES AND THE DATE ON A HUGE ROCK INSIDE THE TENNOURI ROOM, AND THAT'S HOW TENNOURI ROOM CAME ABOUT.

THAT'S HOW IT GOT ITS NAME, AND EVEN TO THIS DAY THEY THINK IT'S SO UNIQUE OF A LANDMARK THAT NATIONAL PARK HAS LEFT THAT, WE WOULD CALL THAT GRAFFITI TODAY, BUT BACK THEN IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY COMMON.

THEY ACTUALLY DID IT IN VERY NICE ARTWORK, AND SO IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY HOW JACK, DAVE AND ROY DISCOVERED THE TENNOURI PASSAGE AND THE TENNOURI ROOM AND THEN NAMED IT AFTER TENNESSEE AND MISSOURI.

>> MIKE, TELL US ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURE IN CAVES.

NOW, PEOPLE, THEY'RE USED TO SEEING YOU ON THE RIVER AS AN OUTFITTER.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU, THE RUSH THAT YOU GET OF COMING INTO A PLACE LIKE THIS.

>> YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL PUBLIC JUST DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A WILDERNESS AREA.

SO MANY PLACES IN A GIANT CAVE LIKE THIS WHERE NO STEP FOOTPRINT HAS EVER BEEN.

YEAH, WE'VE GOT THE MAIN TRAILS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S LITERALLY AN UNDERGROUND WILDERNESS AREA, SO FOR ME, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN CAVING QUITE A BIT.

I DON'T...

I'M CERTAINLY NOT THE AUTHORITY THAT CHUCK IS, BUT I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF CAVES IN ARKANSAS AND HAVE TRIED TO LEARN AND RESPECT THOSE CAVES AND UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE CAVE AND THE CREATURES WITHIN THE CAVE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD DOWN HERE, AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S GORGEOUS.

AND SO WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THIS.

THERE'S NO OTHER PEOPLE HERE.

WE'RE ALL ALONE.

IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND THE DAY.

IT'S GREAT WITH KIDS BECAUSE IF YOU CAN TEACH THEM NOT TO TOUCH THINGS AND THEN ENJOY THE SHEER BEAUTY OF THE SIGHT ALONE, IT REALLY HAS SOME GREAT REWARDS TO IT.

>> BESIDES THE FACT IT'S A CONSTANT 57, 58 DEGREES.

>> OH, YES.

IN THE SUMMER TIME IT'S COOL, IN THE WINTER TIME IT'S WARM.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN BEING IN A CAVE.

I'M IN A SHORT-SLEEVE SHIRT.

HERE IT IS 57 OR 58 DEGREES.

BUT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY MOVING, SO YOU DON'T FEEL THAT COLD, AND SO IT'S GREAT EXERCISE.

IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE TO SPEND SOME TIME, PARTICULARLY IN MY OPINION WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE AND WITH FAMILY.

>> THERE ARE SOME 14 MILES OF PASSAGEWAYS IN BEAUTY CAVE.

STARFISH FOSSILS CAN BE FOUND HERE, EVIDENCE THAT ALL OF THIS WAS ONCE PART OF SHALLOW SEA SOME 360 MILLION TO 400 MILLION YEARS AGO.

>> ALL THESE COLUMNS HERE FORMED FROM A CRACK IN THE CEILING.

WATER CAME IN.

CALCIUM CARBONATE PRECIPITATES OUT AND MADE THESE COLUMNS.

YOU GOT TO WATCH YOUR STEP UP HERE BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF POOLS.

>> THESE COLUMNS ARE JUST AWESOME.

>> OH, THEY ARE, INCREDIBLE.

WATCH YOUR STEP HERE.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME SALAMANDERS.

>> AND SURE ENOUGH, WE DID COME UPON A SALAMANDER.

>> THESE GUYS STARTED OUT IN LIFE WITH EYES, AND AS THEY GET -- AS THEY MATURE, THEY LOSE THEIR EYESIGHT AND THEIR PIGMENT, AND THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN CAVES.

WHEN THEY'RE JUVENILES, THEY'LL HAVE GILLS.

I DON'T SEE GILLS ON THIS ONE.

AND AS THEY REACH MATURITY, THEY LOSE THEIR GILLS.

THEY LIVE OUT ON THE SURFACE, LAY EGGS AND FEED.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF SECTIONS LIKE THIS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, HUH, CHUCK?

>> THERE ARE A LOT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STRETCHES, HANDS AND KNEES CRAWLS LIKE THIS, BUT NONE WITH THIS SIGNATURE GROOVE, A RIDGE DOWN THE MIDDLE.

>> CAVING REALLY IS LIKE GOING TO ANOTHER PLANET WITHOUT LEAVING EARTH.

