>> THE SMITH CREEK NATURE PRESERVE SOUTH OF BOXLEY VALLEY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS IS ONE OF MANY AREAS THAT'S PROTECTED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY BEING REFERRED TO AS ECOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT, AND IT'S WHERE WE BEGIN THIS WEEK'S SHOW.

THEN WE'LL TAKE YOU ON A WILD CAVE TOUR AT COSMIC CAVERN NEAR BERRYVILLE WHERE THE BOTTOM OF TWO UNDERGROUND LAKES HAS YET TO BE FOUND.

THEN WE'LL CLOSE IT ALL OUT ALONG THE WORLD'S LONGEST BAYOU NEAR BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW.

NOW LET'S GO AND EXPLORE SMITH CREEK NATURE PRESERVE.

THE MORE THAN 1,200 ACRES OF THE SMITH CREEK NATURE PRESERVE FORM AN ADDITIONAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER TO THE NORTH AND THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST TO THE SOUTH.

THIS AREA'S PRIMARILY KNOWN FOR ITS ENDANGERED INDIANA BAT POPULATION.

SINKHOLES THROUGHOUT THE PRESERVE PROVIDE NUMEROUS PASSAGEWAYS INTO HAND EXTENSIVE CAVE SYSTEM.

>> THIS IS AN ENTRANCE INTO SHERFIED CAVE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LONGEST CAVES IN ARKANSAS.

THERE'S ABOUT THREE MILES OF PASSAGE UNDERNEATH THIS PROPERTY AND A COUPLE OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.

>> AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE INDIANA BATS HIBERNATE IN THE WINTERTIME?

>> YES, THIS IS THE LARGEST HIBERNATION SPOT IN ARKANSAS.

THEY USED TO BE IN A LOT OF CAVES.

LATELY THEY HAVEN'T...

IN RECENT HISTORY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT GOOD.

ACTUALLY, THE POPULATION HERE IS GROWING A LITTLE BIT.

SO WE'VE HAD SOME GROWTH IN THE POPULATION RIGHT HERE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE EFFORT TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY FORMING MORE CAVE VOID RIGHT NOW.

>> THE BATS NOT ONLY USE THE CAVE BUT THE SURROUNDING FOREST, AS WELL.

-INDIANA BAT DOES ITS MATERNITY FUNCTION RIGHT WITH ITS BABIES IN THE WOODS IN HALLOW CAVITIES IN TREES.

SO HAVING THE CAVE AND A LARGE EXPANSE OF PROTECTED WOODED AREA WITH TREES OF ALL AGES IS VERY IMPORTANT.

YOUNG FOREST DOESN'T PROVIDE THE CAVITIES THAT AN OLDER FOREST DOES.

>> TIM SNELL IS THE DIRECTOR OF OZARK CONSERVATION PROGRAMS FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN ARKANSAS.

THE OZARK KARST OR CAVE ECOREGION STRETCHES FROM NORTHERN ARKANSAS INTO EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHERN TO CENTRAL MISSOURI.

THIS UNIQUE UNDERGROUND TERRAIN HARBORS BATS, SALAMANDERS, CRUSTACEANS AND AT LEAST 06 -- 60 SPECIES FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

PROTECTING THIS VAST AREA IS WHAT THE OZARK KARST PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT.

>> BASICALLY WE CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE THINK IS THE 20 MOST IMPORTANT CAVES EVERY YEAR.

WE TRY TO DO PROTECTION AND WORK WITH LANDOWNERS AND WORK ON THE RESOURCE AT THE 20 MOST IMPORTANT PLACES EACH YEAR.

SO AS WE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH THINGS AT A SITE, OFTEN-TIMES THAT SITE WILL DROP DOWN AND IF NEXT MOST IMPORTANT ONE WILL POP UP.

SO IT KEEPS US MOVING AROUND THE OZARKS, LOOKING AT WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO RIGHT NOW FOR THE KARST SPECIES THAT LIVE THERE.

>> WHAT TIM AND HIS TEAM HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE OZARK KARST ECOSYSTEM WILL BE USED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

>> WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE KARST CONSERVATION TOOLBOX, AND RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY TO EXPORT THAT KNOWLEDGE TO OTHER PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD.

SO WE'LL BE VISITING BORNEO, JAMAICA, YUCATAN, PARTS OF MEXICO AND TAKING THIS TOOLBOX THAT WE'VE USED THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED HERE AND USED SUCCESSFULLY HERE TO OTHER PLACES.

