>> THE FERN GULLY AREA NORTHEAST OF FORT SMITH IN THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST IS JUST THAT, PLENTY OF FERNS AND QUITE SCENIC TO SAY THE LEAST AND IT'S THE FIRST AREA WE'LL EXPLORE ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW, THEN WE'LL HIKE UP TO THE ROCK CREEK NATURAL AREA SOUTH OF HARDY AND CLOSE IT OUT WITH THE SCENIC DRIVE ALONG ROBE BAYOU AND THE DAGMER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA.

SO FOR NOW, LET AS EXPLORE THE FERN GULLY SCENIC AREA.

>> HIKING WITH US IS RHEA RYLEE AND GREG MILLER WITH THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE.

FROM THE PARKING AREA THERE IS A USER-CREATED TRAIL WHICH VEERS OFF TO THE LEFT ALONG THE TOP OF THE BLUFF LINE.

AFTER A SHORT DISTANCE YOU'LL COME TO A SEPARATION IN THE BLUFF LINE CALLED A BEAR CRACK WHICH LEADS DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON.

>> GREG, IS THIS THE ONLY AREA LIKE THIS IN THE GULLY?

>> THE ONLY RAMP?

YES THAT WE KNOW OF.

>> BEAR CRACK.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I'VE WALKED ALL THE REST OF IT, THERE ARE OTHER CRACKS THAT LEAD OFF UP THE MOUNTAIN AND BACK ON THE BLUFF ON BOTH SIDES BUT NOTHING WITH THAT EASE.

>> THE FERN GULLY AREA IS LOCATED OF HIGHWAY 215 NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 FROM THE MULBERRY EXIT, SITUATED DEEP IN THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST THIS AREA WAS UNKNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THAT IS, UNTIL ROCK CLIMBERS AND KAYAKORS DISCOVERED IT.

OUR FRIENDS AT THE ARKANSAS CA CANOE MADE US AWARE OF THIS AREA.

SOME OF US HAD BEEN AROUND IT BUT NEVER DOWN IN IT AND THEY TALKED ABOUT IT FLASH FLOOD KAYAKING THEY WERE DOING DOWN IN THIS CANYON BEHIND US AND THE TRAILS, THE ROCK CLIMBING, THE BOULDERING AND SO THE RANGER SENT ME OUT HERE TO CHECK AND SURE ENOUGH I AGREED WITH THEM, IT IS A SPECIAL AREA.

IT HAS A CHANGE OF ELEVATION, I CHECKED FROM WHERE WE STARTED OUT AT OUR VEHICLES DOWN TO ALMOST THE MOUTH OF THE MULBERRY RIVER, THAT IS ALMOST A 500 OR 600 FOOT CHANGE IN ELEVATION DROP AND THESE ROCKS, SCENERY, TREES, THE WILDLIFE, I'VE SEEN BEAR OUT HERE, RATTLESNAKES THAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE.

THERE'S PLANT LIFE, SOME OF THE BIGGEST WILD AZALEAS THAT THE BIOLOGISTS HAS EVER SEEN IN HIS CAREER ARE IN THIS AREA.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA, UNIQUE.

THE CANOE CLUB, IT'S A USER--CREATED TRAIL AND THEY HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING IT AND KEEPING IT NATURAL AND CLEAN.

NORMALLY IN A LOT OF THESE AREAS YOU GO IN AND SEE THERE'S PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF THE BLUFF, SUSIE LOVES SAM, THERE'S A PILE OF BEER CANS AROUND, THIS AREA DOESN'T HAVE THAT.

THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF IT AND WITH THE NATURAL FACTORS, PLUS THE USE THAT IT'S GETTING AND THE TAKING CARE OF -- WE RECOMMENDED IT TO BECOME A SPECIAL INTEREST AREA ON THE FOREST.

>> OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED IN 2005 AS A SPECIAL INTEREST AREA, THAT MEANS EXTRA ADDED PROTECTION FOR FERN GULLY.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE ITS OWN COMPLETE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN COMPLETED ON ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SEVERAL NOW, THE RANGER DISTRICT DOES HAVE MORE SPECIAL INTEREST AREAS THAN ANY OTHER LOCATION ON THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST AND THE EMPHASIS IS MORE FOR REMEMBERING RECREATION, INSTEAD OF TIMBER OR WILDLIFE, ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF RECREATION BECAUSE IT'S MORE FUN TO COME OUT AND SEE WILDLIFE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE THE TREES, DIFFERENT VEGETATION, IF IT'S MANAGED PROPERLY, SO THERE ARE INTEGRAL PARTS BUT THE MANAGEMENT IS MORE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE RECREATION ASPECT.

IT CAN STILL BE BURNED, IT CAN STILL BE -- SOME OF THE TREES HARVESTED OR CUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE.

>> I GUESS YOU CAN MAKE A HIKE AS SHORT AS YOU WANT OR AS LONG AS YOU WANT HERE.

>> YEAH, THE SPECIAL INTEREST AREA EXTENDS ABOUT TWO MILES FROM UP WHERE WE PARKED DOWN TO THE FOREST BOUNDARY WHICH IS ALMOST AT THE MULBERRY RIVER AND SO, YES, I MEAN, THERE'S VARYING DIFFICULTIES, THIS USER-CREATED TRAIL ENDS DOWN HERE AT A LARGE FIELD BUT YOU CAN WALK ON ACROSS THAT FIELD AND THERE ARE MORE BLUFF SHELTERS, JUST MORE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL FORMATIONS ALL THE WAY DOWN AND ON THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL, BOTH SIDES.

YOU COULD LOOP ALL THE WAY AROUND IT, FOUR-MILE HIKE.

UP ON TOP, IF YOU STAY ALONG THE TOP OF THE BLUFF, IT'S EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT, BECAUSE UNLESS YOU ARE A GOOD ROCK CLIMBER, YOU HAVE TO BACKTRACK AND GO BACK.

>> AS MENTIONED BEFORE, FERN GULLY IS A POPULAR ROCK CLIMBING AREA, CONSIDERING ALL THE PRIME MO ROCK WALLS.

>> THERE ARE SEVERAL CLIMBING POINTS OR ANCHORS JUST RIGHT ABOVE YOUR HEAD THERE ARE CHAINS AND PINONES IN THE BLUFF.

I DO WANT TO STRESS THOSE ALL WERE INSTALLED ILLEGALLY IN THE BLUFF BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS.

WE'VE HAD SOME CHECKING THEM OUT AND WE ARE CONSIDERING REMOVING THEM, HOWEVER, THERE IS A DEBATE GOING ON AS TO WHETHER IT WOULD CAUSE MORE DAMAGE TO THE ROCK FORMATIONES BY REMOVING THEM OR JUST LEAVING THEM.

THEY ARE A SAFETY FACTOR OF SORTS FOR PEOPLE CLIMBING BUT THERE AGAIN THEY ARE TAKING IT AT THEIR OWN RISK WHEN THEY USE THOSE.

THE FOREST SERVICE DID NOT INSTALL THEM AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM AND WE JUST WANT TO CAUTION PEOPLE ON THAT.

SOME OF THE ROCK IN THE AREA IS VERY ROTTEN AND WILL CRUMBLE OFF AND FALL OFF AND HIT YOU ON THE HEAD.

THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF DEAD TREES AROUND IN THE AREA FROM THE WHITE OAK AND RED OAK DECLINE SO YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

IF YOU'RE DOWN HERE AND THEN THE BOULDERING IS ONE OF THE OTHER MAJOR ACTIVITIES.

LIKE I SAID THAT'S WHERE THEY JUST TRY TO CLIMB UP SO HIGH ON THE ROCK AND THAT DOESN'T TAKE ANY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN JUST EXTRA STRONG FINGERS, I BELIEVE.

>> FOLKS WHO COME TO FERN GULLY FOR THE FIRST TIME ARE ALWAYS IN AWE AS WAS THE CASE FOR WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST RHEA RYLEE.

>> I HAD TO COME OUT AND HELP THESE ACTUAL BIOLOGICAL INVENTORIES OF THE AREA, WE WERE LOOKING FOR BAT CAVES AND MY FIRST REACTION WHEN I CAME HERE WAS THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT PLACE FOR BATS BUT IN INVENTORY WE ONLY FOUND, AND I BELIEVE WE DID THAT IN CONNECTION WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND FOUND ONLY ONE LIMITED USE BAT CAVE BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS AREA WAS DESIGNATED AS A SPECIAL INTEREST AREA WAS FOR THE BOTANICAL REASONS.

