CADRON CREEK AND THE ARKANSAS RIVER CONVERTS WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF CONWAY, THERE WAS AN EARLY SETTLEMENT LAID OUT HERE IN THE VERY EARLY PART OF THE 1800S.

TRANSIT CARDON SETTLEMENT PARK THERE WERE 35 FAMILIES THAT LIVED HERE AND EVENTUALLY THE FLOPHOUSE WAS BUILT.

WHICH SERVED AS A FORT, RESIDENTS, A TAVERN AND A FOR TRADING BUSINESS FOR THE FRENCH AND CHEROKEE.

THIS AREA'S HISTORY ACTUALLY DATES BACK ABOUT 10,000 YEARS.

>> WE HAVE EVIDENCE FROM ABOUT 8000 BC DURING WHAT THEY CALLED THE ARCHAIC.

IF YOU'RE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST.

THERE WERE A PEOPLE CALLED THE DOLPHIN CULTURE AND THEY MADE THESE STONE TOOLS, WE FOUND EXAMPLES OF THOSE HERE WITHIN ABOUT 10 TO 15 FEET OF WHERE WE ARE STANDING.

>> FAST-FORWARD TO THE LATE 1700S.

>> AT THAT TIME, THIS PART OF NORTH AMERICA WAS OWNED BY SPAIN.

THEY CLAIMED FIRST AND IT WENT TO FRENCH OWNERSHIP AND A SORT OF TRADED IT BACK AND FORTH.

I TELL MY STUDENTS WHEN WE ARE DOING TALKS THAT WHOEVER NEEDED MONEY, THEY SOLD A PIECE OF PROPERTY TO THEM AND THAT CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 803 WHEN NAPOLEON NEEDED TO FINANCE THE WAR AND SPAIN DIDN'T WANT TO BUY IT BACK SO HE SOLD IT TO THE UNITED STATES AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ON THIS JEFFERSON TELLING HIS LIBRARY TO RAISE FUNDS.

>> THEN IN THE EARLY 1800S, A SETTLER BY THE NAME OF JOHN MCELMURRAY.

>> YES, JOHN MCELMURRAY.

HE CAME ON THE SCENE AROUND 1808 AND WE THINK HE MAY HAVE VISITED THE AREA AND THEN GONE BACK HOME, BACK ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI AND TOLD FAMILY MEMBERS AFTER THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE AND AFTER IT WAS OKAY FOR PEOPLE TO START MOVING IN AROUND 1808, 1809 AND HE BROUGHT FAMILY MEMBERS HERE AND WE HAVE EVIDENCE OF HIM HERE BETWEEN 1808 AND 1811 AND HE'S VERY WELL ESTABLISHED WITH THE TRADING POST BY 1818.

>> AND THAT'S ABOUT WHEN THE BLOCK HOUSE WAS BUILT YES, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BUT SOMETIME BETWEEN 1812 AND ABOUT 1818 WE THINK IT WAS BUILT.

BY 1818, WE HAVE TO THOMAS NUTTALL ARRIVING ON THE SCENE AS KIND OF TOURISTS, A NATURALIST AND HE WRITES ABOUT IT AND THAT'S OUR EARLIEST ACCOUNT OFWHEN THE HOUSE WAS BUILT NEXT TO THE BLOCK HOUSE WAS FIRST USED AS A FORT .

>> A BLOCK HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S A FORTIFIED CABIN.

IT'S BUILT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS EASILY DEFENSIBLE.

IT'S MORE OF ASTURDY CONSTRUCTION THAT A LOG CABIN .

WITHIN IT, YOU CAN HOLE UP IN IT IF A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HURT YOU AND IT WAS USED AS A TRADING POST SO IT SORT OF SERVED ALL THOSE FUNCTIONS.

AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS GOING.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, THAT'S WHAT REALLY BROUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN.

SOME OF THEM RECEIVED THE LAND GRANTS SO THEY HAD THE LAND BUT THEY WERE LIVING ACROSS THE RIVER IN MISSOURI AND AFTER EVERYTHING JUST KIND OF TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, THEY CAME IN.

