We decided to return to Arkansas for fall colors this year.  Our last trip was in 2018.

 

The first maple tree we saw with a full flush of fall color was in Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Springs AR (it was in the parking lot…)

 

Colors reflecting off of Lake Catherine on the Falls Branch trail.

 

Karin on the curvy Millsap Canopy bridge at Garvan Gardens near Hot Springs AR.

 

Bridge of the Full Moon at Garvan Gardens

 

Making glass pumpkins at Riley’s Art Glass Studio in Hot Springs. These two brothers moved to Hot Springs from the Bay Area, remembering their grandparents home in the Arkansas woods. They create some really pretty pieces of glass art, one of which we have in our home. They are fun to talk to while they work/create.

 

The red leaves are on a Black Gum tree and really glow in the sunlight. This hike was the Little Blakely South trail close to Hot Springs. These trees were very showy this year.

 

A view of Lake Quachita from our lunch spot on the Little Blakely South trail.  (Quachita is pronounced “wash-she-ta”) The lake level was very low due to the drought.

 

 

Roughing it on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs….

 

Another brilliantly colored Black Gum tree, this one in Petit Jean State Park on the Seven Hollows trail.

 

Karin hiking the Seven Hollows trail in Pettit Jean St Park (the first state park in Arkansas).

 

The gold leaves of the hickory tree above the red of the young black gum trees on the Seven Hollows trail in Petit Jean

 

The Grotto on the Seven Hollows trail

 

Karin peeking around the corner above a carpet of red black gum leaves on the Seven Hollows trail.

 

One of the few flowers blooming in fall is this aster casting a geometric shadow…

 

 

View of the north slope of Mount Magazine from the North Rim trail. Mount Magazine is the highest peak in Arkansas at 2753ft above sea level.

 

Fall color on Mount Magazine

 

More fall color on Mount Magazine

 

Fall colors on the Lost Valley trail in the Buffalo National River area. The Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. The river was added to the Nation Park Service as the first “National River” in 1972 after attempts to make it a national park did not succeed.

 

Karin hiking the Lost Valley trail among the colorful leaves

 

Not all the Lost Valley trail is flat….

 

There are two water falls on the Lost Valley trail and thanks to some rain the night before, both had water running. Above is the Natural Bridge falls. The white “dot” above the falls in the dark “cave” is the opposite opening of the “natural bridge” over the stream.

 

Fall color in the Ozark Mountains along AR highway 21

 

This shot is of the Thorncrown Chapel near Eureka Springs. This wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. The chapel was designed by architect E. Fay Jones and was built for Jim and Dell Reed. Jim Reed purchased the land in 1971 to build his retirement home. However, because so many people admired his view of the beautiful Ozark countryside, Jim decided to provide a small chapel where travelers could relax and meditate. The chapel has won five design awards and was named by American Institute of Architects (AIA) as the fourth–best building of the twentieth century.

 

Inside Thorncrown Chapel

 

Maple with red leaves in Eureka Springs.

 

More maple trees in Eureka Springs

 

Leaf litter on the ground – fall color drawing to a close for the season.

 

For a second time we hiked a short hike in Devil’s Den State Park on the way back to Texas. We hiked this trail for the first time in 1988. Great little trail (but we did not remember it very well).