>> THE KINGS RIVER SOUTH OF EUREKA SPRINGS NEAR BARRYVILLE, IT'S ONE OF THOSE ENCHANTING OZARK MOUNTAIN STREAMS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE'LL TAKE YOU ON A FLOAT TRIP IN THE UPPER PORTION.

THEN WE'LL CHECK OUT ALL THE NEAT WATERFALLS IN THE LEATHERWOOD WILDERNESS AREA NEAR BIG FLAT.

WE'LL CLOSE IT OUT WITH A SPECIAL LOOK AT HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK.

SO NOW, LET'S HEAD ON DOWN THE RIVER.

ORIGINATING IN THE BOSTON MOUNTAINS OF THE OTHER SGLASHING NATIONAL FOREST NEAR THE TOWN OF BOSTON, THE KINGS RIVER MEANDERS NORTHWARD FOR 90 MILES BEFORE ENTERING INTO TABLE ROCK LAKE AT THE MISSOURI STATE LINE.

A TRADITIONAL FLOAT TRIP AND THE ONE WE DECIDED TO TAKE ALONG WITH ANOTHER GROUP IS AN 11-MILE STRETCH BETWEEN MARBLE AND MARSHALL FORD, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE MORE IMPRESSIVE FEATURES OF THIS RIVER, SUCH AS WATERFALLS AND SCENIC TOWERING BLUFFS.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST TREASURES THAT THE STATE OF ARKANSAS HAS IS ITS RIVERS, AND THERE ARE MORE PROBABLY USE USER-FRIENDLY RIVERS THAN AN ANYWHERE AROUND HERE, RIVERS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET IN, BE ONE WITH.

THE RIVERS UP IN NORTHEAST ARE REALLY COLD.

ONES OUT WEST, SNOW MELT.

HERE YOU ACTUALLY CAN JUST GET IN THIS RIVER IF YOU WANT AND JUST FLOAT ALONG WITH A LIFER JACKET.

IT'S NICE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT TOO MANY THINGS.

IT'S JUST -- THE BEAUTY, THE SCENERY, VERY OLD MOUNTAINS WITH A RIVER RUNNING THROUGH I IT.

>> NOT TO MENTION LITTLE SMAL SMALL-MOUTH BASS ACTION, HUH?

>> SOME GREAT WORLD-CLASS.

THERE ARE SOME NICE FISH IN HERE.

AND THEN THE REGULATIONS HAVE REALLY HELPED IT A LOT.

MOST OF THE RIVERS, ONE TREE FOE SECTION, 12 MILE SECTION, WHERE IT'S ONE ADA 18.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WHOLE RIVER.

IT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE IN THE LONG RUN.

>> ERNIE KILMAN HAS OPERATED KINGS RIVER OUTFITTERS SINCE 1996.

HE COMPARES A FLOAT TRIP ON THE KINGS SIMILAR TO ONE ON THE BUFFALO BACK DURING THE EARLY YEARS.

>> THE WATER QUALITY, THE LACK OF BIG CROWDS, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A NEW DISCOVERY ALL THE TIME.

IT MAY NOT HAVE THE BIGGEST FLUFFS IN THE STATE OR THE LONGEST BLUFFS, BUT IT'S GOT SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE COLORED AND CARVED BLUFFS, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS STRETCH OF RIVER.

SO IT'S LIKE THE OLD DAYS.

>> THIS IS A LITTLE OVER 11 MILES, THIS PARTICULAR STRETCH THAT WE'RE ON IN THE UPPER PORTION, AND OF COURSE, IF TIME IS NOT OF ANY CONCERN, TAKES WHAT, SIX, SEVEN HOURS?

>> YEAH, THREE DAYS.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, THREE DAYS.

YOU CAN CATCH IT AT THIS LEVEL WE ARE RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE ABOUT SEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT THROUGH, STOPPING ONCE OR TWIC TWICE.

THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS 11-MILE STRETCH, THOUGH, IS AN OVERNIGHT STRETCH, THAT WAY YOU CAN GO HALFWAY THROUGH, TAKE IT EASY, CAMP, TAKE IT THROUGH THE NEXT DAY OUT TO MARSHALL FORD.