IT WAS HARDSCRABBLE, THE LIFESTYLE BECAUSE THIS IS PRETTY AS IT IS NOW, ROCKY GROUND AND THEY HAD TO BREAK IT.

SO WOMEN JUST KIND OF TRIED TO RAISE THE KIDS IN THE GARDENS AND THE MEN WENT OUT AFTER THE GAME.

PRETTY MUCH AS WE ENVISION THE IDYLLIC LIFESTYLE BUT IT WAS REALLY PRETTY ROCK.

THEY HAD TO WORK HARD AND THAT'S ONE REASON THEY MOVED ON TO MORE GENTEEL THINGS, TOWARD THE TOWN.

>> THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND RECONSTRUCTED BLOCK HOUSE BUILT IN 1998.

THE BLOCK HOUSE IS OPEN THE SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH WITH VARIOUS PROGRAMS HELD BY THE FAULKNER COUNTY MUSEUM.

THIS AREA IS ALSO LOCATED ALONG THE TRAIL OF TEARS, FIVE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES PASSED THROUGH HERE ON LAND AND WATER, CHEROKEE, CREEK, CHOCTAW, CHICKASAW AND SEMINOLE.

IN 1834, A LARGE GROUP OF CHEROKEE WERE SENT BRANDED NEARBY LOW WATER ANDAFTER BEING STRUCK BY A CHOLERA EPIDEMIC , MANY DIED.

CARDON SETTLEMENT PARK ALSO HAPPENS AFTER WEIGHS ONLY MELTING BIG TRAIL WHICH IS REALLY A GREAT ONE.

[MUSIC] >> I LOVE THIS TRAIL, IT'S GOT A LOT OF CHALLENGING PARTS, A LOT OF STEEP DOWNHILL THAN THE PILLS AND IT'S JUST GOT SOME DROPS, ABOUT 2 TO 3 FEET HIGH AND I ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO COME OUT HERE AND GIVE IT A TRY, IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

>> WE COME OUT HERE WITH THE GOOD WEATHER.

PROBABLY LEAVING ONCE A WEEK, I THINK MY FAVORITE PART OF COURSE IS THE BRIDGES AND ESPECIALLY LIKE THE BIG DOWNHILL, IT'S PRETTY CHALLENGING BUT IF YOU RIDE A TRAIL, IT'S AWESOME AND OTHER TRAILS WOULD BE A LOT EASIER FOR YOU SO I REALLY LIKE IT AND IT'S LOCAL.

AND I THINK THEY DO A GOOD JOB KEEPING IT UP AND WE ALWAYS HAVE A REALLY GOOD TIME OUT HERE.

>> AT THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL HEAD IS ALSO AN IDEAL SPOT TO STICK AROUND FOR A CARDON SETTLEMENT PARK SUNSET OVERLOOKING THE ARKANSAS RIVER.

[MUSIC] THERE ARE ONLY TWO PLACES ON EARTH WHERE YOU CAN FIND EXCELLENT QUALITY QUARTZ CRYSTAL, BRAZIL AND IN THE OUACHITA MOUNTAIN RANGE IN WEST ARKANSAS.

WE'RE AT THE SWEET SURRENDER CRYSTAL MIND NORTH OF MOUNT IDA, THE QUARTZ CRYSTAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

>> FIRST THINGS FIRST, WHEN A PERSON COMES OUT HERE HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT?

>> WHEN YOU WERE HERE IN THE DIRT, THE FIRST THING YOU WILL SEE IS A BUNCH OF ROCKS AND A BUNCH OF DIRT, A BUNCH OF SHALE SO I SUGGEST TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET UP HERE TO SEE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND LOOK TO MAYBE A TWO FOOT DIAGONAL AREA SO THEY CAN START LOOKING FOR MORE SAFE AND SHINE.

ALL THESE ROCKS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS.

YOU TURN THEM OVER AND YOU START SEEING THAT, CLEAN IT OFF AND YOU CAN START SEEING BLACK GLASS OR SOME SHAPE AND ALL THESE CRYSTALS HERE.