SO IT'S KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO TO ANOTHER PROJECT, RAPIDLY BRING THEIR KARST PLANNING UP SO THAT THEY CAN GET ON TO THE IMPLEMENTATION STAGE AND ACTUALLY START DOING THINGS ON THE LANDSCAPE THAT WILL BENEFIT THE KARST SPECIES THERE.

>> SAVING THE LAST GREAT PLACES ON EARTH IS THE FOCUS OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WHEN DECIDING WHAT AREAS TO PROTECT.

>> IT CERTAINLY IS, BUT IT DOES VARY WHETHER WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE GLOBE OR RIGHT HERE IN ARKANSAS.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WORKS IN 33 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AND IN ALL 50 STATES.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE'RE WORKING, THOUGH, WE ALWAYS WANT TO LOOK AT THE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF A PLACE, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN, SOME OF THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY RICH PLACES ARE RIGHT HERE IN ARKANSAS.

THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY, FOR INSTANCE, IS THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY RICH, DIVERSE PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE STANDING AT PLACE THAT HAS SOME INCREDIBLE SPECIES, THE INDIAN THAT BATS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT ALREADY.

WE LIKE TO CONSIDER A LOT OF THINGS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PLACE THAT WE'RE INTERESTING IN HAVING A HAND IN CONSERVING.

WE ALWAYS WORK WITH PARTNERS, AND HERE, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY CONNECTS THE 1.2 MILLION ACRE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST TO THE 95,000 ACRE BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER.

IT HELPS PROTECT THE WATER QUALITY OF THIS STREAM FOR HUMANS AND FOR THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THE CAVE BELOW THAT THE WATER SEEPS DOWN INTO AND ON INTO THE BUFFALO RIVER.

SO THERE'S TURKEY, DEER, ELK EVEN ON THIS PROPERTY, SO THIS WAS A PRETTY EASY ONE TO PICK AS ONE THAT WAS DEFINITELY WORTHY OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

>> FALL AND SPRING HIKES ARE OFFERED AT THE SMITH CREEK PRESERVE BY THE CONSERVANCY.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT NATURE.ORG/ARKANSAS.

LIKE MOST CAVE, COSMIC CAVERN NORTH OF BERRYVILLE ALSO HAS ITS UNIQUE FORMATION, BUT UNLIKE OTHER CAVES, THIS CAVERN ALSO HAS TWO SMALL UNDERGROUND LAKE, THE BOTTOMS OF WHICH HAVE YET TO BE DISCOVERED.

AND IF YOU'RE REALLY ADVENTURESOME, THERE'S ALSO A WILD CAVE ROUTE, SO LET US TAKE YOU ON YET STILL ANOTHER OZARK UNDERGROUND WONDER.

THE FIRST FEW FEET OF THIS WILD CAVE TOUR ARE THE TRICKIEST.

>> WHAT OUR VIEWERS DIDN'T SEE WAS WE ALMOST LOST THE VIDEOGRAPHER.

MICHAD HOLLIDAY WENT AHEAD OF US TO GET THE SHOT OF US GROWING ACROSS.

WE ALMOST LOST HIM DOWN IN THAT LAKE.

HE MADE IT.

>> THE CAVE WAS FOUND IN 1845 BY A PROSPECTOR, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEHIND ME.

WE'RE ABOUT 1,000 FEET INTO THE CAVE HERE.

THE CAVE WASN'T OPEN COMMERCIALLY UNTIL 1927, WHICH WAS ABOUT THE TIME A LOT OF THE SHOW CAVES OPENED UP.

MOTEL, ROUTE 66 WAS IN THE AREA, A LOT OF PLACES STARTED... PEOPLE STARTED GOING CROSS COUNTRY, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE WONDERS OF NATURE.

WHEN THEY GOT BACK IN THE OZARKS, THERE WAS QUITE A FEW CAVES, AND BY THAT TIME THERE WERE PROBABLY 20 AND 30 MOM AND POP CAVES.

THIS WAS ONE OF THEM.

IT WAS CLOSED DURING WORLD WAR II, REOPENED IN 1952, AND I CAME HERE WHEN IT WAS CHANGED FROM MYSTERY CAVE TO COSMIC CAVERN IN 1972, AND I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

THE TOUR HAS...