THERE ARE GIANT, GIANT MOUNTAIN AZALEAS, IF YOU COME IN THE SPRING THROES A LOT OF WILD FLOWERS, FANTASTIC PLACE TO COME LOOK FOR WILD FLOWERS.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF FERNS, LOTS OF FERNS.

>> HAVE YOU DONE ANY ROCK CLIMBING HERE LATELY?

>> NO, I HAVEN'T.

>> KIND OF TEMPTING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROCK WALLS HERE.

>> YU YEAH, I PREFER TO GO DOWN TO THE LITTLE CRACKS AND CAVES AND CLIMB THE ROCKS.

>> SO WHETHER YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE A HIKE OR GET INVOLVED WITH THE MORE SERIOUS ADVENTURE HERE, FERN GULLY IS A SPECIAL AREA THAT IS WELL WORTH A VISIT.

>> ROBE BAYOU WEST OF BRINKLEY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE PRISTINE SCENIC BY USE OF THE SOUTH.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS BAYOU, THERE'S AN AUTO TOUR YOU CAN TAKE AND ENJOY THE SCENERY WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE.

SO LET'S TAKE A DRIVE ALONG THE BAYOU.

>> THIS IS ROBE BAYOU AND IT COMES OFF THE CACHE RIVER JUST NORTH OF THE AREA, COUPLE MILES NORTH, WHEN CACHE RIVER FLOODS, THE WATER COMES DOWN THROUGH ROBE BAYOU AND BACK INTO BAYOU DE VIEW, ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTH OF THE AREA, BACK INTO ROBE BAYOU, SO IT'S KIND OF A -- IT TRANSVERSES BETWEEN THE CACHE RIVER ANDBAYOU DE VIEW SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH CUT IN HALF.

CACHE RIVER IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF ROBE BAYOU AND BAYOU DE VIEW IS ON THE EAST SIDE.

>> IS THIS AREA KIND OF CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE QUOTE UNQUOTE BIG WOODS OF ARKANSAS?

>> YES, DAGMER IS ABOUT 7900 ACRES AND IT'S A HUGE BLOCK BLOCK OF KIM BETTER AND IT'S A BIG PART OF THE BIG WOODS.

>> THAT NAME CAME OF COURSE NOW FROM THE IVORY-BUILD WOODPECKER SPOTTING.

>> YES, IN THE CACHE RIVER REFUGE AND THE WILD RIVER REFUGE AND THAT'S SOUTH AND A LOT OF CATCH CATCH IS NORTH.

SO DAG MORE IS PRETTY MUCH RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWREFUGES.

>> ALONG WITH THE CACHE RIVER AND WHITE RIVER NATURAL WILDLIFE, THE DAGMER AREA WITH NEARLY 10,000 ACRES ALSO SHARES THE DESIGNATION OF BEING A WET LAND WITH INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

PRIMARILY FOR THE HABITAT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO WINTERING WATER FOWL.

>> A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BIRDS THAT USE THIS AREA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR USUALLY SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER IS A GOOD TIME TO COME BIRDING, FALL MIGRATION COMING THROUGH AND THEN ALSO IN THE SPRING MIGRATION IN MARCH AND APRIL IS A GOOD TIME TO BIRD HERE.

WE HAVE GOT A BIRD LIST THAT THE AREA MANAGER KEEPS OF THE AREA AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OVER 100 BIRDS THAT HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE AREA THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.

BUT THERE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR FISHING, HUNTING, WE HAVE THIS AREA KNOWN FOR ITS WATER FOUL.

WE HAVE ROBE BAYOU IS AN EXCELLENT FISHERY, WE HAVE OTHERS AND GATOR POND AS WELL.

>> ANY GATORS IN GATOR POND?

>> YES, WE DO.

SOME OF OUR -- WE HAVE ALLIGATORS STOCKED HERE SO WE HAVE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE WE'VE GOT THREE ALLIGATORS.