THE MORE BLACK THEY LOOK, THE MORE WATER CLEAR THEY ARE GOING TO BE WHEN THEY GET CLEANED UP.

IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN TAKE IT AND THROW IT IN THE GARDEN JUST LIKE THIS AND LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE.

OR YOU CAN HOSE ALL THE DIRT OFF OF IT AND THEN PUT IT IN MOURNING ACID AND ICE SUGGEST YOU USE IT IN A PLASTIC CONTAINER WITH A.

USE IT OUTSIDE, AWAY FROM METAL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

AND WHEN YOU ARE DONE CLEANING IT, YOU CAN EITHER TAKE IT AND HAVE IT CUT OR YOU CAN SET IT IN YOUR GARDENAND THESE WILL LOOK LIKE DIAMONDS EVERY TIME THE SUN HITS IT .

>> YOU REALLY DON'T NEED ANY SOPHISTICATED TOOLS, JUST AN OLD SCREWDRIVER LIKE THIS WILL DO AND MUCH OF THE TIME, YOU REALLY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DIG ONCE YOU GET THIS GOING BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST, RIGHT HERE.

PICK UP AND A CLUSTER OF, LOOKS LIKE QUARTZ.

RIGHT THERE.AND RIGHT HERE, MY GOODNESS.

LOOK RIGHT HERE.

>> THE LOOK, RIGHT HERE.

>> OH YEAH.

>> LOOK AT THAT ONE.

>> DOLLY.

>> LOOK GOOD SEE THOSE POINTS?

LOOK AT THAT BLACK LINE.

LOOK AT THAT.

>> THAT IS A BEAUTY.

>> HERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE.

>> YEAH.

OKAY, YOU COME UP HERE FROM LOUISIANA.

NOT TOO MANY COURTS IN LOUISIANA.

>> NO, NOT MANY ROCKS.

>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME YOU, >> WE LOVE IT.

IT'S A COURT CHANCE TO GET OUT IN NATURE AND I LOVE CRYSTALS AND I HOOKED MY HUSBAND INTO IT SO NOW HE LOVES ROCKS TOO.

WE JUST ENJOY IT.

>> I IMAGINE EVERY DAY YOU COME HERE, IT'S DIFFERENT.

>> EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND AND BECAUSE OF THE MINERALS AND CALCIUM, THE IRON, YOU TAKE SOMETHING HOME THINKING IT'S NOTHING AND YOU GET HOME AND CLEAN IT UP AND YOU HAVE SOMETHING REALLY PRETTY.

[MUSIC] >> RISING UP OUT OF THE WATER LIKE SOME ATLANTIS, WHEN WATER LEVELS ARE LOW AT CEDAR LAKE IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS, THE REMNANTS OF MONTE NE SHOW UP.

BUT JUST WHAT WAS MONTE NE ALL ABOUT?

OUR VISIT TO THE LOST COUNT OF MONTE NE IS WITH THE MAN WHO WROTE THE BOOK ON MONTE NE, JAMES HALES.>> GAMES, BACK AROUND 1900, THIS WAS QUITE THE PLACE.

>> IT WAS.

THIS WAS A FABULOUS RESORT BUILT BY AN ECCENTRIC MILLIONAIRE NAMED WILLIAM COIN HARVEY AND TODAY WE ARE STANDING IN THE REMAINS OF ONE OF HIS, IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF HIS HOTELS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A FABULOUS HOTEL AND RESORT AND THIS IS THE CENTERPIECE OF FIVE OTHER HOTELS THAT HE'SGOING TO BUILD .

AND HE NEVER ACTUALLY FINISHED THIS ONE BUT IT WAS GOING TO BE THREE STORIES HIGH AND HE HAD ROUND TURRETS THAT LOOKED KIND OF LIKE AN OLD MEDIA CASTLE AND IT'S EVEN SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN 18 FOOT WATER BOTH IN THE LOBBY SO IT WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY FABULOUS.

>> WHETHER IT WAS BUILDINGS OR AMENITIES, WILLIAM HARVEY SPARED NO EXPENSE.

