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>> THIS MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT'S A
LAKE BUT IT IS. ACTUALLY IT'S PART OF THE SPILL WAY AT LAKE
SEQUOYAH IN FAYETTEVILLE AND THAT IS JUST FOR STARTERS.
THERE IS ALSO A NEAT TRAIL THAT GOES HALFWAY AROUND THE TRAIL
THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AND CHECK
OUT. LAKE SEQUOYAH JUST EAST OF
FAYETTEVILLE OFF OF HIGHWAY 16 IS ACTUALLY A PART OF THE
CITY'S PARK SYSTEM.
>> LAKE SEQUOYAH USED TO BE ONE OF THE WATER SUPPLIES FOR THE
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE AND OF COURSE WHEN WE HAD THAT SOME
TIME AGO A LOT OF LAND WAS ACQUIRED AROUND THE LAKE TO
HELP PROTECT THE WATERSHED OF THE
LAKE. THIS LAKE IS VERY UNIQUE.
THE MIDDLE FOLK AND EAST FOLK OF
THE WHITE RIVER COME TOGETHER TO
MAKE THIS LAKE. ON THE MAP AND WE HAVE THIS HERE AND A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR A TRAIL AND CIRCLE THE LAKE AROUND THE
TRAIL LIKE OTHER LAKES. THERE ARE
BEEN SCOUTS THAT DID THEIR EAGLE
PROJECTS OUT HERE AND BUILDING KIOSKS AND THE TRAIL AND YOU
NEED THREE BRIDGES TO CIRCLE THE
LAKE AND BECAUSE OF THE RIVERS.
THERE ARE FOUR OR 5 MILES OF TRAIL THAT FALLS ALONG THE
RIVER MAINLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
LAKE AND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER, AND THE KING FISHER
TRAIL AND THE ROOKERY TRAIL. >> THE 2-MILE OR SO ROUND TRIP
ROOKERY TRAIL LEADS TO A GREAT BLU HERON ROOKERY WHERE YOU CAN
TAKE A BREAK BEFORE HEADING BACK
AND OBSERVE THESE WONDERFUL BIRDS ON THEIR NEST.
ALONG WITH
GREAT THERE ARE ALSO EGRETS HERE
AT LAKE SEQUOYAH. A DIVERSIFIED
HABITAT AND THEN SOME IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT LAKE SEQUOYAH
PARK. >> VERY MUCH SO. YOU'VE GOT
FARMLAND, RIVER BOTTOMS AND UP ON THE -- HERE WE ARE ON THE
WEST SIDE OF THE LAKE. WHAT IS IRONIC JUST DOWN FROM HERE WAS
A BLUFF AND BELOW HERE BUT IT'S
NO LONGER THERE BUT THE BUZZARDS
GO THEIR STILL LIKE THERE IS AND
YES IT'S VERY DIVERSE. THERE IS
ABOUT A DOZEN ISLANDS ON THE SOUTHEAST REGION OF THE LAKE
AND WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE
PELICANS AND GREAT BLU HERON ROOKERY AND TURKEY VULTURES AND
MANY WATER FOWL. >> BESIDES THAT YOU HAVE
FISHING AND KAY ACING.
>> AND THE BEAUTY IS IT'S FIVE MINUTES FROM FAYETTEVILLE AND
THE WHOLE LAKE IS WITHIN FAYETTEVILLE CITY LIMITS AND
CONSIDERED PARK LAND.
>> IT'S ONE OFFED LESSOR KNOWN MOUNTAIN STREAMS THAT JUST
CRIES OUT FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE ITS
BEAUTY AND SECLUSION, CREEK CREEK SOUTHEAST OF BERRYVILLE.
IF YOU ENJOY FLOATING AND LIKE TO FISH THEN FLOAT FISHING IS
THE WAY TO GO ON OS AG E CREEK.
WE TEAMED UP WITH ONE OF THE TOP
FLOAT FISHERMAN AROUND THAT KNOWS THE BACK STREAMS OF
ARKANSAS LIKE NO ONE ELSE, OUR OLD FRIEND DENNIS WHITESIDE.