>> WHAT ARE THE FISHING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BAYOU OVER HERE?

>> WELL, THE BAYOU IS ABOUT FIVE MILES LONG AND THERE'S CAMPING AREAS ALL ALONG THE BAYOU AND FISHING IS VERY PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

ALSO THERE'S I THINK TWO OR THREE BOAT RAMPS ON THE BAYOU, TWO OF THEM, I THINK TWO ARE PRIMITIVE AND ONE HAS A CONCRETE RAMP SO THERE'S FISHING OPPORTUNITIES BOOT FOR BOAT AND LAND FISHING.

>> FOLKS WHO JUST WANT TO TAKE KAYAK TRIP AS WELL.

>> YES, WE HAVE A AYNUP WHERE THE CANOE TRAIL STARTS AND WE'VE MARKED THE TRAIL ON THE ROBE BAYOU.

THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO GET LOST ON THE BAYOU BUT WE HAVE PUT WHITE SIGNS UP THAT MARK THE TRAIL.

>> OF COURSE THOSE FOLKS THAT JUST WANT TO TAKE A CAR TOUR, THE ROAD WE'RE TAKING TODAY ALONG THE BAYOU, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND YOU CAN STILL SEE THE BAYOU.

>> YES, IN THE FALL, THIS AUTO TRIP IS BEAUTIFUL.

WHEN THE LEAVES YOU ARE TURNING, IT'S ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILES FROM WHERE ROBE BAYOU STARTS ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE SO ABOUT A 4 AND A HALF MILE TRIP AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

LOT OF PEOPLE GET OUT AND BIRD ALONG THE ROAD IN THE FALL.

>> ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE MOST OF ROBE BAYOU BY JUST DRIVING ALONG, TO REALLY EXPERIENCE THIS ENTIRE AREA, I WOULD SUGGEST STOPPING ALONG AT THE VARIOUS CAMPSITE LOCATIONS AND GETTING OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE SO YOU CAN TAKE IT ALL IN.

IT MAKES FOR BETTER PICTURE-TAKING AS WELL BY BEING CLOSEUP TO THE WATER'S EDGE.

AND IF YOU STICK AROUNUNTILI SUNDAY SET YOU'LL DISCOVER ROBE BAYOU TAKES ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

>> THE ROCK CREEK NATURAL AREA SOUTH OF HARDY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE MANY NATURAL AREAS UNDERNEATH THE ARKANSAS NATIONAL HERITAGE COMMISSION AND JOINING US IS JOHN O'DELL WITH THE COMMISSION WHO WILL BE GUIDING US TO PWUB LING SPRINGS.

>> >> JOHN, THIS IS NOT TOO BAD OF A HIKE.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, LESS THAN A MILE?

>> PROBABLYALMOST A MILE, THEN WE'LL GO UPSTREAM MAYBE ANOTHER HALF MILE TO BUBBLING SPRINGS.

>> THE ROCK CREEK NATURAL AREA IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE SPRING RIVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA SOUTH OF HARDY NEAR THE TOWN OF SITKA.

THE TRAIL TO THE SPRINGS VARIES FROM BEING QUITE WIDE TO HARDLY ANY TRAIL AT ALL.

>> WE MAY HAVE TO BUSHWACK A TAD.

>> I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT MY MACHETE!

>> THIS ISN'T TOO BAD.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE SEED PARTICULARS ARE OUT, THEY MIGHT BE, YEAH, THEY ARE, YOU SEE THEM?

>> YEAH.

THIS IS THAT TIME OF YEAR FOR THE TICS.

THEY COME OUT IN LATE AUGUST.

>> IF YOU DO THIS HIKE DURING THE WARMER MONTHS, UPON RESEARCHING BUBBLING SPRINGS, IT IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO COOL OFF.

>> OH, YEAH!

THAT'S NICE.

DOES THE TRAIL PRETTY MUCH END OVER HERE?

>> THIS IS THE END AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL STREAK UP HERE BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY PUTTING OUT TOO MUCH WATER.

>> ROCK CREEK IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A PURE OZARK MOUNTAIN STREAM, UNIQUE BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH WATER QUALITY.

>> WE GOT THIS AREA BASICALLY JUST TO PRESERVE THE FIELDS AND THE STREAM AND ANY KIND OF SPRINGS.

