Ozark National Forest: Glory Hole Trail (Blog Hike #843)

Trail: Glory Hole Trail 

Hike Location: Ozark National Forest
Geographic Location: west of Deer, AR (35.82841, -93.39072)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: May 2021
Overview: An out-and-back, easy at first but steep and rocky at the end, to unique Glory Hole Falls.
Area Information: https://arkokhiker.org/northwest-arkansas/glory-hole-falls-trail-ozark-forest/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=872195
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: The trailhead for the Glory Hole Trail is located on the south side of SR 16/21 6.2 miles east of Fallsville.  The trailhead is marked by only 1 small sign that is hard to see from the road, but a large gravel turnout on the south side of the road provides parking for a few dozen cars.

The hike: When most people think of the Ozarks, they think of a rural region of ancient and eroded mountains that form Arkansas' version of the Appalachian Mountains.  Yet the Ozarks actually consist of two separate mountain ranges, the Boston Mountains of north-central Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri, connected by a couple of plateaus.  The two mountain ranges have different geologic origins: the St. Francois Mountains have an igneous (volcanic) core, while the Boston Mountains consist primarily of sedimentary rocks.  Neither mountain range is geologically related to the Appalachian Mountains or the nearby Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas.  

            The name Ozarks comes from the French phrase aux arcs, which is short for aux Arcansas, an early French name for this region.  The region is famous for numerous scenic sites, including huge springs, expansive views, unique waterfalls, and towering natural bridges.  I spent a week in mid-to-late May 2021 sampling the hiking opportunities the Ozarks have to offer, and at the end I wished I had a second week to spend here.

            Sprawling for 1.2 million acres across much of northern Arkansas, Ozark National Forest protects a large area along and north of the Boston Mountains.  The forest was created in 1908 by declaration of President Theodore Roosevelt to preserve some of the Ozarks' most scenic areas.  Numerous other state parks and national parks have been established in the region over the past 100 years, but some of the most famous and scenic sites in the region remain part of the national forest.

            My first two hikes in the Ozarks came in Ozark National Forest, and this hike leads to perhaps the region's most unique natural feature: the Glory Hole.  While most 20-foot waterfalls form only minor points of interest, this 20-foot waterfall sends water pouring through a 2-foot diameter hole in a thick layer of bedrock.  Even better, the Glory Hole can be accessed by a short 1 mile one-way hike that uses mostly old logging roads.  Such is the hike described here.

Roadside trailhead: Glory Hole Trail

            The trail starts at the roadside parking area, and it is marked only by a small sign at the parking area that says "Glory Hole Trail."  The two-track dirt trail heads out a finger ridge as it follows an old logging road.  Some side trails take you around large puddles of water that dot the old road.  The ridgetop forest is dominated by oak and hickory trees, and although some poison ivy lives in the understory, the trail is plenty wide to allow you to avoid it.  Wildflowers including purple violets and white violets put on a glorious display when I hiked here on a warm morning in mid-May.

Hiking the old logging road

Wildflower display

            At 0.3 miles, the old logging road you are following forks.  Although no signs indicate such, you need to follow the better-worn track that goes right and begins heading down the west side of the finger ridge.  One small patch of pines near this intersection seems out of place among the rest of the broadleaf forest.  The trail descends on a gradual to moderate grade as it crosses a few small streams via rock hop.  If there is not enough water in these streams to require a rock hop, your journey will end in disappointment: the Glory Hole will not be flowing either.

Steep, rocky final descent

            0.8 miles into the hike, the trail curves left as it leaves the old logging road.  The grade steepens and the going gets rockier just before you reach the top of Glory Hole Falls.  From this angle, water in the creek seems to disappear into a hole in the ground.  To get to the base of the falls, angle right and work your way down beside an adjacent side stream, which features its own nice waterfall.  The trail here is poorly defined, and you have to work your way down to the base of Glory Hole Falls using whatever route looks most feasible.

Rock shelter that contains the Glory Hole

Glory Hole

            What a special spot the base of Glory Hole Falls is!  The layer of bedrock the Glory Hole falls through forms a large rock shelter, so only the column of water and a few rays of sunlight can be seen here.  Some other impressive cliffs and rock shelters line the walls of this cove.  The trail ends at the Glory Hole, so after admiring the site you have to retrace your steps to the roadside parking area to complete the hike.

