Dogwoods and Irises are blooming this weekend (April 5-6)...

Added photos from a Ouachita Trail hike yesterday (April 5, 2008), from miles 191.8 to 195.1.   This is from Hwy 9 trailhead to Duffy Road.     There are about 40 new photos from this hike in the photo gallery (click photo).  

This is the part of the Ouachita Trail that leaves the mountains and drops down to Pipeline Creek, on its way to the Maumelle River.   If you keep going, you'll  come out at Hwy 10.  

The section shown in the photos is the 3.3 miles from Hwy 9 to Duffy Road (dirt road closed to public).    It can be done as a 6.6 mile dayhike, but its better to do a longer hike (10.5 miles), from Hwy 9 to Hwy 10 and hike this section one way.

Dogwoods are blooming too, along with violets (which have been blooming for weeks).  This was the first Iris I saw this spring.   - jc