>> IF YOU NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND EXPERIENCE THE GRAND CANYON DON'T DESPAIR BECAUSE HERE IN THE NATURAL STATE SOUTH OF JASPER IS ARKANSAS' GRAND CANYON.

THIS IS NESTLED IN THE SO-CALLED BOSTON MOUNTAIN ALONG SCENIC BYWAY NEAR JASPER AND ELEVATION OF 2300 FEET.

>> THEY'RE CALLED THE BOSTON MOUNTAIN BECAUSE WHEN THE WAGONS CAME IT WAS FINE AND LOOKED IN THE UPPER COUNTRY THEY SAW THE BOSTON MOUNTAIN AND MEANING REALLY BIG MOUNTAINS SO IT STUCK AND THE CANYON IS ABOUT 40 MILES WIDE.

THE RIVER COMES OUT BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE DIFFERENT SHADOWS THAT YOU CAN TELL.

JASPER IS DOWN THERE.

THE OTHER MOUNTAIN IS THERE AND THE BIG BLUFF IS AROUND SHERMAN AND THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN AND THE RIVERS RUN OUT TO THIS GROUP OVER HERE AND JOIN JUST ABOUT THERE AND THEY GO DOWN HERE TO HASTING AND OVER THERE IS A PLACE OR TWO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE BLUFFS BY THE RIVER AND FOR THE MOST PART THE RIVER IS UNDER GROUND AND INVISIBLE ON THE SIGN I SAY IT'S HIDDEN AND LOST AND WHAT DID YOU MEAN?

IT'S LOST AND YOU HAVE TO JUST SEE IT AND THE TOWER WE BUILT BECAUSE THERE WAS A NEIGHBOR WITH A BUSINESS THERE AND HAD A WATER TANK AND HAD A SELF BUILT TOWER AND PEOPLE LOVED IT SO I HAD TO BUILD ONE TO COMPETE AND I BUILT A BIGGER AND BETTER ONE AND IT'S WORRISOME AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT IT AND IT'S A LIABILITY AND I ALWAYS CARRIED INSURANCE ON IT AND MAINTAINED IT AND ONE YEAR WE WILL HAVE TO GIVE IT UP BUT I WOULD SAY A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE CLIMBED UP AND IT'S HARD TO RESIST FOR A FAMILY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND IT'S A BETTER VIEW UP THERE.

>> ORIGINALLY FROM MICHIGAN GEORGE ALBERT WOUND UP HERE OWNING THE SCENIC POINT GIFT SHOP AND OBSERVATION TOWER BY TAKING A WRONG TURN ON THE ROAD BACK DURING THE MID-1970'S.

>> IT WAS EARLY MARCH AND WHEN WE GOT UP TO THIS COUNTRY AND MY WIFE AND I WANTED TO LIVE IN MOUNTAINS BECAUSE OF SOUTHERN MICHIGAN WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHEN THE STORM CAME SHE WOULD LOOK UP IN THE BANK AND WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL IF THERE ARE MOUNTAIN AND THERE AREN'T AND WE WERE BROWN AT BLUE RIDGE AND STOPPED AT JASPER AND OF COURSE IN THOSE DAYS 74 WAS DIRT SO IT I WAS WAY OFF BY ITSELF AND I HAD A ROAD THAT WAS TOO STEEP TO GO UP AND DOWN AND I LIKED IT OVER HERE BECAUSE OF THE VIEW.

IT WAS SOMETHING IN MY HEART I KNEW IT WHEN I SAW IT -- KIND OF LIKE YOU KNOW YOUR WIFE WHEN YOU SEE HER FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I DID.

I KNEW MY WIFE THAT WAY, SO I WENT ON TO MINNESOTA AND BOUGHT A FARM UP THERE AND BROUGHT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN ON AND THEY LOVED IT HERE AND IT WAS MIDDLE OF APRIL IT WAS FROZEN AND NOT FAR FROM NORTH DAKOTA AND SHE SAID I'M NOT LIVING HERE AND SHE WAS RIGHT AND WE HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

>> SO ON A GOOD CLEAR DAY HOW FAR CAN ONE SEE FROM UP HERE?