EVEN HAVE A GONDOLA SHIPPED IN FROM VENICE ITALY TO USE IN HIS RESORT TOWN OF MONTE NE.

>> THIS IS WHAT'S LEFT OF MISERY.>> HE HAD ALL THESE OKLAHOMA ROAD, MISSOURI ROAD.

>> THIS WAS MISSOURI ROAD, ALONG HOTEL.

305 FEET LONG.

IT HAD 40 ROOMS, EACH ROOM WAS OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE ON THE PORCH AND EACH ROOM WAS HEATED BY A FIREPLACE.

>> AND THAT'S A FIREPLACE THERE WITH THE CHIMNEY.

>> THAT THE ONLY FIREPLACE LEFT STANDING.

THERE'S STILL FIREPLACES LAYING DOWN UP THERE.

THIS PARTICULAR FIREPLACE HAD SIX OPENINGS AND HEATED SIX DIFFERENT ROOMS.

>> THE ONLY STRUCTURE OF MONTE NE STILL STANDING THAT CAN BE SEEN AT NORMAL LAKE LEVELS IS THE TOWER SECTION OF OKLAHOMA ROAD HOTEL.

IT ORIGINALLY HAD AN ELABORATE LONG STRUCTURE ATTACHED TO IT WHICH SENT THEN HAS BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION NEARBY THE MONTE NE SITES.

>> GAMES, THAT BIG LONG LONG STRUCTURE THAT WAS MOVED AWAY FROM HERE, THIS IS WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY X THAT IS CORRECT, THIS WAS THE LAST GREAT HOTEL THAT HE BUILT IN 1909.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST LOG STRUCTURE IN THE WORLD, 310 FEET LONG, 80,000 BLOGS.

TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONCRETE AND AFTER HE BUILT THIS HOTEL, THE RESORT KIND OF DWINDLED IN THE 1920, PEOPLE WERE NO LONGER COMING HERE BUT THIS WAS A FABULOUS HOTEL, THE TOWER THAT DOWN THERE WAS ON THE END AND THAT WAS LIKE THE HONEYMOON SUITE WHERE IT LOOKED OVER THE LAKE THAT HE BUILT.

AND WHEN THE LAKE CAME IN IN THE 1960S, THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERS AUCTIONED THIS HOTEL OFF, THE BUILDING OFF AND THE GUY BUILT IT AND HE MOVEDIT THERE AROUND THE END.

>> TELL US ABOUT THESE ROOMS UNDERNEATH .

>> THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT THOSE ROOMS AND I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY KNOWS FOR SURE BUT OF THE ROOMS ARE ACTUALLY ROOMS THAT YOU CAN SEE TO BE OCCUPIED, THE DOORS AND WINDOWS AND YOU SEE WHERE THEY GOT STORAGE FACILITIES.

SOME OF THEM ARE ROOMS THAT GO IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL THAT WE THINK WERE USED FOR STORAGE.

AND I THINK THE ONES THAT WERE OCCUPIED WERE PROBABLY FOR THE HELP, FOR THE HIRED HELP.

BUT THEY ARE STILL THERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL EXPLORE THEM TODAY AND IS PRETTY FASCINATING.

>> MONTE NE WAS ALSO THE SITE OF ARKANSAS'S ONLY PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION AFTER HARVEY STARTED THE LIBERTY PARTY IN 1931.

>> HE WAS GOING TO HAVE THE CONVENTION RIGHT HERE AT MONTE NE TO ELECT A NOMINEE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

THE AMPHITHEATER THAT HE BUILT, HE BROUGHT PEOPLE, DELEGATES FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES FOR THE LIBERTY PARTY AND HE THOUGHT THAT 10,000 PEOPLE WERE GOING TO SHOW UP AND ACTUALLY ONLY GOT 760 PEOPLE AND MOST OF THEM WERE A BUNCH OF TROUBLEMAKERS AND NONE OF THEM COULD AGREE ON A CANDIDATE SO THEY NOMINATED HIM, HE WAS 82 YEARS OLD SO HE ACCEPTED OF COURSE.

AND RAN, RAN FOR PRESIDENT AT 82 YEARS OLD.