>> I GOT STARTED FISHING -- MIGHT AS WELL SAY IT BECAUSE OF
MY GRANDMOTHER. SHE LOVED TO FISH AND WE WOULD GO DOWN TO
THE LITTLE BLACK RIVER AND HAVE A
POLE AND HOOKS AND WE WOULD GO AFTER FISH AND I FELL IN LOVE
WITH IT. AND IT PART OF IT GRANDMA WOULD ALWAYS BRAG ON ME
AND HOW GOOD A FISHERMAN I WAS AND SHE DUMPED COFFEE GROUNDS
ON THE BACK PORCH AND THE WORMS
WOULD BE THERE AND THAT WAS MY JOB TO GATHER THE WORMS AND
CATCH GRASSHOPPERS ON THE PATH AND GRANDMA TAUGHT ME TO LOVE
THE RIVER AND THE WATERS AND VALUE THE FISH AND WE WOULD EAT
THEM. IT WAS A BIG DEAL. I WOULD BRING HOME THE FISH AND
SHE WOULD CLEAN THEM AND WE WOULD EAT THEM AND I HAVE DONE
SOMETHING AND AT SIX, EIGHT, 10 YEARS OF AGE AND IT WAS A
WORTHY THING TO ME. IT TAUGHT ME I
WAS OF VALUE EVEN AT THAT AGE.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO THINK THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING AND
I COULD CATCH FISH AND GRANDMA WOULD BRAG ON ME SO I THINK
THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY I
LOVE TO FLOAT FISH ON STREAMS. I GREW UP IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
AND CAME TO ARKANSAS IN THE 70'S
AND WORKED FOR ARKANSAS STATE PARKS AND NATIONALLY PART OF
WHAT I SAID WAS TRAVEL THE STATE, AND THERE WERE JUST LOTS
AND LOTS OF STREAMS AND I GREW UP WITH THE NORTON [INAUDIBLE]
FAMILY AND HIS FAMILY MADE BOATS
AND WHEN WE WERE AT COLLEGE AT AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AND
WE USED THE JOHN BOAT AND WORE IT
OUT FISHING AND I HAD A CANOE AND WORE IT OUT AND I BOUGHT A
BIG 19.5-FOOTERS AND THERE ARE LITTLE STREAMS IN ARKANSAS THAT
I HAVEN'T FLOATED AND FISHED AND
EVEN THE TINY ONES SUCH AS THE CREEK CREEK HERE AND I WENT
OVER THIS AND DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION
TO IT AND FINALLY I GOT OFF THE
ROAD AND LOOKED AT IT AND THERE ARE COUNTY ROADS THAT FOLLOW
THIS LITTLE OLD STREAM PRETTY MUCH FROM ONE END TO ANOTHER,
NOT COMPLETELY, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT IT AND I COULDN'T
BELIEVE IT. AND MANY HEARD OF THIS AND THE RIVER AND TO ME
THIS IS AN OVER LOOKED VALLEY AND THIS BEGINS ON THE WESTERN
SLOPE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND ACROSS
THE CREEK AND RIDGE TOP AND THE LITTLE BRANCH THAT GOES OFF AND
AT HIGH 62 AND IN BETWEEN BERRYVILLE AND EUREKA SPRINGS
AND I WOULD SAY THERE ARE PROBABLY SIX DIFFERENT ONE DAY
FLOAT TRIPS IN THAT STREAM. I THINK IT GETS SOME RECOGNITION
ON THE UPPER END OF IT FOR WHITE
WATER FISHING OR CANOEING AND KAYAKING BUT THE PORTIONS OF
THE STREAM THEY AM FAMILIAR WITH
ARE LOWER END AND HIGHWAY 21 AND
BERRYVILLE AND FURTHER DOWN THE STREAM, AND IT'S PRIVATE
PROPERTY ON THE BANKS AND THE STREAM BANKS HERE. OF COURSE
THE WATER IS PUBLIC PROPERTY. LANDOWNERS -- I KNOW SOME OF
THEM. I NEVER MET A BAD ONE. TREAT THE LAND WITH RESPECT.