>> 40 MILES.

>> YEAH?

>> YEAH AND THE LIGHTS ARE SHOWING UP NOW AND HARRISON AND OUT THAT WAY AND YOU CAN SEE INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI HERE.

THEY STOPPED THE TRAIN AT SILVER DOLLAR CITY AND THOSE ARE THE MOUNTAINS IN ARKANSAS SO WE LOOK BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER.

>> JUST A COUPLE MILES OR SO FART SOUTH DOWN THE BYWAY IS THE CLIFF HOUSE INN & RESTAURANT OFFERING LODGING AND DINING WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF ARKANSAS' GRAND CANYON .

SO WHAT DO TOURISTS THINK OF ARKANSAS' GRAND CANYON?

>> I LOVE IT.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING.

I COULD LIVE HERE IN A HEARTBEAT.

FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN BEEN TO ARKANSAS.

WE'RE HEADING TO GO DIAMOND MINING AND TONIGHT WE'RE PLANNING ON STAYING AT HOT SPRINGS.

>> ARKANSAS HAS AN AWFULLY LOT OF SCENIC AND BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING.

IT'S NICE.

AND WE'RE GLAD THAT WE MADE THIS PART OF ARKANSAS.

>> HAVE YOU SEEN THE REAL GRAND CANYON BY ANY CHANCE?

>> YES WE DID, LAST SUMMER.

>> THIS CANYON IS A LITTLE GREENER.

>> IT IS.

NOTICEABLY GREENING AND WE WENT IN JUNE WHEN IT WAS PERFECTLY TO GET AHEAD OF THE HEAT WHICH WE DID, BUT QUITE A CONTRAST IN SCENERY, AND COLORADO OF COURSE -- WE LIKE COLORADO.

BUT THE GRAND CANYON YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT, AND THERE'S -- YOU DON'T HAVE A BIT OF SHAME FOR HERE.

>> NOT TOO SHABBY HERE.

>> NO, NOT AT ALL.

YEAH, WE LIKE IT.

>> AFTER FLOATING JUST ABOUT EVERY STREAM THERE IS TO FLOAT IN THE STATE FINALLY ON THIS PARTICULAR OUTING WE GOT AROUND TO DOING A TRIP ON THE EVER POPULAR MULBERRY AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

ACTUALLY WE WERE INVITED TO FLOAT THE MULBERRY BY THE GIRL AHEAD OF ME, COURTNEY KING DOUDNA WHO IS AN OUT DOOR REC SPECIALISTS AND HER HUSBAND BEN WHO CAME ALONG TO DO SOME FISHING.

>> GENERALLY I HAVE MORE LUCK WHEN IT'S LOWER AND YOU'RE DRAGGING AND 1.5 AND LOWER THAN THAT ACTUALLY BUT TODAY I THINK WE WILL CATCH SOME.

I THINK THE RIVER IS AT 2.7 AND FLOWING GOOD BUT I LIKE TO USE ROD AND REAL, SPINNING ROD AND A CASTER HERE AND TODAY I HAVE FISHING WITH A HAIR JIG AND WITH THE TRAILER AND MIMICS A CRAWFISH AND I AM FISHING WITH A STAND UP GIG HEAD AND A CENTIPEDE THERE.

SOME CALL IT A FRENCH FRY AND OTHER CALLS IT A CENTIPEDE AND WITH THE JIGGER AND I HAVE CAUGHT 5-POUNDERS WITH THAT RIG RIGHT THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND IT'S ABOUT THE GIST OF IT.

I AM A WORM GUY AND I DON'T DO THE BATES BECAUSE I TEND TO GET THEM CAUGHT IN THE TREES AND SPEND TIME UNHANGING THEM.

>> GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS TO TRANSITION TO KAYAK FISHING COMPARED TO OTHER FISHING.

>> I AM FROM EASTERN ARKANSAS AND USED TO FISHING OUT OF BOATS AND MUDDY RIVER SO I DID TRANSITIONING OVER THE YEARS AND CLEAR WATER AND WE WERE FISHING OUT OF CANOES REGULARLY AND I HAVE THE KAYAK YEARS AGO AND IT'S IN MY BLOOD.