Tombigbee State Park: Tree Trunk Nature Trail (Blog Hike #842)

Trail: Tree Trunk Nature Trail

Hike Location: Tombigbee State Park
Geographic Location: east of Tupelo, MS (34.23188, -88.61520)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: May 2021
Overview: A rolling double loop with good Lake Lee views.
Park Information: https://www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations/state-parks/tombigbee
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=872189
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: On the south side of Tupelo, take US 45 to Eason Boulevard.  Exit and go east on Eason Blvd.  Drive Eason Blvd. east 1.7 miles to SR 6 and turn right on SR 6.  Drive SR 6 south 0.7 miles to CR 1050 and turn left on CR 1050.  Drive narrow and winding CR 1050 its full distance to State Park Road and turn left on State Park Rd.  The signed entrance to the state park is 1.7 miles ahead on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the small entrance fee, and park in the large blacktop parking lot in front of the park office.  The signed wooden entrance portal for the Tree Trunk Nature Trail is another 500 feet down the park road on the left.

The hike: Developed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps as one of Mississippi's first state parks, Tombigbee State Park protects 480 acres around Lake Lee, the 90-acre man-made lake at this park's center.  The park is named for the Tombigbee River, a major regional waterway that flows on a north-to-south course only a few miles east of the park.  Water from the park's lake flows west into Town Creek just south of Tupelo, then flows into the Tombigbee River, which flows into the Mobile/Tensaw River, which flows into Mobile Bay, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

            In terms of amenities, the park features a 20-site developed campground, 8 cabins, fishing on Lake Lee, athletic fields, 2 18-hole disc golf courses (the park's Course #1 is featured in my Disc Golf Review blog), and the short Tree Trunk Nature Trail described here.  The Tree Trunk Nature Trail consists of two loops: a short southern loop near the trailhead and a longer more remote northern loop.  Though not long, this trail explores the hills and hollows around Lake Lee and offers nice views across the lake.

Wooden portal at trailhead

            From the park office, continue walking up the park road, pass the campground on the right, and look for the wooden portal on the left that says "Tree Trunk Nature Trail."  Walk through the portal and descend some steep wooden steps to begin the trail's southern loop.  Unfortunately, several parts of this trail pass through areas that are also used for disc golf, and for the first few hundred feet the trail coincides with the path that serves the park's disc golf Course #1.  While sharing the woods with flying plastic makes this trail feel more like an exercise trail than a nature trail, most disc golfers are considerate and check for people in their way before they throw.  Follow the wooden signs with arrows to stay on the nature trail and avoid getting side-tracked on the disc golf path.

Wooden arrow marking trail

            After using a wooden bridge to cross a creek and passing disc golf tee #7, you exit the first disc  golf area as the trail climbs up and over a low ridge.  At 0.2 miles, you reach a bench and a trail intersection.  The trail going straight continues the southern loop, and we will go that way eventually.  To also hike the northern loop, turn left to cross a long wooden bridge over a wet area that forms the backwater of Lake Lee.

Long wooden bridge

            At the opposite end of the bridge, the trail splits to form its northern loop.  This trail description turns left to stay along the lake shore and uses the trail going uphill and right as its return route, thus hiking the northern loop clockwise.  Some wet areas need to be negotiated as a shallow inlet of Lake Lee opens up on the left.  Several benches are passed, and some exercise stations allow you to use this trail as a fitness trail if you so desire.

View down Lake Lee

            Just shy of 0.4 miles, you reach a wooden platform with benches that offers a fantastic view down the length of Lake Lee.  Past the platform, the trail stays along the lakeshore with minor ups and downs negotiated with the help of some unusual steps made out of cement blocks.  Some turtles plopped into the water as I approached their location.  After crossing another wet area on another long wooden bridge, the trail curves right and climbs away from the lake first on wooden steps and then on a natural dirt grade.

Climbing away from the lake

            The park's mountain bike trail comes close on the left just before the trail dips through a ravine and intersects the path that serves the park's disc golf Course #2.  After sharing paths with this course's hole #10 for a couple hundred feet, the trail curves left to leave the disc golf path.  Again, watch for the wooden arrows that mark the nature trail.  A steep descent closes the northern loop.  Angle left to walk back across the first long wooden bridge, then turn left again to continue the southern loop.

Walking atop the ridge

            The trail comes close to the park road on the left before curving right to angle up the hill using some wooden waterbars.  A pleasant ridgetop hike leads to yet another intersection with disc golf Course #1, this time at that course's #10 tee.  The nature trail follows the path for hole #10 downhill to close the southern loop; again, watch for the wooden arrows that mark the nature trail.  Turning left and climbing the steep wooden steps returns you to the entrance portal and completes the hike.