Exploring Arkansas May 2007

VISIT THE WEBSITE AT CYCLE MARINE.COM . >> ACCORDING TO GEOLOGISTS, ARKANSAS AND BRAZIL HAVE THE BEST QUALITY CORDS IN THE WORLD AND FOR YEARS PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PROPERTY HAVE BEEN COMING TO PROSPECT IN THE QUARTS VEINS IN THE MOUNTAINS. ONE OF THE MINES AROUND SINCE THE 50s IS THE OLD COLEMAN MINE OFF HOT SPRINGS, THAT'S WHY WE START OFF. WE'LL TAKE YOU TO SEE THE WILDLIFE NEAR PRESCOTT AND WE'LL CLOSE IT OUT WITH A NEW LOOK AT THE GEOLOGICAL FORMATION KNOWN AS COALY'S RIDGE IN EASTERN ARKANSAS. BUT FOR NOW LET'S GO DIG FOR QUARTS. TWO TO THREE THOUSAND POINTS OF QUARTZ ARE COMMERCIALLY MINED EVERY DAY AT A THE COLEMAN CRYSTAL MINE. THE MINE ALSO HAS VISITORS FROM EVERYWHERE WHO COME TO DIG FOR THESE CLEAR PIECES OF ROCK. >> WE DO. I ROCK I WOULD BE -- I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PLACE THAT HASN'T BEEN HERE LOOKING FOR QUARTZ. WE GET ABOUT AN AVERAGE IN THE SUMMERTIME WE'RE AVERAGING BETWEEN 50 AND 100 A DAY. THAT COME IN AND DIG FOR QUARTZ. WE HAVE SCHOOL GROUPS THAT COME IN. WE'VE GOT A SCHOOL GROUP DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE COOL GROUPS COME MAINLY APRIL AND MAY AND JUNE AS SCHOOLS ARE GETTING OUT. WE RUN AN AVERAGE OF 200 CHILDREN A DAY THROUGH THERE WITH THEM. >> THIS PARTICULAR DAY STUDENTS FROM THE 8 ATH GRADE SCIENCE CLASS AT JESSIEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO HOLD WHAT THEY'VE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT. >> WELL, IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. I'VE NEVER BEEN DOING THIS BEFORE. AND I WAS JUST DIGGING AND I JUST FOUND THIS T. WASN'T IN ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST ON THE TOP. SO, YEAH. >>> SO YOU COULD TAKE THAT HOME, AND CLEAN IT UP AND PUT IT UP IN THE BEDROOM SOMEWHERE. >> YEAH. IN THE LIVING ROOM. >> MM-HMM. >>> I FOUND SOME PRETTY GOOD ONES. NOT TOO BIG, BUT -- >> LET ME SEE IN YOUR SACK OVER HERE, SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT. >> ALL RIGHT. MY BEST ONE IS THIS ONE. >> PRETTY GOOD. >> YEAH. I GUESS SO. >> IT'S BEEN FUN. IT'S NICE TO COME OUT OF THE CLASSROOM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE HANDS ON DIFFERENT THINGS. >> SHOW US WHAT YOU FOUND THERE. >> I HAVEN'T FOUND MUCH THAT ARE TOO BIG. I FOUND THAT AND THEN I FOUND LIKE SOME LARGER ONES AND THEN IT'S THIS ONE. >> NOT BAD. >> BUT THIS IS PRETTY MUCH SMALLER CRYSTALS. >> IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME QUARTZ CRYSTAL DIGGING. >> IN A LONG TIME, YEAH. >> WE WENT IN FIFTH GRADE ON A FIELD TRIP WITH OUR CLASS AN I'VE BEEN A COUPLE MORE TIMES WITH MY FAMILY TOO. >> IT'S A LOT OF FUN, ISN'T IT? >> IT IS. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. >> ESPECIALLY IF YOU FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> YES, SIR, IT IS. >> FOR ANYONE PLANNING ONCOMING TO THE MINE TO DIG FOR QUARTZ, OWNER RON COLEMAN HAS FEW SUGGESTIONS. >> THE BEST SUGGESTION IS COME DRESSED FOR IT. COME WITH OLD CLOTHES AND OLD SHOES THAT YOU DON'T CARE BECAUSE THE RED CLAY MUD DOES STAIN THEM. SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DISCARD LATER OR SOMETHING THAT YOU DO USE OLD WORK CLOTHES, GLOVES ARE HANDY