I DON'T THINK I WILL CHARGE ANOTHER BATTERY WITH THE MOTOR.

THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO DO.

>> OUTDOOR GUIDE CHRIS ROBERTSON ALSO JOINED US TO FLY FISH FOR SMALL MOUTH BASS.

>> I STARTED OUT FLY FISHING ON THE RIVERS FOR TROUT AND CAME OUT HERE A LITTLE BIT AND FISHED WITH SOME FLIES AND TALKED TO SOME OF THE GUYS THAT WERE FISHING THE GIG BATES AND STUFF WITH THE REGULAR FISHING POLE AND SWITCHED TO DIFFERENT TYPE OF FLY THAT'S THIS POPPER THAT SITS ON TOP OF THE WATER, SO THIS TIME OF YEAR A LOT OF THE BASS, THE LARGE AND SMALL MOUTH BASS WILL ACTUALLY HIT ON TOP OF THE WATER SO WE FISH WITH WITH THE FLY ROD AND THEY WILL GET IT AND THERE IS EXCITEMENT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE FISH HIT ON THE FLY AND AT THAT POINT YOU JERK BACK AND FIGHT WITH THEM AND GET THEM IN.

>> SEEM TO HAVE NO PROBLEM MANEUVERING THAT ROD IN A KAYAK.

>> I HAVE STUCK IT IN TREES MANY TIMES, BROKE TWO POLES AND THE LESSONS -- YEAH, THE FINANCIAL LESSONS TEACH YOU BUT I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ON THE MULBERRY FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.

THERE ARE LOCALS THAT DO FISH AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT FISH IN THE RIVER AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO PULL IDENTITY A LARGE BASS.

>> UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE AT THE MOMENT TO PULL OUT FOR YOU.

>> THE RIVER OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY YEAR ROUND.

YOU CAN PADDLE -- MOST FOLKS COME IN THE SPRING WHEN WE HAVE MORE WATER BUT YOU CAN PADDLE IN THE SUMMER.

THERE ARE POOLS OF WATER THAT ARE GREAT FIDUCIARY FISHING -- GREAT FOR FISHING AND SWIMMING AND IF WE GET A STORM IN THE WINTER IT'S BEAUTIFUL BEING ON THE RIVER.

THERE ARE GREAT ACTIVITIES ON THE RIVER AND CLIMBING AND GOOD MOUNTAIN BIKING AND CAMPING AND BACKPACKING ON THE RIRCH BEHIND US AND STARTING TO SEE AVIATION ACTIVITY AS WELL.

>> AND WE HAVE OUR OUT DOOR EXPERT AND WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS CALLED A "ARKANSAS STUPID".

>> READY.

>> IT'S CALLED AN "ARKANSAS STUPID" FOR GOOD REASON.

ZEN BOULDEN IS A PROFESSIONAL AND GOING OFF THE BLUFF IN A KAYAK SHOULDN'T BE ATTEMPTED EVEN BY THE MOST EXPERIENCED KAYAKERS.

IF YOU EVER FLOATED THE MULBERRY THEN YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE STONES ALONG THE RIVERBANK.

WELL COURTNEY INSISTED I CONTRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE STACKS.

>> OH NO.

NOW, I'M IN TROUBLE.

>> YOU SURE ARE.

>> THIS WAS NOT THERE.

>> YES IT WAS.

>> NO, IT WASN'T.

>> I AM ACTUALLY AN OUTDOOR RECREATION MAJOR AT U OF A AND WE SAT DOWN AND LOOKED AT A MAP TOGETHER AND DETERMINED THIS WAS THE AREA WE WANTED TO LOCATE OURSELVES AND THE MULBERRY AND THE KINGS RIVER AND THE HIKING TRAILS AND THIS WAS OUR LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN.

>> SO WHY DO YOU ENJOY THE MULBERRY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

>> THE RIVERS HAVE THEIR UNIQUE FEATURES THIS HAS MORE ACTION THAN THE OTHER RIVERS.