THERE'S A LOT OF RARE PLANTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF TOPOGRAPHY, STREAMS.

>> GOLDEN ROD WE HAVE A SHOT OFF.

>> THAT'S A RARE PLANT, FOUND ONLY IN NORTHERN ARKANSAS IN THIS ONE SPOT AND WE ALSO GOT THIS AS A TYPE OF COMMUNITY ALSO, IT'S A FAIRLY RARE COMMUNITY IN ARKANSAS WITH THE SPRING TYPE COMMUNITY WITH THE DOLE LA MIGHT AND THE OTHER TYPES.

>> THE CLARITY OF THIS WATER IS JUST AMAZING.

>> IT IS AAMAZING.

>> THE LITTLE SNAILS YOU CALL THEM -- >> WELL, I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THEM REFERRED TO ASPERFECT WIN ALSO.

>> THEY ARE INDICATORS OF REALLY GOOD WATER QUALITY.

SO THERE'S A LOT, IF YOU LOOK DOWN YOU'LL SEE MANY, MANY OF THEM AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW AREAS I'VE SEEN THEM IN.

OTHER AREAS AROUND THE OTHER CREEK, THAT IS A VERY NICE WATER SPRING-FED MOSTLY SO THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE WE'RE PROUD OF IT.

REALLY NICE.

>> DEFINITELY HAS ALL THE CRITERIA TO KEEP IT A NATURAL AREA FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

>> NO DOUBT, NO DOUBT.

AND IT WILL BE FOREVER.

>> NOT TO MENTION THE NATURAL BEETLE WE GOT A SHOT OF EARLIER, NONE OF US AGREED WE'D EVER SEEN A BEETLE QUITE LIKE THAT BEFORE.

>> NEVER SEASON ONE LIKE IT.

WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE OFFICE AND IDENTIFY IT AND MAYBE IT COULD BE A RARE BEETLE.

WHO KNOWS?

>> THAT SPRING IS STILL AMAZING TO ME, HOW MUCH WATER IS BEING JUST PUMPED OUT OF THERE.

>> IT STAYS THAT LEVEL PRETTY MUCH YEAR-ROUND EXCEPT DURING SOME QUIET PERIODS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VOLUME IS BUT IT'S QUITE A BIT AS YOU CAN TELL.

LIKE THE STREAM ABOVE THE SPRING HERE, IT'S NOT NEAR THE VOLUME GOING DOWN.

AS YOU NOTICE, IT'S GOT TWO DIFFERENT BODIES OF WATER GOING OUT AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE'S PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF GALLONS COMING OUT PER MINUTE, I WOULD ESTIMATE.

>> OF COURSE THE TRAIL PEOPLE WANT TO GO AND EXPLORE THIS, PRETTY WE WILL MARKED WITH THE BLUE MARKERS, REAL GOOD.

AND SOME OF THAT AREA IS A LITTLE BIT HALF TRAIL HALF TALL GRASS BUT THAT'S PART OF NATURE.

>> THE GAME AND FISH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UPKEEP ON THAT TRAIL AND THEY DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB AND OF COURSE WE KO MANAGER THE AREA, GAME AND FISH WITH US ALSO.

>> TAKE A HIKE FOR YOURSELF AND EXPLORE A SPRING USED BY NATIVE AMERICANS AT THE ROCK CREEK NATURAL AREA IN THE SPRING RIVER WILD LIFE MANAGEMENT AREA SOUTH OF HARDY.

>> SO FROM THE ROCK CREEK NATURAL AREA TO ROBE BAYOU IN THE DAGMER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA NEAR BRINKLEY TO THE FERN GULLY SCENIC AND SPECIAL INTEREST AREA NORTHEAST OF FORT SMITH IN THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST YOU CAN PICK ONE OR ALL THREE TO EXPLORE FOR YOURSELVES.

AND FOR MORE ON THESE AND OTHER DESTINATIONS, OR TO ORDER A COPY OF AN EPISODE VISIT OUR WEB SITE, AETN.ORG/EXPLORING ARKANSAS AND WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON EXPLORING ARKANSAS.

CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION FIRST, INC. www.captionfirst.com