BECAUSE THE CRYSTALS ARE SHARP. WE FURNISH A LITTLE TOOL IF YOU WANT TO BRING ANY KIND OF PICK, SHOVELS, GARDEN TOOL ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING, YOU'RE PERFECTLY WELCOME TO DO THAT. BUT MAINLY JUST COME PREPARED TO GET DIRTY. AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. IT'S JUST THERE'S CRYSTALS WE'RE HAULING PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY WE'RE MINING WE'RE HAULING CRYSTALS OUT. WE'RE MINING ONE YARD BUCKETS AND AS WE MINE WE PUT THEM ON DUMP TRUCKS, A LOT OF TIME WE GET INTO A SMALL POCKET AND IT'S HAULED OUT. WE NEVER SEE ITMENT WE'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN THE LARGER POCKETS. WHEN WE FIND THEM, WE DID OUR MINING, OUR EMPLOYEES HERE ALWAYS TELL YOU WHEN YOU GET HERE HOW TO LOOK FOR THEM IN THE GROUND. THEY LOOK DARKER IN THE GROUND. LOOK FOR SHINY PIECES AND STUFF. THEY CAN TURN YOU ON TO WHAT TO DO. >> DOES IT HELP TO COME AFTER A RAIN. >> ALWAYS GOOD AFTER A RAIN. ALWAYS GOOD AFTER RAIN IN FACT THAT'S WHEN WE'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE UP HERE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN JUST LOCAL PEOPLE THAT COME UP HERE RIGHT AFTER RAIN AND LOOK AND GO TO FLEA MARKETS. I DON'T PROMOTE THAT. DON'T REALLY EVEN LIKE THAT. I WANT MY PEOPLE TO BE CURIOUS, THEY COME WITH A FAMILY AND HAVE A GOOD TIME ALL DAY AND SPEND 60 BUCKS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR TO COME UP AND SPEND ALL DAY AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. >> ANY TRICKS OF THE TRADE THAT YOU CAN TELL AS FARES AS PEOPLE THAT USE THE SCREWDRIVER OR A CHISEL OR A CROWBAR TO GENTLY PRY THE QUARTZ OUT OF THE DIRT? >> NOT REALLY. I WOULD SUGGEST I DON'T LIKE ANYBODY USING A HAMMER OR CHISEL AT ALL ON THE ROCKS. SOMETIMES IS YOU GOT ONE ON A LOCK ABOUT AS BIG AS THIS THING THAT I'M SITTING ON HERE AND YOU CAN KNOCK THAT OFF. EYE PROTECTION THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY GOT TO WATCH. SO IT CHIPS SPLATTERS EASILY. IF YOU FIND ONE LAYING IN THE GROUND, YOU MIGHT SEE A SPOT OF IT THE SIDE OF A QUARTER AND IT MIGHT BE THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL. SO YOU'VE GOT TO STAY BACK FROM IT WITH THAT SCREWDRIVER AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHICH WAY IT'S LAYING IN THE GROUND WHETHER THE POINT IS POINT WILLING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND STAY AWAY FROM THAT POINT BECAUSE THAT'S THE VALUABLE PART. THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT POINT IS, THE MORE VALUABLE THE CRYSTAL IS. >> RON SAYS THE QUARTZ BOOM OF THE 1980s DEFINITELY REENERGIZED THE INDUSTRY. >> THE BIG BOOM, I MEAN, WE WERE IN FORBES, TIMES, "TODAY" SHOW, IN 83 AND 84, A 85. IN THAT ERA. WE DIDN'T EVEN OWN THE MINE YET THE BUT WE WERE IN THE CRYSTAL BUSINESS. EVERYBODY THAT LEASED THE MINE, WE HAD OUR HANDS IN. I MEAN, WE MINED FOR THEM. WE DID SOMETHING FOR THEM. BUT THE BOOM I CALL IT THE HOLISTIC FIELD. AT THAT TIME BECAME EVERYBODY WANTED A QUARTZ CRYSTAL AND THEY WERE -- THE HE'LLY FEELYs, THE FOALISTIC POINT OF IT THEY WANTED A QUARTZ POINT. IT BROUGHT RECOGNITION TO THE QUARTZ INDUSTRY AND SINCE THAT TIME IT MADE PEOPLE AWARE THAT HAD MONEY THAT QUARTZ CRYSTAL WAS SOMETHING