RESPECT THEIR PROPERTY. DON'T BE BOTHERING THEIR CATTLE AND
TEARING THEIR FENCES DOWN AND SO
FORTH, BUT I HAVE CAUGHT LOTS AND LOTS OF FISH ON THIS
STREAM. I DON'T FISH IT ANYMORE BECAUSE
I LIVE IN MISSOURI NOW, BUT I WOULD SAY IF YOU LOVED THE
SMALLMOUTH BASS FISH AND WANT PRIVACY AND WANT TO GET AWAY
FROM THE CROWD THAT YOU FIND ON A LOT OF THE STREAM THIS IS IS
THE PLACE TO GO. IT DOES NOT HAVE A CANOE RENTAL ON IT PER
SE. THERE ARE VERY FEW PUBLIC ACCESSES, NOTHING DEVELOPED BY
THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT, ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE SHOULD
BE, BUT WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND
A LITTLE WORK YOU CAN DEFINITELY
GET OUT HERE ON THIS STREAM AND MAKE A DAY FLOAT. SEE
BEAUTIFUL THINGS. THE BLUFF IS ONE OF
THE MOST SCENIC BLUFFS THAT I HAVE
SEEN ANYWHERE IN ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, ANYWHERE IN THE OZARKS
OR THE OUACHITA MOUNTAINS.
THERE ARE SPRINGS ALONG THE WAY AND ROOKERIES AND SYCAMORES AND
YOU WILL SEE EAGLES AND SEEN THOSE TODAY AND LISTENING TO IT
RIGHT NOW. THERE IS ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE OUT HERE. YOU HAVE
PRIVACY. YOU HAVE QUIET AND PEACE AND I LOVE IT. I COULD
TALK ALL DAY ABOUT IT AND BORE YOU TO DEATH BUT IT'S A
WONDERFUL STREAM AND RELATIVELY UNKNOWN, AND I THOUGHT I WOULD
SHARE WITH EVERYBODY. I LOVE TO
EXPLORE ARKANSAS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PROGRAM AND
WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOU HAVE
DONE AND SINCE I LIVED IN ARKANSAS FOR 30 SOMETHING
YEARS, RAISED MY FAMILY HERE. I HAVE
DONE A LOT OF EXPLORING ON MY OWN AND SINCE RETIREMENT I HAVE
A BUSINESS THAT I RUN IN ARKANSAS. I DON'T GUIDE HERE
ANYMORE BUT I COME DOWN HERE AND
FISH WITH MY SON AND IN THIS CASE YOU WANTED TO SEE A UNIQUE
PLACE I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE AN
EXCELLENT STREAM THAT YOU CAN COME AND SHOOT SOME FOOTAGE. I
COULD TELL YOU ABOUT IT AND IT'S
A STREAM THAT YOU CAN FLOAT AND THAT YOU LEARNED TODAY A LOT OF
YOU IT YOU DRIVE AND ACTUALLY SEE FROM A VEHICLE. IT'S
COUNTY ROADS, DIRT ROADS, BUT THAT'S
PART OF EXPLORING. IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT AND SEE THIS STUFF
YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND DO
IT. >> IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE WE
CAUGHT OUR FIRST SMALLMOUTH BASS.
>> PEOPLE CALL THEM BLACK BASS, BROWNIE, [INAUDIBLE] KENTUCKY
BACK AND THIS BASS. THEY'RE LITTLE FIGHTERS. BEAUTIFUL
FISH. >> DURING OUR FLOAT FISHING
EXCURSION DENNIS WANTED TO SHOW US ONE OF THE SPRINGS ALONG O
SAGE CREEK.
>> I ALWAYS LOVED SPRINGS AND THEY'RE NEXTINGLY HARD TO FIND
HONESTLY AND GROUNDWATER IS LOWERING AND WE HAD RECENT RAIN
AND I KNOW FOLKS WOULD WANT TO SEE THIS AND THE CLEAR WATER
AND WE DRANK OUT OF THEM WHEN I WAS
A CHILD. TODAY THEY DON'T RECOMMEND DOING THAT. THEY
REPRESENT PART OF THE OZARKS HERE AND ESSENTIALLY THAT MEANS
THAT THE LIME STONE IN THE BLUFFS AND UNDER GROUND ARE
CONTINUALLY IN SOLUTION SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE CAVERNS
AND THE SINK HOLES AND HOPEFULLY
IF THERE IS PLENTY OF GROUNDWATER YOU HAVE THE
SPRINGS. I LOVE THIS PARTICULAR
LITTLE SPOT. IT'S AN ACCESS POINT ON THE STREAM WHERE YOU
CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A FLOAT TRIP AND IF YOU WANTED TO CAMP OUT
HERE YOU COULD GET THE WATER AND
BOIL IT AND DRINK IT AND IT WOULD BE JUST FINE.