>> ERNIE'S LOVE FOR THIS RIVER EXTENDS INTO HIS PAINTINGS, WHICH HE WAS ACTUALLY DOING FIRST BEFORE GETTING INTO THE OUTFITTING BUSINESS.

>> I'VE BEEN PAINTING PROBABLY 35, 40 YEARS, OILS, AND MY LOVE'S ALWAYS BEEN RIVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET EXPOSED TO FLOATING IN THE BUFFALO RIVER IN THE '60s, AND I'VE BEEN FLOATING EVERYWHERE SINCE, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DRAW, AND STARTED DOING SOME ARTWORK, AND IT WORKED.

I MEAN, PEOPLE STARTED, YOU KNOW -- I DID IT FOR MYSELF.

I DIDN'T DO IT TO SELL TO BEGIN WITH.

ALL OF A SUDDEN IT MUSHROOMED.

FIRST YEAR I PAINTED, I SOLD 90 PAINTINGS.

IT'S JUST TAKEN OFF FROM THERE.

MAINLY WHAT I DO IS AN IMPRESSIONISTIC REALISM.

PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AND GO, OH, THIS IS A REALISTIC PAINTING.

IT'S REALLY MY IMPRESSION OF THE RIVER.

SOMETIMES I TAKE A LITTLE EASEL, A TRIPOD YOU CAN TAKE OUTDOORS, FLOAT DOWN THE RIVER, PULL OVER IN CERTAIN SPOTS, SET UP AND PAINT.

I HAVE A LITTLE BOX CARRY WET CANVASES IN SO I CAN DO THAT.

NICE THING ABOUT OIL PAINT IS IT'S WATERPROOF.

EASEL'S BEEN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER THREE OR FOUR TIMES TOO.

IT STILL WORKS.

>> YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING WHAT A TRIP DOWN A RIVER CAN INSPIRE YOU TO DO.

IT CAN EVEN MOVE ONE TO WRITE AND SING A SONG.

>> I GOT MY GUITAR, I GOT MY DOG LET'S GO EXPLORE ARKANSAS ♪ OZARK HILLS OVER MOUNTAIN VIEW HOT SPRINGS, LAKE, A MILLION THINGS WE CAN DO ♪ LOAD UP THE WIFE LOAD UP THE KIDS MIGHT BE THE BEST THING WE EVER DID.

♪FUN TO BE HAD BY ONE AND ALL.

LET'S GO EXPLORE ARKANSAS.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE THE PRETTIEST THING I EVER SEEN.

ARKANSAS, I MIGHT NOT EVER LEAVE.

♪SO COME ONE AND COME ALL.

LET'S GO EXPLORE ARKANSAS.

I SAID LET'S GO EXPLORE ARKANSAS ♪ >> HEY.

THERE'S OUR NEW THEME SONG.

THE LEATHERWOOD WILDERNESS AREA NEAR BIG FLAT, TO SAY THAT THIS IS A REAL NEAT PLACE WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE ENCHANTED AREAS DEEP IN THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST.

PLENTY OF WATERFALLS AND MA MAYTURE GALORE.

LET'S GO AND EXPLORE.

THE LEATHERWOOD WILDERNESS AREA IS JUST NORTH OF BIG FLAT ALONG HIGHWAY 341, ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH OF MOUNTAIN HOME, WITH THE BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER TO THE WEST.

DESIGNATED BY THE 1984 ARKANSAS WILDERNESS ACT, LEATHERWOOD IS LOCATED ON THE SILL WILL A MOTHER RANGER -- SYLAMORE RANG RANGER DISTRICT.

THIS ENTIRE REGION IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LARGEST, MOST REMOTE WILDERNESS SYSTEMS IN THE NATURAL STATE.

THIS WILDERNESS AREA IS NAMED AFTER LEATHERWOOD CREEK, WHICH IS THE AREA'S MAJOR DRAINAGE.

LEATHERWOOD CREEK, IN TURN, WAS NAMED AFTER THE NATIVE PLANT LEATHERWOOD, WHICH IS FOUND THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE OZARK REGION.

IN ALL, THERE ARE SIX CREEKS WITHIN THE LEATHERWOOD WILDERNESS WHICH ARE SEPARATED BY SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, HIGH, RUGGED RIDGETOPS IN THE OZARKS.