BESIDES JUST A ROCK. AND SINCE THAT TIME WE SAW IT TURN INTO A GREAT LIKE MY GALLERY IN HERE, THEY'RE PRICED LIKE ARTS SPECIMENS, THEY ONE OF A KIND. THAT'S THE WAY THEY'RE -- WHEN WE BRING THEM OUT OF THE MINE, WE BRING THEM OUT JUST THE WAY THAT THE LORD MADE THEM. WATER WASH THEM, PREPARE THEM AND PUT THEM IN HERE AND IT MAKES A PIECE OF ART OUT OF IT . A TO NEAT PLACE TO GET YOUR FILL OF HIKING, FISHING AND WATCHING WILDLIFE IS WHITE OAK LAKE STATE PARK SOUTHEAST OF PRESCOTT. HERE YOU CAN WATCH NOT ONLY WAITING BIRDS BY SONG BIRDS, WATER FOWL AND IF IT'S DURING THE WINTER TIME BALANCED EAGLES. LET'S EXPLORE A BIT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND. >> WHITE OAK LAKE STATE PARK IS ACTUALLY SITUATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF POISON SPRINGS STATE FOREST, THE ONLY STATE POREST IN ARKANSAS. WHITE OAK LAKE IT SEX IS WHITE OAK LAKE IT SEX TIMBER FILLED ACRES. PERFECT FOR BASS, CRAPPIE, THERE ARE SITES OF HER ON, EDRET AND CORMORAN, A BIRD SIMILAR TO A DUCK WHICH WAS ABUNDANT ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY. PARK SUPER 10 ENT MARK LOWE TOOK US OUT TO SEE WHAT WE COULD FIND >> IT'S A VERY, VERY POPULAR FISHING AREA. WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE AT AROUND THE UPPER LAKE THAT FISH IT YEAR ROUND. AND SO FAR AS THE PUBLIC FROM THE BIG CITIES AND STUFF, WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL FROM TEXAS MOVED IN IN HERE. AND THEY LOVE TO COME UP HERE FISHING. FISHING'S GREAT, THE HUNTING IS EVEN BETTER BECAUSE OF THE STATE PARK THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE DEER HUNTING THIS YEAR WAS OUTSTANDING, GOT TO BEAUTIFUL TROPHY BUCKS OUT. AND TURKEY HAS COME BACK, THEY STARTED TO THAT AREA AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW TURKEY OUT HERE. >> SO PEOPLE IN TEXAS, PGH KNOW THIS PLACE BUT YOU SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. >> I BELIEVE MORE PEOPLE IN PGH AND TEXAS KNOW IT THAN THE PEOPLE IN ARC SO YOU. THEY COME UP HERE EVERY YEAR. IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE FOR THEM. THEY LOVE IT. WE HAVE A GUY THAT COMES UP HERE EVERY YEAR, EVEN MADE UP A BUNCH OF BALL CAPS WITH WHITE OAK LAKE PATCHES ON THE FRONT AND TOOK IT TO LOUISIANA AND PASSED IT OUT TO HIS FRIENDS. I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FISHING BEFORE. AND ACTUALLY, CAUGHT SO MANY THAT I GOT TIRED OF FISHING JUST LET ALL OF THEM GO. IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, AN AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF FISH THAT ARE OUT HERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO FISH ARE FOR THEM. >> TELL US ABOUT THIS BASS PROGRAM THAT THE GAME & FISH COMMISSION IS STARTED UP HERE. >> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IT. THE LOCAL GAME & FISH BIOLOGIST, DON TURMAN HAS BEEN COMING OUT HERE WITH THE HELP OF SOME OF HIS PEOPLE AND THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING IN OH, I CALL THEM FINGERLINGS, I'M SURE THEY HAVE ANOTHER NAME FOR THEM, FRYs OR WHATEVER. SMALL LARGEMOUTH BASS FROM FLORIDA AND TEXAS, NOT TOO TERRIBLY LONG AGO, YEAR OR SO AGO, THEY CAME OUT WITH I BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSE TO 200,000 