THE THREE TIMES WE'VE ADD ON TO THE TOUR ROUTE SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE ADD FROM WHAT WAS ABOUT A PROBABLY PROBABLY7400 -- PROBABLY A 700 OR 800 FOOT TOUR IS PROBABLY NOW A THIRD OF A MILE.

>> THE UNDERGROUND LAKES ARE WHAT MAKES THIS CAVERN SO INTERESTING.

>> ACCORDING TO THE GEOLOGISTS, WE'RE SITUATEED HERE.

THERE'S A LARGE CRACK OF THE CEILING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CAVE.

90% OF THE CAVE FOLLOWS THIS FAULT LINE.

A FAULT CAN RUN VERY DEEP.

THIS FAULT HAS BROKEN INTO AN AQUIFER.

THAT FEEDS THE ROARING RIVER, BLUE SPRING, SEVERAL PLACES IN THIS AREA.

AND IT NEVER DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN POINT, SO WE ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF WATER.

WE'VE GOT THREE PLACES IN THE CAVE THAT THERE'S A CONSTANT WATER LEVEL.

IT NEVER GOES BELOW THAT POINT.

IT'S BEEN UP MANY TIMES UP OVER THE SIDEWALK SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT IT NEVER DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN POINT.

IT JUST KEEPS FEEDING ON BACK FURTHER IN THE MOUNTAIN.

>> SINCE THE CAVE'S DISCOVERY, THE BOTTOMS OF THE LAKES HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND.

>> NOBODY CAN REACH THE BOTTOM BECAUSE MAN'S TECHNOLOGY HASN'T GONE THAT FAR YET.

WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIT THROUGH SOME OF THESE PLACES.

EVERYBODY HAS IDEAS.

WHY DON'T YOU TRAIN THE FISH.

WE HAVE TROUT IN HERE.

WE COULD PUT LIGHTS ON AND MAYBE LET THEM GO BACK WITH A CAMERA TIED TO THEM.

WE HAVE SOME REALLY WILD ANALOGIES ABOUT HOW TO GET BACK IN THE CAI.

WE'LL NEVER FIND THE TRUE BOTTOM OR TRUE END BECAUSE A FAULT LINE TO THIS EXTENT CAN RUN 5,000 OR 10,000 FEET IN THE GROUND, WHICH MAY NOT BE VERY WIDE, AND IT'S STILL THERE, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OF A CRACK IN THE GROUND TO BRING WATER UP.

IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A BROKEN WATER PIPE, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OF A CRACK TO HAVE THE WATER FLOOD THE HOUSE.

>> DIVERS HAVE EXPLORED THE LAKES BUT HAVEN'T BEEN TOO SUCCESSFUL.

>> WE'VE HAD THREE SETS OF DIVERS.

ONE DIVER IN THE SECOND LAKE BACK HERE WHEN THEY DOVE TO MAKE AN IMAX MOVIE THAT'S SHOWING IN BRANSON NOW, HE WAS ABLE TO SQUEEZE THROUGH A SMALL CREVICE AND TOUCH THE CEILING OF A BIG UNDERWATER ROOM AND HAD A 2 MILLION CANDLE POWER LIGHT THAT HE COULD SEE THE ROOM AND HE COULDN'T GET THROUGH IT.

THE WALLS WERE SO SHARP, COVERED WITH FLINT, HE COULDN'T SQUEEZE IN THERE.

THAT'S THE NEXT POSSIBILITY AS FAR AS GOING UNDERWATER.

A HUGE UNDERWATER ROOM, BUT WE CAN'T GET TO IT.

>> COSMIC CAVERN IS HOME TO THE RARE OZARK BLIND CAVE SALAMANDER AND TWO PARTICULAR BARRELS.

>> I BROUGHT AN OLD MAN IN A CAVE IN 1986 THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CAVE HE'S BRAGGING ABOUT WHEN HE WAS A KID THEY CAME IN HERE AND HAD SOME BOATS MADE OUT OF OLD BARRELS.

OF COURSE, THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE A BOAT IN A CAVE IS ROLL FOUR BARRELS TOGETHER AND TIE THEM TOGETHER.

THEY DID THAT WITH OAK.

ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CAVE THIS GUY'S TELLING ME I GOT AN OLD BARREL BOAT.

I SHOWED HIM THE OLD BARRELS.

HE SAID, YEP, THAT WAS 1911 WHEN I WAS DOWN HERE WITH IT.

I WAS ABOUT 11 YEARS OLD.