>> AS SOON AS YOU ENTER THAT PORTAL, YOU LEAVE ONE WORLD BEHIND AND ENTER ANOTHER WORLD, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE CONNECTED.

YOU CAN SEE THINGS... YOU MAY SEE THINGS THAT NO HUMAN HAS EVER SEEN, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.

OR YOU MAY SEE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN A CAVE, YOU KNOW, 10,000 YEARS AGO OR SOMETHING, 8,000 YEARS AGO, WHICH CAN BE PRETTY EXCITING, TOO.

YOU MAY SEE AN ORGANISM THAT'S NEVER BEEN DESCRIBED BY SCIENCE, OR SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE BEAUTY OF THE WHOLE THING.

IT'S JUST A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE.

I PERSONALLY LIKE THE DARKNESS AND THE QUIETNESS OF THE PLACE.

THERE'S NO PLACE ELSE IN THE WHOLE OUTSIDE WORLD THAT I KNOW OF THAT YOU CAN GO AND BE IN ABSOLUTE DARKNESS, NOT SEE AN AIRPLANE FLY OVER OR A SATELLITE GO OVER IN THE NIGHT SKY.

IT'S JUST PURE BLACK AND DARK AND SOMETIMES NEARLY PURELY QUIET.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> IT IS LIKE BEING IN SOME ALIEN WORLD.

>> YEAH.

YEAH, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE FELLOW'S NAME, BUT SOMEBODY SAID, "GOING CAVING IS THE ONE PLACE LEFT WHERE A PERSON OF PODDEST MEANS CAN -- PERSON OF MODEST MEANS CAN DISCOVER NEW WORLDS."

>> EVER WONDER WHAT THE STATE'S LARGEST TREE LOOKS LIKE AND WHERE IT IS?

WELL, IT HAPPENS TO BE HERE IN THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN EASTERN ARKANSAS, AND NOT ONLY IS ARKANSAS'S LARGEST TREE, IT HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST TREES IN ABOUT 40 OF THE 50 STREETS.

JEFF DENMAN HERE IS GOING TO DO THE HONORS OF TAKING US TO IT.

>> OUR JOURNEY INTO THE STATE'S LARGEST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TO SEE ARKANSAS'S LARGEST TREE WAS FIRST BY MOTOR BOAT FOR AS LONG AS WE COULD MANEUVER IN.

WE PUT IN AT THE SMOKEHOUSE HILL CAMP GROUND INTO HURRICANE BAYOU, AND WE MOTORED DOWN HURRICANE THROUGH WITH THE CURRENT.

WE TURNED UP OLD ESSEX BAYOU, AND WE RUN UP THROUGH HERE AND COME TO THE BANK RIGHT ABOUT IN HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO ACROSS, GET IN THE CANOES AND CATCH SOME OF THESE FLEWS THAT WILL LEAD US OVER TO THE LOWER WHITE LAKE AND GO UP TO THE CHAMPION TREE.

>> WHERE'S THE BURIED TREASURE?

>> AT THESE CORRIDORS.

"X" MARKS THE SPOT.

>> JEFF WASN'T KIDDING WHEN HE SAID WE'D HAVE TO FORAGE ALONG SOME OF THE WAY.

>> IT'S TOO SHALLOW HERE.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO HERE.

>> THERE'S SOME CURRENT TO THE LEFT.

IF WE DRAG OVER THERE, IT'S A LITTLE DEEPER.

PUT IN.

>> MOVE UP.

>> HEAD THROUGH THE GAP UP THROUGH THERE.

WATCH OUT.

>> STRAIGHT UP THROUGH HERE?

>> YEAH, LET'S GO THIS WAY.

>> THIS IS THE GRANDDADDY CHAMPION, HUH, JEFF IN.

>> THAT'S THE LARGEST TREE IN ARKANSAS.

THE BALD CYPRUS.

>> IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO SAY THE THELEY, I TELL YOU WHAT -- TO SAY THE LEAST, I TELL YOU WHAT.

LOOK AT THE BASE OF THAT THING.

>> YOU CAN'T WRAPPER ARMS -- WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND IT.

>> NORMALLY WHEN THE WATER RECEDES, YOU CAN HIKE UP TO THE TREE, BUT WE HAPPENED TO MAKE THIS TRIP DURING THE WETTEST TIME OF THE YEAR.

>> WE'RE IN ABOUT SIX FEET OF WATER, AND IT'S REPORTED TO BE 120 FOOT TALL FROM THE GROUND.

13 FEET EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER.

516 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE AT A POINT JUST UNDER THE WATER.

ACCORDING TO THE COMMISSION, THE BIGGEST TREE IN ARKANSAS.