THE SCENERY IS EQUAL TO THE BUFFALO RIVER BUT HAS MORE RAPIDS AND THINGS I ENJOY THE EXCITEMENT OF THE RIVER.

>> AT THE END OF OUR FLOAT AT THE REDDING RECREATION AREA AND CAMP SITE ZEN BOULDEN HAD TO DO IT AGAIN WITH ANOTHER "ARKANSAS STUPID".

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> SO DON'T DO THAT AT HOME OR THIS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED.

I GUESS THEY DON'T FLOAT DO THEY?

WELL, WE HAVE RUN ACROSS UNUSUAL TRAIL BIKE NAMES IN THE PAST YEARS AND ADD ONE MORE.

EARTHQUAKE RIDGE TRAIL NORTH OF MENA.

A LOT OF INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS ONE SO LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

TEAMING UP WITH MEMBERS OF THE OUACHITA CYCLING CLUB WE STARTED OUT ON THE TRAIL OF THE VISITOR STATION 2 MILES NORTH OF MENA.

THE TRAIL PARALLELS THE TALIMENA SCENIC BYWAY ON RIDGE MOUNTAIN.

>> THE TRAIL GOT ITS NAME BY A UNIQUE ROCK FORMATION ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF US AND THE TRAIL EARTHQUAKE RIDGE TRAIL IS MADE UP OF LOOPS AND THOSE THAT WANT A CHALLENGE SHOULD GO ON THESE LOOPS.

>> AND IF IT'S ALL TOGETHER IT'S OVER 6-MILES.

>> YEAH.

APPROXIMATELY CLOSE TO 7 MILES.

>> ALTHOUGH THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OFF THE TRAIL IT'S REALLY WORTH WHILE COMING TO CHECK IT OUT.

THERE IS THIS CHEFACE AND A FEW OTHERS.

>> IT GOES UP THE HILL.

>> YEAH, IT GOES UP THE HILL AND IT'S AN EASY WALK AND NOT OVER GROWN OR ANYTHING AND 15 YEARS AGO WE WERE CLIMBING THIS ROCKS -- ME AND A BUDDY, BUT THIS AND ANOTHER STRUCTURE FURTHER UP.

I AM PRESUMING IT'S ALL PART OF THE EARTHQUAKE RIDGE AND THE CREVICE AND THE CLIFF SIDE UP FURTHER AND THUS THE EARTHQUAKE RIDGE TRAIL.

>> WE HAVE WEEKLY RIDES HERE ON THE TRAIL AND I FIND THAT WHEN I FIRST START RIDING THE COURSE IN THE SPRING THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND I END UP PUSHING MY BIKE A LOT BUT AS SPRING AND SUMMER GOES ON I GET A LOT BETTER AT DOING SOME OF THE ROCKS AND THE ROUTES AND SWITCHBACKS SO I MEAN IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.

IF YOU CAN RIDE THIS COURSE YOU CAN PROBABLY RIDE ANY COURSE IN ARKANSAS.

>> PEOPLE THAT RIDE IT CAN ENJOY A VARIETY OF WILDLIFE AND ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE, OR PLANT SPECIES, AND ALSO ON THE SOUTHERN LOOP IN THE SPRINGTIME PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL DOG WOOD BLOOMS.

>> AND OF COURSE IN THE AUTUMN ALL OF THE FALL COLORS.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S WHEN WE GET THE MOST USE ON THE TRAILS IS IN OCTOBER.

>> IT WAS IN 1902 WHEN THE IRON HORSE BEGAN ROLLING THROUGH ST. JOE.

THE ST. JOE TRAIN DEPOT WAS A STOP ON THE MISSOURI AND NORTH ARKANSAS RAILWAY SOUTH OF JOPLIN TO HELENA.

THIS CONNECTOR RAIL LINE WAS A LIFE LINE TO THE SMALLER RURAL COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT EXPORTED TIMBER AND MINERALS AND LOCAL GOODS IN EXCHANGE FOR GOODS AND PRODUCTS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND BEYOND SO THE RAILWAY PLAYED A IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CULTURE AND THE ECONOMY OF THE REGION.