THE FIRST COUPLE OF WATERFALLS THAT WE EXPLORED ARE ACTUALLY JUST TO THE EAST OF THE WILDERNESS AREA OFF HIGHWAY 34 341.

AT 8.3 MILES NORTH OF HIGHWAY 14, A NARROW, UNMARKED DIRT ROAD ON THE RIGHT ENDS AT A SMALL OPEN FIELD AFTER 4/10 OF A MILE.

FROM THERE, IT'S ON FOOT FOR ANOTHER 3/10 OF A MILE ON AN OLD ATV TRAIL WHICH EVENTUALLY WILL VEER OFF TO THE RIGHT, ENDING UP AT THE TWO FALLS.

THE WATERFALL TO YOUR IMMEDIATE LEFT CASCADES ABOUT 14 TO 15 FEET BEFORE FALLING DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BLUFF LINE.

ABOUT 50 FEET OR SO TO THE RIGHT IS THE OTHER TALLER FALL FALLS, AND A BIT MORE ROBUST, TO SAY THE LEAST.

AFTER YOU GET YOUR FILL OF THESE TWO FALLS, YOU CAN HEAD BACK UP NORTH ON HIGHWAY 341 FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE JUST TO THE OTHER SIDE OF A GUARDRAIL ON YOUR LEFT.

THERE A TRAIL WILL LEAD YOU DOWN INTO THE LEATHERWOOD WILDERNESS TO A SMALL CREEK.

JUST FOLLOW THAT CREEK TO THE LEFT, AND YOU'LL FIRST COME TO ONE WATERFALL ON THE RIGHT AND THEN ANOTHER FARTHER ALONG THE BLUFF LINE.

AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO HIKE ANOTHER 50 YARDS OR SO UP THE BLUFF LINE, WHERE YOU'LL COME UPON A BLUFF SHELTER THAT YOU CAN ALSO EXPLORE.

REMEMBER TO PLEASE HELP PRESERVE OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE BY LEAVING ANY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL REMAINS UNDISTURBED AND BY REPORTING ANY DISCOVERIES TO THE LOCAL RANGER DISTRICT.

IN ADDITION, PLEASE FOLLOW THE "LEAVE NO TRACE" GUIDELINES.

IF YOU PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT.

OF COURSE, A FREE WATERFALL SHOWER HERE IS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE.

HOT SPRINGS.

TWO WORDS WITH CENTURIES OF MEANING.

THESE ARE THE SPRINGS, AND YES, THEY ARE HOT, 143 DEGREES HOT, AND 4,000 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

BUT WE'LL GET INTO THAT LATER.

THIS REGION WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST FEDERALLY PROTECTED AREA IN 1832, 40 YEARS PRIOR TO YELLOWSTONE.

SO LET'S BEGIN OUR EXPLORATION IN WHAT'S BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE VALLEY OF VAPORS AND THE AMERICAN SPA, HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK.

BEFORE HOT SPRINGS -- THE CITY, THAT IS, OF HOT SPRINGS -- EXISTED, THIS ENTIRE AREA WAS VASTLY DIFFERENT.

IF YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE 47 OR SO OPEN HOT SPRINGS AND ALL THE STEAM EMITTING FROM THEM, IT'S NO WONDER WHY THIS UNIQUE VALLEY WAS CALLED THE VALLEY OF VAPORS.

IF THERE EVER WAS A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, THIS HAD TO BE IT.

IT'S ALSO NO WONDER WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 1832 TOOK AN UNPRECEDENTED STEP SETTING ASIDE THIS AREA AS THE FIRST U.S.

RESERVATION CREATED SOLELY TO PROTECT A NATURAL RESOURCE.

THE OLDEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE CONSIDERED RELIABLE BY RESEARCHERS AS FAR AS AMERICAN INDIANS USING THE HOT SPRINGS DATES BACK TO 1771, BUT NATIVE AMERICANS DID OCCUPY THE LAND INCLUDED WITHIN THE PARK BOUNDARIES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 3,000 YEARS AGO.

THEY QUARRIED NOVACULITE HERE AS RAW MATERIAL FOR STONE TOOL TOOLS.