>> YOU WERE TELLING ME IT WAS A SURPRISE TO YOU AT FIRST THAT THIS ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE THE STATE'S LARGEST TREE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THE ARKANSAS FOREST COMMISSION GAVE US A CALL AND SAID THEY'D BEEN DOWN TO MAJOR AND THIS TREE HAD BEEN NOMINATED BAY GENTLEMAN AND SON WHO CAME ACROSS IT WHILE THEY WERE ENJOYING A REFUGE I THINK IN 2004.

AND THE FORTRY COMMISSION -- FORESTRY COMMISSION CAME AND MEASURED IT AND VERIFIED IT WAS THE NEW CHAMPION BALD CYPRUS OF ARKANSAS.

THEY TOLD US AND GAVE US THE DIMENSIONS AND COORDINATES SO WE COULD LOCATE IT.

IT TOOK ME ABOUT THREE TRIPS TO FIND IT.

YOU'D THINK THE BIGGEST TREE IN THE STATE WOULD STAND OUT WHERE ANYONE COULD STAND IT, BUT IT'S HIDDEN AMONGST A LOT OF BRUSH.

IT'S IN ONE OF SEVERAL MEANDERING SLOUGHS.

>> IT'S QUITE IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU'RE OVER THERE AT THE BASE OF IT AND LOOKING UP.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST...

WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE.

>> I GUESS IT COULD BE THE LARGEST NATIVE ORGANISM IN ARKANSAS, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ELEPHANTS AND WHALES.

IT'S BIGGER THAN ANYTHING YOU OR I HAVE BEEN UP AGAINST IF THE STATE.

>> DEFINITELY THE LARGEST LIVING THING IN THE STATE.

>> IT'S SOME 13 FEET AND EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER.

THAT'S ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THIS CANOE.

THAT'S MEASURED AT 4.5 OFF THE GROUND WHEN IT'S NOT FLOODED LIKE NOW.

THAT'S LOW WATER RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PROBABLY ABOUT 12 FEET IN DIAMETER.

>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE STATE'S LARGEST TREE FOR YOURSELF IN THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, IT IS BEST TO GO DURING THE DRY MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

>> IT IS.

WHEN YOU CAN WALK DOWN INTO THIS CHANNEL AND WALK AMONGST THESE CYPRUS THAT ARE SEVEN AND EIGHT-FEET TALL, THEY'RE OVERWHELMING, MUCH LESS THE 120-FOOT TALL TREE NEXT TO YOU.

>> I DON'T GUESS THERE'S ANY WAY OF KNOWING OR IS THERE ABOUT THE APPROXIMATE AGE OF THAT TREE?

>> IT WOULD TAKE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH AND SOME COMPARISON WITH THE CORES OF OTHER TREES TO MATCH UP WEATHER PATTERNS.

IF IT'S SOLID ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO GET TO THE CENTER OF THE TREE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY AT EAST 1,000 YEARS OLD, SO WE JUST SAY UPWARDS OF 1,000.

>> HARD TO IMAGINE A TREE LIKE THAT JUST BEING HERE THROUGHOUT THE AGES.

>> IT REALLY IS.

THAT'S CENTURIES AND CENTURIES TO COME AND GO.

WE'RE JUST NOT USED TO THINGS LASTING THAT LONG.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF TREES THAT DOES.

>> IT MAY NOT BE QUITE EXACTLY LIKE RAFTING ON THE COLORADO RIVER, BUT ON SOME OF OUR RIVERS AND TREATMENTS IN ARKANSAS, WHEN YOU CATCH THEM JUST RIGHT WHEN THE WATER IS UP, THE END RESULT CAN BE ALMOST AS EXHILARATING.

WE'VE TEAMED UP WITH KERRY MOORE OF MOORE OUTDOORS NEAR DOVER NORTH OF RUSSELLVILLE WHO IS GOING TO TAKE US ON A WILD AND WOOLLY RAFTING EXCURSION DOWN THE BIG PINEY.

>> THE BIG PINEY RANKS AMONG THE BEST FLOW STREAMS IN THE STATE.

IT MEANDERS THROUGH THE HEART OF THE OZARKS FOR 67 MILES THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST RUGGED AND REMOTE TERRAIN BEFORE FLOWING INTO LAKE DARDANELLE.

OUTFITTER KERRY MOORE TALKED TO US ABOUT THE CHALLENGE OF THE BIG PINEY.

>> THE BIG PINEY IS DIFFERENT AT ALL LEVELS.

THIS LEVEL, 5.5 FEET, IS ABOUT WHERE WE CUT OFF TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT'S REALLY IN A RAFT LIKE THIS, IT'S SAFE.

BIG PINEY, THEY MADE IT CLASS II AND III.