TO THIS DAY WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY EYEWITNESSES.

NOT MANY PEOPLE COME 100 YEARS LATER TO TELL YOU STORIES.

AFTER 35 YEARS, I'VE HEARD LOTS OF STORIES FROM A LOT OF OLD-TIMERS WHO HAVE LONG SINCE PASSED AWAY.

WE HAVE DOCUMENTED QUITE A BIT OF IT.

>> RANDY BEGAN OFFERING THE THRILL OF WILD CAVEING TO VISITORS BACK DURING THE EARLY 1990S.

>> 1993, JANUARY 23RD, WE FOUND A WHOLE NEW SECTION OF CAVE THAT GOES BACK ALMOST A QUARTER OF A MILE, AND THE LITTLE BITTY CRAWLWAY WE HAD TO SQUEEZE THROUGH WAS JUST LIKE A SMALL TUNNEL THAT WE HAD BLASTED TWO SMALL CHARGES OF DYNAMITE.

WE EXPLORED IT THOROUGHLY FOR PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF, AND WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME, WE HAD A WALKWAY PART OF THE WAY BACK THAT BETWEEN THAT IN THAT FIRST YEAR FROM '93 TO '94, WE STARTED SHOWING ABOUT 200 PEOPLE THIS BACK PART OF THE CAVE FOR ABOUT $35.

YOU GET NASTY, MUDDY, YOU HAD LAKES YOU HAVE TO GO ACROSS, A RUBBER RAFT THAT NEVER COULD HOLD AIR.

IT'S MADE MUCH MORE INTERESTING.

SO IN '94 WE HAD THIS SECTION BACK TO WHERE I'M STANDING ADDED ON.

WE STILL TOOK A BOAT AND STILL WENT BACK FURTHER IN THE CAVE.

WE WERE THE FIRST SHOW CAVE IN THE OZARKS TO ADD ON A WILD TOUR.

EVERYBODY LATER STARTED DOING IT AND KIND OF FOLLOWED MY EXAMPLE.

BUT NOW WE HAVE A LITTLE DECK, AND IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO GET BACK IN THERE.

WE STILL SPEND ABOUT TWO TO TWO AND A HALF HOURS.

WE DON'T TAKE ANY MORE THAN SIX PEOPLE AND LESS THAN TWO.

IT DEPENDS ON THE CAM RAMPS I HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN GET IN AND OUT IN AN HOUR AND A HALF.

I HAVEN'T EVER TAKE AN TOUR FASTER THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE.

THERE'S 800 FEET OF CAVE BACK HERE.

THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S NOT THE QUANTITY.

IT'S THE QUALITY.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL BACK THERE.

>> THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR CAVE FORMATION IN THIS CAVERN THAT IS QUITE UNIQUE.

>> THE NINE-FOOT SODA STRAW IS... OUT OF 8,000 KNOWN CAVES IN THE OZARKS, WE HAVE THE LONGEST KNOWN STRAW THAT DOESN'T TOUCH FROM THE CEILING TO THE FLOOR ALL THE WAY.

IT'S GOT ABOUT A TWO AND A HALF FOOT GAP, AND THE CEILING PROVIDED THE WATER, AND THE FLOOR WAS 12.5 FEET LOWER AND THE WATER ALL BUILT UP THE SODA STRAW FROM CEILING TO FLOOR, AND NOW IT'S FREE STANDING AFTER THE TOP TWO AND A HALF FEET FELL.

AFTER CHECKING AROUND, WE FOUND THAT'S THE LONGEST KNOWN SODA STRAW STALAGMITE KNOWN TO EXIST IN THE 8,000-PLUS KNOWN CAVES IN MISSOURI, ARKANSAS AND OKLAHOMA.

IT'S THE WEIGHT OF IT, IT'S TOP HEAVY.

IT SHOWS US THAT THE WATER FLOODING HASN'T CAUSED ANY DAMAGE TO IT.

IT ALSO SHOWS US THAT NOTHING HAS MOVED DOWN HERE.

IF ANYTHING WOULD HAVE MOVED THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE BIT, THE WRONG DRIP OF WATER, THAT WOULD NOT BE STANDING THE WAY IT IS.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S DEFYING GRAVITY.

IT SHOULDN'T STAND THERE LIKE THAT.

>> IT'S HALLOW INSIDE.

IT'S GOT ONLY HALF THE DENSITY OF WHAT AN ICICLE WOULD HAVE.