OF THEM. AND THEY ACTUALLY PLACED HEM THEM IN BOATS AND AQUARIUMS AND TOOK THEM OUT TO LOCAL AREAS AROUND HERE WHERE THERE'S COVERED STRUCTURE AND DROPPED THEM OFF SO THAT THE CATFISH AND THE GAR AND WHATEVER ELSE WOULDN'T EAT THEM ALL UP AND THEY'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A TROPHY SIZED BASS TO ME THE 10 AND 13-POUND BASS THAT THEY TAKE OUT OF HERE ARE TROPHY SIZED BASS. BUT THEY'RE TRYING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT IF THEY KEEP WORKING AT IT. GAME AND FISH TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF THIS LAKE. THEY PUT LIME IN IT. THEY FERTILIZE IT TWICE A YEAR USUALLY IN APRIL BY AIRPLANE, THEY FLY OVER. ACTUALLY, PUT SOME KIND OF AGENT IN TO DARKEN THE WATER A LITTLE BIT SO THE ALGAE JUNCTION DOESN'T GROW OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE: BUT THEY TAKE VERY, VERY GOOD CARE OF THE LAKE. >> WHITE OAK LAKE STATE PARK OFFERS THREE NATURE TRAILS WITH GUIDED HIKES, NATURE TALKS AND DEMONSTRATIONS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY FREE OF CHARGE. >> THIS FRAIL WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY THE BEACH BRIDGE TRAIL AND IT GOT ITS NAME FROM THE BEECH TREES GROW DO YOU THROUGH HERE. THE PINE TREES TREES, LONG LEAFED AND SHORT LEAFED PINES, HOLLY TREES, WHITE OAK TREES, RED OAK TREES, ALMOST ANYTHING IMAGINABLE DOWN IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY AND IT'S TO UNIQUE IN THIS AREA BECAUSE THE ACIDIC SOIL DOWN HERE IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO GROWING ANYTHING REALLY WELL. IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE WITH THE AMOUNT OF PLANTS AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TREES THAT GROW IN HERE. THE BEECH RIDGE TRAIL ITSELF IS A 2-MILE LOOP TRAIL AND ADDED ON TO THE END OF IT IS A COASTAL PLAIN TRAIL AND IT ADDS ANOTHER THREE MILES TO THE LOOP. >> THE HARDWOOD FOREST ALONG THE BEECH RIPPING TRAIL RESEMBLE THE ONE WHICH WAS HERE WHEN CATO INDIANS INHACK TED THIS AREA SOME 2-TO 300 YEARS AGO. WHEN THEY INTED THIS AREA. GOT A LITTLE BOARD WALK HERE. >>ED BOARD WALK WAS PUT IN HERE PROBABLY 20 SOME-ODD YEARS AGO AND IT WAS TO PRO ARE TECH PROTECT THE SENSITIVE AREA DOWN IN THE LOW SAND AREA. IT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE ACTUALLY DUG DOWN OH, APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AND NOTHING BUT WHITE SAND ALL THE WAY DOWN. WHICH TELLS ME THAT AT ONE TIME THIS PROBABLY WAS THE BOTTOM. MARK, YOU SAID ALONG WITH THE SEASHELLS THAT FOLKS HAVE FOUND HERE, EVEN SHARKS TEETH -- >> IN THIS PARTICULAR STREAM RIGHT HERE, NO. IN THE AREA AROUND HERE THEY HAVE FOUND SHARKS TEETH MORE I THINK PREVALENT OVER TOWARDS PRAYER IDEA A CLOSE TO WHERE I 30 RUNS RIGHT AT EMMETT BEFORE YOU GET TO HOPE. THERE'S -- THEY FOUND A LOT OF SHARKS TEETH OVER THERE. >> AND JUST HARD TO IMAGINE THAT I GUESS A MILLION YEARS AGO THIS PART OF THE GULF COAST -- >> WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN STANDING UNDER WATER RIGHT MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. >> HARD TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT. IT'S A FACT. >> ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE TEAL ARE REMNANTS OF A A