Lost Valley - Found

After nearly a six month hiatus, Lost Valley Trail in Boxley Valley, Arkansas is open to the public, and ready for your family wonderfest.

As a photographer for the State of Arkansas, people often ask me “What is your favorite spot in Arkansas?"  To which I reply, "Would you ask me to name my favorite kid!"

That said, If were given one day to show off Arkansas -- and knew that one of the hikers has a bum leg:) I know exactly where I’d take them. Boxley Valley and Lost Valley Trail.

Lost Valley Trail, near the metropolis of Ponca and ajecnt the Buffalo River, affords numerous glories in short order, There is Boxley Valley, the setting for Lost Valley which feels like the land that time forgot. the valley sports a telephone cable, but the area is so free of development and commercial clutter, that it feels like we’ve stepped back a hundred years.  The place is studded with old wood barn, ginormous hills, and field for viewing elk. As for the trail itself, Lost Valley features 2.2 mile round trip up a gurgling creek bed* and featuring tall-tree forest, nooks, waterfalls,bluffs and caves, most of which can be seen by a person in moderate health. Beyond that, nearly half the of the refurbished trail is open to wheelchair exploration.

*gurgling.

Clark Creek is most certainly affected by seasons. If flows strongly in the winter-spring season, then retreats to a trickle in the heat of summer, Most odd: When I went in early May, the creek was less than I hoped for… then I found as I walked upstream, ever more water. It turns out that as the creek descends portions go underground. So it is possible to see a dry creek bed at entry, and a nicely flowing Eden Falls upstream!

Lost Valley is not quite a secret. The Buffalo Outdoor Center reports that in 2018, nearly 77,000 people hiked Lost Valley Trail. Then stopped. Abruptly. As is, the tail closed for a significant upgrade from December of 2018 and did not reopen until late April 2019. Over the preceding years the heavily traveled foot path “cracked.” A deep rut akin to a stream bed split the path. Portions went muddy. Parking, on weekends was hard to find. The road to get there bounced the family sedan.


And now --The packed gravel entry has been graded, and rerouted to new enlarged parking area. The packed dirt trail leading up to the natural bridge (approx ½ mle one way) is smooth, wide, reinforced and able to support wheelchair travel. Benches stud the way. The trail rises ever so slowly, and makes for a relaxing stroll, until -- the Y.



Midway up the trail, hikers can decide stop and take a look see… Or to take one of several ways up into the heart of the canyon. They can dip down to the natural bridge falls, then (if hey choose) tunnel with the creek through a bluff and then up a boulder strewn canyon, or take the sane, stair-studded path to the left. I didn’t count actual steps, but over the next half half mile my knees counted hundreds, albeit, nice clean rock stairs, meticulously placed. I do not know if the rock work was altered or added to, but I can say that apart from just muscle work, this is a great path for kids and elders alike.

My favorite spot in the tail happens at the convergence of Cobb's Cave and Eden Falls. The ground seems to flow every which way at once. Up, over, down and winding. Add heavy rains and the bluffs erupt in a chorus a pour.

The extra vigorous can decide if they want to push more vertically, up from Eden falls to Eden Falls cave.  I will be honest, I have never been. I have seen pictures. The cave is wet and dark.

How long the entire trail  takes depends on your pace.  Fast folk may do the trail in an hour. I prefer the three or five… Exiting in the golden glow of hill hum and fading day.

Moonshiners Cave Waterfall - Devil's Den State Park

Moonshiners Cave Falls - KSJ

Moonshiners Cave may be one of Devil’s Den’s lesser known features, in part, because it is found on the perimeter, before the squiggly descent into the splendid valley. The entry for this unmarked trail is found roughly 80 feet behind the perimeter sign for the park, located on highway 78 (which connects to Interstate 49). Just find the sign. Park and walk into the park till you see a worn path on your left.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arkansas/moonshiners-cave-trail

Moonshiners Cave falls, roughly 20 feet tall, is a highly seasonal, grotto pour.  The falls exhibit strong arching-flow after solid and sustained rains. The real treat of the space is the man-made component, a wall crating a hideaway in the shallow cave, used presumably to make and hide moonshine.

After posting an initial picture, I learned that the Moonshiner’s room has been damaged and defaced by vandal hikers in recent years. Mike Price writes:

It is sad how much has been destroyed there the past year or two. There used to be a large beam over the doorway but it was pulled down and burned in a fire pit out in front. along with a large rock from the door or wall that had an engraved date (1905) Crazy to think someone lugged that rock out of there.

People! Leave this stuff alone!



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At just over a half-a-mile round trip, the trek to Moonshiners Cave makes for a good family hike. I call this one “moderate.” My old man knees felt the grade, but didn’t suffer long. Only trick, when descending the trail, stick to the left hand side of any fork. We met one couple who took a bunny trail that led them away from the falls.