SO A GOOD SNEEZE AND IT COULD BE GONE.

>> RANDY SAYS THERE'S EVEN MORE CAVE TO COSMIC CAVERN.

>> NOW THEY'VE SQUEEZED THROUGH A LITTLE SMALL FOOT LONG, FOOT TALL PASSAGEWAY AND THEY'RE ABLE TO STAND UP.

WE'RE STILL FOLLOWING AIR FLOW.

AIR FLOW IS LIKE A NEON ARROW.

IT WILL SHOW WHERE THE CAVES GOES OR NOT.

THERE IS A WIND BACK THERE.

THE RIDGE GOES BACK EIGHT MILES.

WE DON'T THINK WE'LL EVER FIND ALL OF IT.

>> RANDY SAYS THE KILL RATION OF WILD CAVING IS SOMETHING YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF.

>> IT'S LIKE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.

IT'S LIKE WHEN THE SPANIARDS EXPLORED THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.

IT'S JUST WHAT'S AROUND THE NEXT BEND, WHAT'S... WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE GOLD LIKE THEY DID BACK IN THE SPANIARDS IN THE 1500S, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHERE DOES THIS PLACE GO AND THE EXCITEMENT OF BEING ABLE TO BE THE FIRST ONE IN THERE AND TO KEEP FINDING MORE AND MORE AND MORE.

DOES IT GET BIGGER, DOES IT GET SMALLER?

IT'S JUST THE EXCITEMENT.

IT'S LIKE SKY DIVING, MOUNTAIN CLIMBING, THERE'S AN EXCITEMENT TO IT.

>> OKAY.

PRETTY DRIPPY.

WATCH YOUR BACK RIGHT HERE WHEN YOU COME UNDERNEATH.

I SCRAPED MY BACK THERE A FEW TIMES.

>> OH, YES, A -- THE FUN OF WILD CAVING.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

THE UNDERGROUND ADVENTURE, THIS IS TOO AWESOME FOR WORDS SOMETIMES.

>> IT CAN'T JUST STOP.

IT KEEPS ON GOING.

YOU'LL NEVER FIND IT ALL.

IT'S LIKE FINDING ALL THE STARS OF THE PLANET.

YOU'LL NEVER FIND THE END OF EVERY CAVE.

>> IT'S THE LONGEST BAYOU IN THE WORLD, BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW, ORIGINATING IN THE PINE BLUFF AREA.

IT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO LOUISIANA.

THAT'S A DISTANCE OF 350-SOMETHING MILES.

FOLKS HERE IN PINE BLUFF ARE FORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THIS BAYOU AND NOT EVEN HAVE TO GET ON IT BY WAY OF THE BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW NATURE TRAIL.

LET'S TAKE A HIKE AND EXPERIENCE IT FOR OURSELVES.

BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW WAS NAMED AFTER ST. BARTHOLOMEW BY A -- BY FRENCH-SPEAKING CATHOLIC SETTLERS IN THE VALLEY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE EASIEST TRAILS TO GET INTO LOCATED AT THE HAZEL STREET EXIT IN PINE BLUFF.

IT'S ONE AND THREE-QUARTER MILE TRAIL, AND FOR A LEISURELY VISIT, ALLOW YOURSELF AT LEAST TWO HOURS.

>> THE TRAIL AREA IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO PUT IN PINE BLUFF SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE COULD... A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND SEE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT IT'S LIKE, AT LEAST IN ITS HEADWATER AREAS, AND MOST OF THIS LAND THROUGH PINE BLUFF ALONG THE BAYOU IS WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN AND NOT REALLY DEVELOPABLE ANYWAY.

SO WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR RECREATIONAL AREAS, HIKING.

THERE'S PROBLEM LAY GOOD NINE MILES OF STREAM THROUGH PINE BLUFF.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME EASEMENTS FROM LAND THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OWNED, AS WELL AS THE CITY, AND ESTABLISH THIS NATURE TRAIL.

>> THERE ARE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS ALONG THE WAY AND TWO WILDLIFE OBSERVATION BLINDS, SO BY ALL MEANS, BRING A CAMERA AND/OR BINOCULARS.

ALSO A SWAMP ENVIRONMENT ISN'T THE ONLY HABITAT THE TRAIL OFFERS.

>> THERE'S QUITE A VARIETY AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE TRAILS.