HOMESTEAD. IT'S ABOUT ALL THAT'S LEFT OF WHERE A FAMILY ONCE TRIED TO MAKE A LIVING ON THE SANDY SOIL. >> YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'VE GROWN AROUND IT AND HAVE GONE WILD AND THERE'S PART OF A FOUNDATION. SOMEBODY AT ONE TIME LIVED BACK UP IN THERE AND YOU CAN FIND IF YOU LOOK TO HARD BACK THROUGH THE WOODS SOME FENCE WIRE THAT'S BROKEN DOWN. SO SOMEBODY LIVED BACK HERE. QUITE A WHILE BACK. >> WELL, I GUESS PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE A LIVING HERE FARMING. BUT THE SOIL JUST TOO SANDY. >> ABOUT THE ONLY THING THIS IS GOOD FOR IS PEANUTS AND WATERMELON. AND IF YOU CAN GROW THAT, YOU'RE DOING GOOD. >> WHETHER YOU TAKE A HIKE ON A TRAIL OR STAY, A DAY OR TWO OR MORE A DAY OR TWO WILL DO ANYBODY A LOT OF GOOD. HERE IN ARKANSAS YOU WITH YOU WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A UNIQUE PIECE OF NORTH AMERICA AND ITS WILDLIFE. IT'S CALLED CROWLEY'S RIDGE AND A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS INTERESTING FORMATION IS THE CROWLEY'S NATURE SENT FER JONESBORO WHICH OFFERS BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. IT RISES UP 250 TO 500 FEET ABOVE THE DELTA LOWLANDS AND STRETCHES ALL THE WAY FROM CAPE JERARDO, MISSOURI TO HELEN A, ARKANSAS AND IT CAN EVEN BE SEEN FROM OUTER SPACE. IS. >> IN THE SPECIAL EFFECTS MOVIE THEATER YOU'RE EFFECTS ENBACK IE TO SEE HOW IT FORMED NEARLY 1 AND A HALF MILLION YEARS AGO . >> DURING MOST OF THE ICE AGE, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOWED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE AND THE OHIO RIVER FLOWED TO THE EAST. >>CROWLEY'S RIDGE IS, YOU KNOW, EKE BECAUSE OF A UNUSUAL SEQUENCE OF NATURAL FORCES. DURING MOST OF THE ICE AGE, THE FORMATION IS THOUGHT TO HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN AN ISLAND BETWEEN THE MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO RIVERS AND THAT OVER I'M AND MANY FLOODS BECAME A LONG LOW HILLY FORMATION AFTER THE RIVERS CHANGED COURSE. RECENT RESEARCH ALSO SUGGESTS A LINK BETWEEN THE RIDGE AND THE NEARBY FAULT ZONE. THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE ALL THE FORCES THAT SHAPE THE RIDGE. PRETTY COOL YOU CAN FEEL THE SEATS MOVING IN HERE. >> THE NATURE CENTER ALSO HAS A TWO-STORY DIORAMA AND HOW IT CONSTANTLY RESHAPES THE RIDGE . OUTSIDE THERE ARE SEVERAL NATURE TRAILS YOU CAN TAKE TO EXPERIENCE IT FIRSTHAND. YOING US IS SHAWN MERRILL DIRECTOR OF THE NATURE CENTER. >> SHAWN, I GUESS THIS IS JUST A WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF THE INDOOR ADD VENTURE AND EDUCATION AND THEN COMING OUT HERE TO THE OUTDOOR ABOUT CROWLEY'S RIDGE, VISITORS HAVE BEEN AMAZED. >> YEAH, THEY HAVE. IT'S -- WE'RE ONE OF FOUR NATURE CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND OF COURSE OUR NATURE CENTER FOCUSES ON THE WILDLIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S AROUND HERE ON THE RIDGE AS WELL AS THROUGH THE REST OF THE STATEMENT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE STATE. BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT -- YOU KNOW, LIKE WE SAID, WE BRING THE OUTDOORS INTO THE IP DOORS SO, IF IT'S RAINING, YOU'VE STILL GOT A LOT TO DO. IF IT'S NOT RAINING, YOU GOT BEAUTIFUL HIKES AND A WALKS