WATER IS STILL THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF WHY VISITORS COME TO HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK.

AND BE THAT AS IT MAY, THERE IS STILL THE BELIEF WITH SOME THAT THE TRACES OF MINERALS AND AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 143 DEGREES GIVE THESE WATERS WHATEVER THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES THEY MAY HAVE.

BUT THE HOT SPRINGS DID NOT BECOME HOT OVERNIGHT.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE FOR US THAT THIS WATER IS, WHAT, 4,000 YEARS OLD?

>> THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT, CHUCK.

BASICALLY, WHAT THE SCIENTISTS TELL US IS THAT IT TAKES ABOUT 4,000 YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE CENTURIES, FOR THE WATER TO COME DOWN AS RAIN, CIRCULATE INTO THE EARTH, GO TO DEPTHS OF ABOUT TEN MILES, AND THEN, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, COME UP THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE EARTH.

AS IT COMES UP, IT HEATS UP, AND SO BY THE TIME THAT IT GETS TO SURFACE IN THE GENERAL AREA OF BATHHOUSE ROAD, WE GET 47 HOT SPRINGS, WATER THAT IS ON AVERAGE 143 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND GOOD FOR BATHING AND DRINKING.

>> BATHHOUSE ROAD DID NOT ALWAYS LOOK LIKE IT DOES TODAY.

IN FACT, THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT FOUR GENERATIONS OF BATHHOUSES.

THE FIRST WERE CRUDE WOODEN SHACK-LIKE STRUCTURES WHICH FREQUENTLY BURNED OR ROTTED DUE TO THE CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO WATER AND STEAM.

BY 1921, WHEN THE HOT SPRINGS RESERVATION FINALLY BECAME THE 18th NATIONAL PARK, MONUMENTAL BATHHOUSES WERE BUILT TO CATER TO THE CROWDS OF HEALTH SEEKERS WHO FLOCKED TO THE AMERICAN SPA AT MORE THAN A MILLION A YEAR.

THESE NEW ESTABLISHMENTS SPARED NO EXPENSE TO MAKE SURE BATHERS WOULD BE PAMPERED AMIDST ARTFUL SURROUNDINGS.

IT WAS, INDEED, THE GOLDEN AGE OF BATHING.

AS MODERN MEDICINE BEGAN CURING WHAT THE HOT SPRINGS COULD NOT, THE BATHING BUSINESS STARTED DECLINING DURING THE 1950s.

THE BATHHOUSES EVENTUALLY CLOSED THEIR DOORS AND FELL INTO DISREPAIR.

DURING THE 1980s, LOCAL CITIZENS AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BEGAN SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO BRING BACK THE BATHHOUSES TO THEIR ORIGINAL SPLENDOR AND PURPOSE.

FINALLY, IN 2004, THE PARK RECEIVED THE FIRST OF SEVERAL APPROPRIATIONS TO REHABILITATE THE VACANT BATHHOUSES AND MAKE THEM LEASABLE.

TODAY THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR LEASE UNDER THE HISTORIC PROPERTY LEASING PROGRAM.

SUPERINTENDENT JOSIE FERNANDEZ REFERS TO IT AS THE RENAISSANCE OF BATHHOUSE ROW.

>> I LIKE TO CALL IT THAT WAY BECAUSE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE BATHING INDUSTRY STARTED TO GO INTO DECLINE, IF YOU WILL.

PEOPLE COULD STAY HOME, POP A PILL FOR MEDICINE, GET AN X-RAY OR SUCH, AND PEOPLE STOPPED COMING IN THE NUMBERS THAT THEY USED TO COME TO HOT SPRINGS.

HOWEVER, NOW PEOPLE KNOW THAT CLEANLINESS AND GOOD EATING HABITS AND EXERCISING IS GOOD FOR YOU, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS ARE BEGINNING TO BE RESTORED AND REOCCUPIED BY BUSINESSES THAT BELIEVE IN THAT PHILOSOPHY.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, LAST SUMMER, THE QUAPAW BATHHOUSE, WHICH WE OPENED, AND QUAPAW BATH AND SPA IS NOW OFFERING MODERN-DAY SPA ACTIVITIES IN AN HISTORIC SETTING BUT WITH A MODERN FLAVOR.