>> DENNIS ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT TO US SOMETHING ELSE THAT
OCCURS ALONG SECLUDED STREAMS LIKE O SAGE.
>> THERE IS A COUCH. SOMEONE LEFT IT HERE. SOMEONE BURNED
IT AND I AM SURE BEFORE LONG IT
WILL BE OFF IN THE RIVER. TO ME
WITH THE DUTY THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN THIS FILM CLIP TODAY
OF OSAGE CREEK TO HAVE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT OUT HERE IS CRIMINAL.
IT'S SAD. IT BOTHERS ME THAT PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY DO THIS.
AS A FLOAT FISHING GUIDE I TAKE PEOPLE ON STREAMS AND FROM
ALABAMA AND OTHER STATES AND THEY'RE LIKE
WHAT ARE PEOPLE THINKING? THEY'RE NOT THINKING. IT'S
SOMEONE LOCAL. THEY LEAVE IT HERE. THEY THINK IT'S OKAY.
NOBODY OWN THIS IS SO WE WILL LEAVE THE TRASH HERE AND BEFORE
YOU KNOW IT YOU HAVE A DUMP HERE
IN THIS SPOT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE NOT TO DO THAT. THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH
COMMISSION HAS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM CALL THE THE STREAM
TEAM AND PEOPLE ARE ADOPTING STREAMS
AND CLEANING UP THE LITTER. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE ISN'T ONE
HERE ON THIS CREEK. THE TOWNS OF BERRYVILLE AND GREEN FOREST
COULD DO THAT. I ENCOURAGE IF YOU'RE A TEACHER AND WOULD LIKE
TO GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED WITH LEARNING ABOUT THE OUT DOORS
AND CLOSER TO NATURE HERE IS A
SPRING. YOU COULD STUDY THE AQUATIC LIFE ALL DAY LONG AND
WHILE YOU'RE HERE YOU COULD PICK
UP THE TRASH. I DON'T NECESSARILY BLAME PEOPLE FOR
DOING THIS, BUT IT'S A SHAME THAT WE'RE DOING THIS
LITTERING, AND ONE OF MY QUOTES OF ALL
TIME IS FROM THE PERSON THAT WROTE
THE COUNTY ALMANAC. "HE CONSIDER LAND A COMMODITY THAT
WE OWN. WHEN WE LEARN TO SEE LAND AS A COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE
ARE INVOLVED WE WILL LEARN TO LOVE AND RESPECT IT" AND HE
SAID THAT IN 1930. THIS IS NEAR
100 YEARS LATER. HE WAS A VISIONARY. I CAN'T SEE
ANYTHING TO ARGUE WITH.
>> AND IF THE BURNED OUT COACH WASN'T ENOUGH FARTHER DOWN THE
STREAM WE CAME UPON THIS, A RUSTED OUT CAR OF ALL THINGS,
REAFFIRMING THE PROBLEM IN THE NATIONAL STATE THAT DENNIS WAS
TALKING ABOUT. AND SO AFTER A HALF DAY OF FLOATD FISHING THAT
WENT BY WAY TOO FAST WE APPROACHED OUR TAKE OUT POINT.
>> THERE IS OUR DESTINATION. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE HEADED. WE
HAD A FLOAT TRIP ON THE OSAGE CREEK AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE
CONNECTED. TAKE THE CANOE AND HOPEFULLY A BUDDY THAT HAS A
VEHICLE AND YOU PUT IT AT POINT A AND FLOAT FOR HALF A DAY,
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, AND LEAVE A VEHICLE AT THE TAKE OUT
AND LOAD UP THERE AND EVERYONE GOES HOME. YOU CAN TAKE THE
LOWER MAP LIST OR ABOUT GOOD MAP
SYSTEM AND FIND THESE STREAMS. OSAGE IS ON THERE AND OTHERS.
IF YOU LOOK -- YOU MAY HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF SCOUTING AS
YOU GO AND FIND THE PLACES YOU CAN PUT IN AND TAKE OUT. HOW
LONG DOES IT TAKE? I WOULD SAY A FIVE OR 6-MILE FLOAT IS A
GOOD TRIP WITH NORMAL WATERS AND IF
YOU DON'T KNOW JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL. YOU CAN FIND MY EMAIL
ADDRESS AT MY WEBSITE AND I WILL
TELL YOU HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE. IF YOU MAKE A REAL GOOD
SANDWICH I MAY GO WITH YOU.