JUST LIKE WE NOTICED A WHILE AGO THE TWO MALLARD DRAIKZ THAT ARE HERE WE GOT A LOT OF MIGRATORY WATER FOWL THAT VISIT OUR POND. WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE LAST YEAR I THINK WE HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 65,000 TO 70,000 VISITORS. SO, YOU KNOW A LOT OF KIDS AND I THINK YOU GOT TO KIDS ENJOY OUR MOVIE WE HAD AND ALL THE EXHIBITS THAT WE HAD. WILDLIFE HERE ON THE RIDGE AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE AND JUST A GOOD RESPONSE FROM EVERYONE. >> TELL US ABOUT THE BOARD WALKS HERE AND THE TRAILS THAT I GUESS LEAD UP TO THE OBSERVATION TOWER OVER THERE. >> WHAT WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW IS OUR HABITATS TRAIL THAT LEADS AROUND THE POND. YOU CAN ENTER IT OR EXIT IT FROM THE BOTTOM LEVEL AT THE THREE-STORY FACILITY. IF YOU COME OUT OF THE MAIN EXHIBIT HALL AND A ACCESS THE TOP, YOU CAN TURN TO THE RIGHT AND GO AROUND. ALONG THE TRAIL YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL WAY SIDE EXHIBITS THAT HAS A LOT OF PUSH BUTTONS, ONE IS MIGRATORY WATER FOWL THAT YOU CAN PUSH BUTTONS AND SEE THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS FROM THE MIGRATORY WATER FOWL THAT VISIT OUR AREA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR EXHIBIT WITH THE FROG OR THE AMPHIBIAN PANEL UP THERE AND HE HAS PUSH BUTTON EXHIBITS ON THERE AS WELL. TRAIL WILL LEAD AROUND THE POND AND COME BACK IN. IT IS ADA ACCESSIBLE. STROLLER AND WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY AND WE HAVE SEVERAL BENCHES AROUND THE TRAIL THAT YOU CAN TAKE A SEAT AND YOU WE HAVE OVER TWO MILES OF HIKING TRAILS ON HERE. WE HAVE 160 ACRES THAT BACKS UP TO FOREST CRICKET PARK. >> AS WE'RE WALKING THROUGH HERE, SHAWN, IT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS FORMATION OF THIS RIDGE. I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOU'RE IN THE DELTA. SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE OZARKS SOMEWHERE. >> IT DOES, DOESN'T IT? WE'RE RIGHT HERE ON THE EDGE. SO WHEN YOU DROP DOWN IF YOU JUST WENT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THOUGH, YOU'D SEE THE DELTA HOUSE THERE. YEAH, IT'S -- THIS IS TRUE. IT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE, YOU'VE GOT A LAND TOPOGRAPHY DIVERSITY. YOU JUST COME JUST A LITTLE WAYS AN YOU GO UP OVER THE RIDGE AND WE'RE FIXING TO GET -- WHEN YOU GO SOUTH FROM HERE, YOU'LL GET TO THE SKINNIEST PART OF THE RIDGE DOWN THROUGH HERE NOT QUITE AS WIDE. TO EXPERIENCE CROWLEY'S RING FROM YOUR CAR, THERE'S A THE PARKWAY. IT WAS A THE PARKWAYED AS ARKAN' FIRST SCENIC BY WAY, IT'S A SERIES OF FEDERAL STATE AND COUNTY ROADS LINKED TO TRAVERSE THE ENTIRE RIDGE. IT'S REMINISCENT OF A DRIVE THROUGH RURAL AMERICA OF YESTERYEAR : SO EXPLORE FOR YOURSELF CROWLEY'S RIDGE THROUGH THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE STATE OR TAKE IN ALL THE WILDLIFE AT WHITE OAK LAKE STATE WASHING NEAR PRESCOTT AND IF YOU NEVER CULLING FOR QUARTZ CRYSTALS THEN BY ALL MAINS CHECK OUT COLEMAN MINE. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ORDER A COPY OF AN EPISODE VISIT OUR WEBSITE A A ETN.ORG/"EXPLORING ARKANSAS" AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON "EXPLORING ARKANSAS".