AND PEOPLE CAN ONCE AGAIN TAKE A BATH AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.

OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAVE THE BUCKSTAFF BATHHOUSE, AND THAT STILL OFFERS THE VISITORS THE TRADITIONAL BATHING EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE USED TO ENJOY.

>> AFTER YOU REVITALIZE YOURSELF WITH A BATH OR MAYBE A MASSAGE, YOU MAY WANT TO TRY OUT A PORTION OF THE 26 MILES OF HIKING TRAILS THAT ARE WITHIN THE PARK.

>> THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DIFFICULTY, AND SOME OF THE TRAILS THEMSELVES WERE DESIGNED BY A MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM GERMANY -- I BELIEVE IT WAS GERMANY -- DR. ORTEL, WHO DESIGNED THE TRAILS TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE INFIRM THAT USED TO COME TO HOT SPRINGS TO TAKE THE BATHS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT AT THE BEGINNINGS OF THE HOT SPRINGS RESERVATION AND HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, THE BATHS WERE PRESCRIBED BY MEDICAL DOCTORS, SO IF YOU CAME WITH A LIVER AILMENT OR SOME SUCH THING, YOU WOULD BE LIKELY TO BE PRESCRIBED SAID NUMBER OF BATHS AND A NUMBERED OR COLORED TRAIL.

SO THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE USED TO BELIEVE, THAT TAKING THE BATHS AND DOING EXERCISE HERE COULD POTENTIALLY CURE YOU OF WHATEVER AILD YOU.

SO -- BUT THE TRAILS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, AND WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ENJOY THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE FOR THEM, AND WALKING IS GOOD EXERCISE FOR EVERYONE.

>> SUCH AS ALONG THE GRAND PROMENADE HERE.

>> SUCH AS ALONG THE GRAND PROMENADE AND IN FRONT OF BATHHOUSE ROW.

IN FACT, GENERALLY DURING LUNCHTIME, YOU SEE A LOT OF THE LOCALS WALKING ONE SIDE, MAKING THE LOOP, CLOSING IT IN THE OTHER WAY, THEN GOING BACK TO WORK.

>> THE TRAIL THAT WE TOOK THIS PARTICULAR DAY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, THE GOAT ROCK TRAIL, WHICH STARTS OUT FROM THE OVERLOOK ON NORTH MOUNTAIN, BACKTRACK DOWN THE ROAD A BIT TO WHERE THE TRAILHEAD SIGN IS LOCATED.

FROM THERE, IT'S AN EASY HIKE WHICH WILL TAKE YOU DOWN BELOW THE OVERLOOK.

THE TRAIL WILL FIRST OPEN UP INTO FLOWERY GLADES, OFFERING SOME GREAT WILDFLOWER PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES.

FOLLOWING A COUPLE OF SWITC SWITCH-BACKS, THE TRAIL DOES BECOME A LITTLE UNEVEN AND ROCKY.

AFTER ABOUT SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET, YOU'LL PASS BENEATH HUGE NOVACULITE BOLDERS.

HERE, GOAT ROCK ITSELF WILL BE 40 FEET ABOVE YOU.

A TRAIL SIGN INDICATES A ROCK STAIRWAY, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU TO THE OVERLOOK ATOP GOAT ROCK.

THE SIGHTS HERE OFFER SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF INDIAN MOUNTAIN, AND YOU PROBABLY WILL WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME TO TAKE IT ALL IN.

BEFORE LEAVING THE PARK, BE SURE TO STOP BY THE RANGER'S STATION AT GULPHA GORGE CAMPGROUND AND CHECK OUT HELEN STANNARD'S PAINTING OF GOAT LOCK OVERLOOK.

SO TEST OUT THE WATERS FOR YOURSELF AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S HERE AT HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, AND FOR MORE ON THIS DESTINATION AND MANY OF OUR OTHERS AND TO VIEW OUR MAPS OR TO ORDER A COPY OF AN EPISODE, VISIT OUR WEBSITE, AETN.ORG/EXPLORINGARKANSAS.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN THE NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON EXPLORING ARKANSAS.