THEY RATE RAPIDS FROM I AND VI.

I IS THE EASIEST.

BIG PINEY IS II AND III.

WE'RE FIXING TO GET INTO THE MOST CHALLENGING RAPIDS.

IT'S THE ONE THEY CALL THE MOTHER UP HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.

>> AND IT'S ONE RAPID THAT CAN GET THE BEST OF THEM.

>> HE WIPED OUT.

-BIG PINEY IS NOT -- >> THE BIG PINEY IS NOT EXACTLY FOR BEGINNERS.

>> NO, IT'S NOT REALLY.

LIKE THE BUFFALO...

THE LOWER INTO THE BUFFALO IS A I.

CLASS II AND III IS FOR EXPERIENCED PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WHO THAT HAVE PADDLED BEFORE AT LEAST.

PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME HOW COME I DON'T DO ANY MORE ADVERTISING THAN I DO, AND I TELL THEM THAT REALLY IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY.

IT'S FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE PADDLED QUITE A BIT AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIGGER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE PADDLED.

>> USUALLY 3 TO 3.5 FEET OF WATER IS THE AVERAGE SAFE LEVEL.

>> IT'S REALLY FOR THE PUBLIC, ABOUT 3 OR 3.5 FEET IS GOOD.

4.5 STARTS GETTING PRETTY FAST, AND LIKE I SAID, WE TURN IT OFF AT 5 FEET.

THERE'S NOBODY THAT SAYS WE CAN'T RENT THEM, BUT IT'S JUST FOR BEING SAFE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

THAT'S WHERE I RENT MY BOATS.

>> OKAY.

WE JUST WENT THROUGH... WHAT WERE THESE RAPIDS NOW?

>> THIS ONE'S...

THERE'S REALLY NO NAME FOR THIS ONE.

WE CALL IT KIND OF WAVE TRAIN.

THE NEXT ONE IS SURFING UP HERE.

THIS IS A CLASS III RAPID.

>> TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HANDLING OF A RAFT LIKE THAT.

THIS IS BASICALLY THE KIND THEY USE ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

>> WELL, IT'S SIMILAR DESIGN, BUT THEY USE A LOT BIGGER RAFT.

THIS IS 13.5-STAR RAFT.

IT'S A SELF-BAILER.

ANY WATER GETS IN IT, IT RUNS RIGHT BACK AT YOU.

WE DON'T HAVE TO BAIL IT AFTER EVERY RAMP IT'S AN OIL RIG.

AND PEOPLE SEE AN OIL RIG AND THEY THINK IT'S REAL HARD TO DO.

IT TAKES A LOT OF STRENGTH AND STUFF, BUT IT DOESN'T.

JUST ENOUGH TO MOVE THE OARS THROUGH THE WATER.

>> WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU... WELL, FOR A NOVICE, EXPLAIN THE BASIC TECHNIQUE YOU USE TO GO THROUGH A RAPID.

>> WITH THE WAY WE WERE DOING IT, WE CALL IT RUSHING A RAPID.

THAT'S WHEN YOU GO FORWARD, AND RUSHING A RAPID.

THERE'S USUALLY THE WAY YOU GO THROUGH THE RAPID.

WHEN YOU GET INTO THE POOL, YOU TURN AROUND AND ROW LIKE YOU DO AN OLD FLAT-BOTTOM ROBOT.

WHEN YOU RUN THE RAPIDS, YOU TURN AROUND AND GO FORWARD, AND YOU CALL IT RUSHING A RAPID.

>> YOU GOT TO LOVE IT HERE, DON'T YOU?

>> YOU KNOW, I THANK THE GOOD LORD EVERY DAY I LIVE WHERE I DO.

NO DOUBT.

>> ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE SCENERY WE'VE SEEN, LIKE THE WATERFALLS AND EVERYTHING HERE.

>> IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT DRIVE FROM A LONG DISTANCE TO GET TO BIG PINEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE STATE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO SET UP YOUR OWN RAFTING EXPEDITION ON THE BIG PINEY, GET IN TOUCH WITH MOORE OUTDOORS NEAR DOVER, OR CHECK OUT THE STATE'S LARGEST TREE IN THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AT ST. CHARLES, AND IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF GROTTO CLUB AND WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE SOME OF THOSE WILD CAVES IN THE BUFFALO RIVER AREA, SUCH AS BEAUTY CAVE, CONTACT THE BUFFALO RIVER OFFICE IN HARRISON TO OBTAIN A PERMIT.

FOR MORE INFO ON THESE AND OTHER DESTINATIONS OR TO ORDER EAR COPY OF A PROGRAM, VISIT OUR WEB SITE AETN.

.ORG/EXPLORINGARKANSAS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON "EXPLORING ARKANSAS."