AFTER 44 YEARS THOUGH THE RAILWAY CLOSED FOR REGULAR SERVICE IN 1946 AND SINCE THAT TIME THE ST. JOE DEPOT SERVED THE COMMUNITY AS A CHURCH, TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS FOR THE SCHOOL AND A FEED STORE BEFORE BECOMING VACANT AND FULL FALLING IN DISREPAIR.

IT WASN'T UNTIL 2011 THAT THE COMMUNITY RECEIVED A FROM THE ARKANSAS RURAL COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM AND FROM MATCHED FUNDS THAT IT WAS RESTORED TO THE ORIGINAL 1902 STATE.

EVEN THE TELEGRAPH WIRES WERE RESTORED.

>> WE RESTORED THE TELEGRAPH WIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE SYNONYMOUS WITH THE RAILROAD LIKE CRUST IS TO A PIE, AND SO IT WAS A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR THE OUTSIDE WORLD REALLY.

THIS RAILROAD BECAME -- IT PUT US IN TOUCH WITH LITERARY THE REST OF THE WORLD BECAUSE BEFORE THAT WE WERE A RURAL HILL FOLKS AND IT DID THAT FOR ALL THESE TOWNS AS YOU CAME THROUGH HERE.

IT PUT US ALL THE WAY TO THE ARKANSAS RIVER IN HELENA AND SO ON AND WE SHIPPED ORE OUT OF HERE, LEAD AND ZINC.

THE READING AND THE RAIL AND BOXCARS AND CARS FOR HAULING ORE AND THE LIKE THEY WOULD BE PARKED HERE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING AND THERE WAS A SCHOOL THERE BUT IT WAS A YARD WHERE THEY SHIPPED RAILROAD TIES AND BARREL AND WILL TIMBER INDUSTRY.

>> JOHN HENLEY WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE MAYOR OF ST. JOE SHARED WITH US SOME OF THE SO-CALLED FUN THEY HAD AS KIDS WITH PASSING TRAINS.

>> TRAIN WAS COMING AND WE WENT OUT DROPPED DOWN BETWEEN THE TIES AND GOT ON THIS HEAVY TIMBER AND LET THE TRAIN GO BY OVER US AND YOU WOULD THINK THOSE BIG TIMBERS WERE MADE OUT OF SPORCH.

WHEN THE ENGINE CAME OVER AND COMPRESSED TWO OR 3 INCHES AND THE NEWS WOULD BE GREAT THAT YOU COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BUT NOISE, AND THE LIGHTER OR EMPTY CAR CAME THROUGH AND THE TIMBER LEVER OFF AGAIN AND WE DID THAT TWO TIMES AND OUR PARENTS FOUND OUT AND THEY GOT AFTER US AND THE TRAINS WOULD STOP AND LET OFF STEAM AND IF WE WERE UNDER THERE IT WOULD HAVE KILLED US SO THAT ENDED THOSE KIND OF STORIES.

>> THERE'S ALSO A CIVIL WAR MARKER IN FRONT OF THE DEPOT COMMEMORATING THE 1864 SCIRRISH AT NEAR BY TOMAHAWK CREEK.

WELL I GUESS AFTER YOU GET THE TRACKS RELAID HERE ALL YOU NEED IS THE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT AND WE NEED MONEY BECAUSE THEY'RE AVAILABLE IF WE HAD THE MONEY TO PAY THE TRANSPORTATION TO GET IT HERE AND SO FAR WE INQUIRED ON THESE THINGS AND WE FOUND MOST WANT AT LEAST FOR THE EQUIPMENT WHAT IT WOULD BRING FOR SCRAP AT THE SCRAP YARD AND THAT CAN ADD UP IN A HURRY FOR A ENGINE AND THE LIKE OF THAT SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WE CAN DO SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> SO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY 65 AND PASSING THROUGH ST. JOE STOP IN AND SPEND A LITTLE TIME AT THE HISTORIC RAILROAD DEPOT AND MUSEUM AND FOR INFORMATION ON THIS DESTINATION AND OTHERS OR A COPY OF THE WEBISODE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND WE WILL SEE YOU ANOTHER TIME FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE OF "EXPLORING ARKANSAS".