HE THOUGHT HE WOULD COME IN THIRD BUT HE ENDED HIM UP COMING IN SIX OUT OF SIX.

AND THE ONLY GUY TOO, JUST A FEW THOUSAND VOTES IN ALL OF ARKANSAS HERE IN ROGERS, HE ONLY GOT TWO VOTES.

>> HARVEY DIED IN 1936 AND WAS ENTOMBED NEXT TO HIS OLDEST SON INTHIS CONCRETE MAUSOLEUM OVERLOOKING BEAVER LAKE .

>> THOSE TIMES WHEN BEAVER LAKE WAS THIS LOW, I GUESS PEOPLE, AND KIND OF SNOOP AROUND, EXPLORE SECTIONS OF THE AMPHITHEATER WHEN IT BECOMES EXPOSED.

>> THEY DO.

THE LAKE IN 2006, THE LAKE WAS EVEN LOWER THAN IT IS NOW AND ALL THE RUINS OF THE OLD TOWN, OUT OF THE WATER AND ON THE WEEKENDS, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM, THE PLACE IS COVERED WITH PEOPLE, CARS EVERYWHERE, PEOPLE CRAWLING ALL OVER THE RUINS, PEOPLE WALKING DOWN TO THE OLD AMPHITHEATER.

VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

MOST OF THEM DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT BUT THEY KNOW THAT IT'S HISTORIC.

[MUSIC] >> I DID GROW UP IN ROGERS MY WHOLE LIFE, I FOLLOWED THIS AREA AS WELL IT PROGRESSED WITH THE WATERS AND OCCASIONALLY, IT GOES DOWN SO YOU CAN SEE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT SUCH AS THEAMPHITHEATER WHICH IS GREAT.

I DO THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS LOCATION .

IT HAD BIG PART IN THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.

>> I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY AND SO DRAWN TO THIS AREA BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS.

THERE'S NOTHING CHARISMATIC ABOUT THIS PLACE.

I LOVE COMING HERE, I LOVE WHAT IT IS, WHAT USED TO BE AND JUST THE STORY JUST GETS ME.

I GET OBSESSED WITH IT.

>> LOOKING BACK PICTURES I WISH WE COULD GO BACK BUT LOOKING BACK AT THE PICTURES I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE PLACE TO BE.

IT WAS A RESORT, I HELP PLACE, IT WAS SOMEWHERE TO GO TO BE WITH FAMILY AND JUST ESCAPE FROM REALITY A LITTLE BIT.

AND THE FACT THAT HARVEY CREATED IT FOR THAT PURPOSE IS WONDERFUL.

[MUSIC] >>.

[MUSIC] THANKS TO THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION AND THE ARKANSAS CANOE CLUB, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW REALLY NEAT WATER TRAILS AROUND THE STATE AND ONE OF THEM HAPPENS TO BE THE GRASSY LAKE WATER TRAIL INSIDE THE BELL SLOUGH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA NEAR MAYFLOWER.

[MUSIC] >> MORE MOST WATER TRAILS YOU CAN'T DO BUT THIS ONE IS AND WE HAD SOME FOLKS FROM THE ARKANSAS CANOE CLUB THAT SPENDS MANY HOURS OUT HERE FINDING THAT PATH BECAUSE IT'S A SERIES OF SLOWS AND PONDS THAT GO THROUGH CYPRUS AND TUPELO TREES SO THERE WERE A LOT OF PARTS WITH THE MAP AND COMPASS IN FINDING THE ROUTE.

>> PICKING UP COMPASS AND GPS I WAS TELLING EARLIER THAT I BE COMPLETELY LOST.

>> SOME PARTS ARE MORE CLEAR THAN OTHERS BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO TELL PEOPLE.

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR MARKERS AS YOU GO ALONG.

IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PRINT THE MAP ON THE WEBSITE AND IF YOU HAVE GPS, CERTAINLY BY MEN.

[MUSIC] >> WE SHOT THIS SEGMENT IN FEBRUARY, BUT YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL LATER IN THE SPRING TO CLOSE THE TRAIL WHEN EVERYTHING STARTS TO TURN A LITTLE GREENER.

