I looked out over the ridge to appreciate the soft sunset colors on the Ozarks. I spent a moment watching the natural pure beauty of this part Arkansas before I stripped down to my bathing suit. Then I quickly hopped into the hot tub to avoid the cool crisp mountain air and continue to enjoy my sunset in the Ozarks of Arkansas.
Another US State
In my quest to see all 50 states I use my votes in the annual campus crashes college football weekend to explore a new state. Last year my votes helped take me to Arkansas for the first time. Yes, I attended a game and spent the weekend in downtown Fayetteville enjoying some Razorback football, but I arrived early to explore more of the state.
Destination: the Ozarks
I landed on Thursday morning and headed out to the Ozarks, a less than 2 hour drive from downtown, to spend a night at the Buffalo River’s President’s Cabin. Initially, the thought was to catch the sunset hiking in the mountains with a view such as the overlook inside Devil Den’s State Park, but as I started to drive towards a trail head I noticed what seemed to be college tailgates parked alongside the road. A roadside filled with chairs? I pulled over and noticed people conversing with food and drinks (probably not water) and cameras looking out into the distance. No one was taking selfies, but rather pointing dSLRs with huge telephoto lenses to shoot the elk.
Cars Parked along the road to “shoot” elk in the Ozarks
I didn’t have my telephoto lens
We notched a few studs in the distance with big racks, waiting for a female to compete over in mating season. Although no females arrived to cause any “excitement,” I still watched these beautiful creatures for a while and met both locals and visitors before heading back to my cabin.
The Arkansas Sunset
This event shifted my sunset plans and I decided to catch the Sunset in the Ozarks. The setting proved special, as did all my time in Arkansas, providing proof yet again every place has its charm. Even the Arkansas tourism enjoyed my “epiphany.”
Stay adventurous, Craig
As we prepare for another college football season, Campus Crashers is heading to South Carolina to see Clemson host NC State in October.