>> IT BEGAN INNOCENTLY ENOUGH LOOKING LIKE A STROLL THROUGH
THE PARK. ABOUT HALFWAY INTO THE HIKE AND 1 MILE AFTER
LEAVING A FOUR WHEELER ROAD IS WHEN THINGS STARTED TO GO
DOWNHILL LITERALLY. WITHOUT A PATH BUSH WACKING WAS IN ORDER
AS WE MADE OUR WAY DOWN INTO A CANYON. WE TAGGED ALONG WITH A
FATHER AND SON OUTING TO THE ROCK CREEK VALLEY IN THE O ZACH
NATIONAL FOREST SOUTHEAST OF DEER AND NOT TO BE CONFUSED
WITH THE AREA OUTSIDE OF HARTY AND
JOHN MOORE AND SON GRANT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SORT OF THING
EVER SINCE HIS KIDS WERE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
>> GRANT AND HIS OLDER BROTHER HAVE BEEN HIKING WITH US FROM
AN EARLY AGE. I WOULD SAY SIX
YEARS OLD AND ON. >> IT GIVES THEM A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE DOING THIS MORE SO THAN WHAT THEY LEARN IN SCHOOL
ABOUT NATURE AND THE OUT DOORS. >> I AM SURE THEY GET TO SEE
THESE THINGS FIRST HAND. >> THEY'RE SITTING AROUND AND
ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO COME ONE
TIME SO I RODE ALONG AND SOON I GOT HERE AND I LIKE TO CLIMB ON
THE ROCKS AND JUMP AROUND AND MY
BROTHER CAME WITH ME AND WE BOTH
JOY TODAY. >> YEAH, THERE IS A LOT OF
STUFF TO CLIMB ON HERE, A LOT OF NEAT
ROCKS. >> YEAH. I DON'T LIKE TO CLIMB
THOSE. THEY'RE KIND OF TOO BIG. >> YEAH, THAT ONE THERE MIGHT
BE TOO DANGEROUS TO FREE CLIMB.
>> YEAH. >> BUT IT'S KIND OF I GUESS
GOES ALONG WITH WHAT YOU LEARN IN
SCHOOL ABOUT NATURE AND THE OUT DOORS AND YOU GET TO SEE IT
FIRST HAND. >> YEAH. SORT OF LUCKY I HAVE
A DAD THAT HAS A HOBBY WITH THIS
AND I I DON'T JUST SEE IT IN THE
BOOKS. >> THAT'S RIGHT. THE AREA THAT
MOORE AND HIS SON TOOK US IS CALLED THE MIDDLE BLOYD
SANDSTONE BECAUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOYD GEOLOGICAL
FORMATION IN THE NORTHWEST ARKANSAS OZARKS WHICH INCLUDES
THE AREA OF ROCKS AND HAS IMPRESSIVE ROCK FORMATION AND
COLUMNS IN THE SHAPE OF PEDESTALS. SOME OF THE
FORMATION IT'S WE WILL CALL THEM
STACK ROCKS AND LOOK INDEED LIKE
THEY WERE STACKED ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER. ALSO ADD TO ALL OF
THIS ARE WATERFALLS. JOHN MOORE'S EXPLORING INTEREST
BEGAN WITH HIS LOVE OF TAKING PICTURES
IN THE OUT DOORS. >> I GOT TO PICTURE BUG AND
HIKING AND I LOOKED AT PLACES IN
THE OUT DOOR THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY.
>> LIKE THIS SAND STONE COLUMN HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN BACK HERE
MORE THAN ONCE. >> I THINK THIS IS MY FOURTH
TRIP INTO THE AREA. >> AND YOU SAY EVERYDAY YOU
FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
>> YEAH. I DON'T HIKE THE SAME PATH TWICE SO THERE IS ALWAYS
SOMETHING NEW TO TAKE A PICTURE OF.
>> SO IF YOU'RE THE MORE ADVENTURE SOME TYPE AND EXPLORE
FOR YOURSELF THE ROCK CREEK VALLEY AREA IN THE O ZACH AREA
NEAR DEER AND FOR THE COORDINATES AND OTHER
INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
AETN .ORG /EXPLORING ARKANSAS AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "EXPLORING ARKANSAS".