>> WE THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA.

IT FEELS LIKE SPRING TODAY BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SPRING.

I CAN SEE WHERE THE TREES ARE STARTING TO OUT BUT IMAGINE THIS AREA WHEN THE VOCAL OH ARE BLOOMING, THE CYPRUS HAVE THEIR BEAUTIFUL GREEN NEEDLES, THEY HAVE DUCKWEED ALL OVER THE WATER AND LOTS OF MIGRATORY BIRDS AND THINGS ARE FLITTING THROUGH THE WAS.

[MUSIC] >> IF YOU SHOULD HAPPEN TO LOAD GRASSY LAKE THROUGH WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASON, THERE IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.

>> WE SHARE THIS AREA FOR A DUCK HUNTERS SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THEY CAN STAY ON THE WATER TILL NOON.

SO WE GAUCHE SECOND SHIFT, THOSE OF US THAT WANT TO PADDLE SO THE HUNTERS NEED TO BE OFF BY NOON, THE TRAIL IS OPEN FOR PADDLERS.

IT WORKS OUT, IT'S WARMER THE SECOND HALF OF THE DAY SO I'LL LET THE DUCK HUNTERS HAVE IT FOR THAT COLD EARLY MORNING.

IT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT SHARING THIS AREA WITH THE HUNTERS WHO ARE OFTEN USING IT.

>> ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE GRASSY LAKE WATER TRAIL IS NOT ACCESSIBLE THE ENTIRE YEAR-ROUND.

>> THIS IS SEASONAL.

IT'S A GREEN TREE RESERVOIR SO WE HOLD WATER IN THIS AREA DURING THE WINTER MONTHS FOR MIGRATORY WATERFOWL SO THE WATER, DEPENDING ON RAIN WILL STAY HERE THROUGH THE SPRING AND SOMETIMES INTO THE SUMMER SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT MOTHER NATURE BRINGS BUT THE WATER IS STARTING TO DRAIN OUT AS SUMMER GOES ALONG.

IT WAS BRAND-NEW TO ME AND A FEW OTHERS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO AND LOOKED LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO PUT YOUR KAYAK OR YOUR CANOE IN AND FIRST TIME WE CAME OUT, THE HUNTERS HAD KIND OF THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF LITTLE REFLECTORS AND STUFF AROUND.

BUT IT WAS VERY EASY TO GET LOST.

WE ENDED UP YOU KNOW, KIND OF STRUGGLING THROUGH A BUNCH OF BRUSH AND STUFF AND, BUT WE DIDN'T GIVE UP.

WE DECIDED TO COME BACK AND THIS TIME WE BROUGHT THE GPS AND STARTED FINDING THE BEST WAYS TO GO AND FOLLOWING SOME OF THOSE REFLECTORS THAT THE HUNTERS HAD PUT OUT BECAUSE THOSE GUYS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

SO WE FIGURED WE'D KIND OF SEE WHAT WAS UP AND THE FIRST PLACE WE FOUND WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL LADY OUT HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM COME OUT THIS WAY.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE ALL THE WATERFOWL COME AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

BUT TRAIL IS A FRIEND OF MINE, DID MOST OF THE MAPPING AND SHE SPENT PROBABLY OVER A YEAR OUT HERE FINDING THE BEST ROUTE AROUND AND THEN SEVERAL OF US HELPED HER PUT UP THE SIGNS TO MARK THE TRAIL.

I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE STATE AND IT'S RIGHT HERE CLOSE TO LITTLE ROCK, CLOSE TO CONWAY, CENTRAL ARKANSAS.

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO PICK UP ON IT NOW.>> SO GET IN A CANOE OR KAYAK AND ENJOY GRASSY LAKE FOR YOURSELF.

TO VIEW THIS EPISODE AGAIN OR ANY ONE OF OUR OTHERS, THAT IT VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT AETN.ORG/EXPLORING ARKANSAS AND DON'T FORGET TO LIKE US ON OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON "EXPLORING ARKANSAS".