SOME OF THE AREAS I GUESS THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT, YOU'LL SEE SOME BEAVER PONDS THAT ARE RATHER PERMANENT WETLANDS BUT ONLY THERE BECAUSE OF THE BEAVER DAMNING UP SOME OF THE SMALL TRIBUTARIES THAT COME IN, EVERYTHING FROM WATERFOWL TO SALAMANDERS TO VARIOUS KINDS OF TURTLES AND SNAKES AND OTHER SORTS OF CREEPY-CRAWLEY THINGS.

IT'S A QUITE UNIQUE HASHABITAT.

THERE'S MIXED HARD-WOOD FOREST WHERE YOU WILL SEE PINE TREES ON SLIGHTLY HIGHER GROUND.

IT MAY BE A FOOT WERE TO HIGHER THAN THE SURROUNDING GROUND.

THEN ON THOSE LOWER GROUNDS AROUND IT, YOU'LL SEE THINGS LIKE WATER OAKS AND WILLOW OAKS, SOME OF THE TALLER AQUATIC HICKORIES AND SO ON.

AND YOU'LL SEE SOME FORESTS THAT HAVE BEEN CUT MAYBE 30 YEARS AGO WHERE YOU SEE RATHER SMALL DIAMETER HARDWOODS AND THEY'RE RATHER DENSE TO SOME MORE OPEN CANOPY LIKE WE HAVE OVER HERE, OPEN UNDERSTORY WITH MUCH LARGER TREES THAT ARE QUITE A BIT OLDER.

AS FAR AS DIVERSE TIRKS IT'S AN -- DIVERSITY, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE SYSTEM.

THIS BAYOU RUNS PROBABLY 359 MILES FROM ITS HEADWATERS, WHICH ARE ABOUT NINE MILES UPSTREAM FROM WHERE WE'RE LOCATED NOW.

SO IF YOU WERE TO HOP IN A CANOE -- AND I'VE DONE IT ONCE -- AND GO THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF IT, IT'S 350 MILES FROM WHERE WE'RE STANDING TO WHERE THIS BAYOU... >> YOU'VE CANOED THE WHOLE ROUTE?

>> YES.

>> MY GOODNESS.

>> YES, SIR, THE WHOLE THING.

BUT IT'S...

THE DIVERSITY IS INCREDIBLE.

WE'VE SAMPLED FISH FOR PROBABLY SLIGHTLY OVER A DECADE OFF AND ON AT 13 LOCATIONS IN THE BAYOU, AND WE FOUND 117 SPECIES OF FISH IN THE BAYOU, 35 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF FRESHWATER CLAMS OR MUSSELS.

AND SO THAT MAKES THIS PROBABLY THE SECOND OR THIRD MOST DIVERSE STREAM ON THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, ONLY BEHIND THE GREEN RIVER OF KENTUCKY.

SO FROM A BIODIVERSITY STANDPOINT, THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT'S REALLY ANY MORE DIVERSE THAN WHAT THIS STREAM IS.

AND THE PLANT LIFE IS INCREDIBLE,, TOO BUT I WON'T CLAIM TO BE A BOTANIST.

SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT.

>> WE MIGHT ADD THIS WORD OF CAUTION: IF YOU PLAN ON VENTURING ON TO THIS TRAIL DURING THE WARM, MUGGY MONTHS, YOU WILL ENCOUNTER PLENTY OF MOSQUITO, FIRE ANT, WHICH ARE RIGHT NEXT TO THE TRAIL AND SNAKES, SO IT'S UP TO YOU AS FAR AS JUST HOW MUCH ADVENTURE YOU WANT OR CAN TAKE.

SO EXPLORE THE WORLD'S LONGEST BACK TO YOU USE, BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW IN PINE BLUFF BY WAY OF THE NATURE TRAIL OR EXPERIENCE COSMIC CAVERN NORTH OF BERRYVILLE WITH EITHER THE WILD CAVE TOUR OR THE REGULAR TOUR.

EITHER ONE YOU CHOOSE YOU CAN'T GO WRONG.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SMITH CREEK PRESERVE FOUND IN BOXLEY VALLEY IN NORTHWEST, ARKANSAS, 1100 ACRES OF PRISTINE, NATURAL BEAUTY PROTECTED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.

FOR MORE INFO ON THESE OR OTHER DESTINATIONS OR TO ORDER A COPY OF THE PROGRAM, VISIT OUR WEB SITE, AETN.ORG/EXPLORINGARKANSAS.

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