AND BOATS.

♪♪ >> HAW CREEK FALLS, NORTHEAST OF CLASHGSVILLE HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS IN THE STATE.

THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN THIS WEEK'S SHOW WE WILL TAKE YOU TO 7 DEVIL SWAMP NEAR MONTICELLO.

WE WILL CLOSE IT OUT WITH THE TANYARD CREEK NATURE TRAIL AND TANYARD CREEK FALLS ITSELF.

FOR NOW, LET'S EXPLORE THE HAW CREEK FALLS AREA.

♪♪ >> THE HAW CREEK FALLS AREA SA PERFECT GET AWAY SPOT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

HAW CREEK IS TYPICAL OF ONE OF THOSE PRISTINE, PICTURESQUE MOUNTAIN STREAMS THAT YOU FIND IN THE OZARKS.

♪♪ >> BEING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST, YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING BETTER, BUT THE FACT IS IT DOES GET BETTER.

♪♪ >> AND BACK IN THE CAMPING AREA, IF YOU FOLLOW ALONG A SMALLER CREEK, YOU WILL RUN INTO OTHER SCENIC WATERFALLS, CASCADES, BOULDERS AND THE LIKE.

IT MAKES FOR AN ADVENTURESOME SIDE HIKE.

♪♪ >> IT REALLY IS AMAING IN AREA LIKE THIS, WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE SEEN IT UL, AROUND THE NEXT BEND, IT GETS MORE AND MORE SCENIC.

♪♪ >> BUT THIS IS ONLY HALF OF WHAT THIS MAGNIFICENT AREA HAS TO OFFER.

IF YOU GO ABOUT A HALF MILE EAST OF HAW CREEK FALLS ON HIGHWAY 123, THERE IS A TRAIL OFF TO THE LEFT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY TAKE YOU TO ANOTHER EVEN GREATER ASPECT OF HAW CREEK FALLS.

FOLLOW THAT TRAIL UP THE MOUNTAIN, AND YOU WILL FIRST COME TO SOME OF THE MOST AWESOME BLUFFS THAT OVERLOOK THE ENTIRE HAW CREEK FALLS VALLEY.

♪♪ THESE TOWERING BLUFFS WITH THEIR MULTI-COLORED FACES ALSO SERVE AS A ROCK CLIMBING AREA WITH ENTHUSIASTS NOT JUST FROM ARKANSAS, BUT NEIGHBORING STATES AS WELL.

I AM CONTENT WITH ADMIRING THE STATUESQUE CREATIONS.

♪♪ >> CONTINUE HIKING ALONG THE BLUFF LINE, AND IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES, YOU WILL FINALLY REACH YOUR REWARD.

THIS TREASURE, THIS GEM OF THE OZARKS.

♪♪ IT IS A WAFFLE STRAIGHT OUT OF A STORY BOOK OR MOVIE -- A WATERFALL STRAIGHT OUT OF A STORY BOOK OR MOVIE.

♪♪ >> YOU SEE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL OF THE WAY TO COSTA RICA OR HAWAII TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME EUPHORIA.

IT IS ALL RIGHT HERE IN THE NATURAL STATE.

♪♪ THE NEAT THING ABOUT THIS ENTIRE SETTING IS THAT IF YOU COME HERE DURING THE WEEK, USUALLY YOU WILL HAVE ALL OF THIS TO YOURSELF.

YOUR OWN PRIVATE FANTASY ISLAND, IF YOU WILL, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ON A MOUNTAINTOP IN THE OZARKS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> IT IS ALMOST 4,000 ACRES OF SHEER NATURAL BEAUTY AND WILDLIFE.

AND, YES, MAYBE EVEN A GATOR OR TWO.

SEVEN DEVIL SWAMP NEAR MONTICELLO, THEY'RE INDEED FASCINATING AND WE WILL DO EXPLORING ON THIS ONE.

I HOPE WE DON'T RUN INTO ONE OF THE SEVEN DEVILS THOUGH.

♪♪ EVEN THOUGH MUCH OF ARKANSAS'S NATURAL LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN ALTERED, THERE ARE STILL THOSE PLACES THAT REMAIN UNDISTURBED AND LOOKING PRETTY MUCH THE WAY THEY LOOKED HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, WHICH IS THE CASE WITH SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP.

THE VARIETY OF HABITAT REMAINS UNCHANGED.

♪♪ >> THAT IS ONE THING ABOUT SEVEN DEVILS, IT WIDE RANGE OF HABITATS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE WILDLIFE AREA.

AS YOU CAN SEE AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH, A LOT OF TUPELO AND CYPRESS THAT RUN THROUGH THE CROOK ALONG THROUGH HERE.

ALSO YOU CAN GET INTO SOME OF THE HABITAT OF THE HARDWOODS, SUCH AS CHERRY BARK, WHITE OAK AROUND THE EDGES, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE -- OAK, SOME OVERCUT THROUGHOUT, AND SOME OF THE AREAS HAVE A LOT OF SWAMP -- >> THAT IS I GUESS WHAT SEVEN DEVIL IS PRIMARILY -- THAT IS THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT IT, CYPRESS AND TUPELO.

>> YES, CYPRESS, TUPELO SWAMP WITHIN SEVEN DEVILS.

>> I IMAGINE YOU HAVE A FEW FAVORITE SPOTS IN HERE, TOO.

>> OH, YEAH, THERE ARE A FEW SPOTS YOU DON'T TELL ANYBODY ABOUT.

♪♪ >> TO ENSURE THAT THE UNIQUE NATURAL DIVERSITY HERE IS NOT LOSS, THE CORE OF SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP IS A DESIGNATED NATURAL AREA AND IS COMANAGED BY BOTH THE ARKANSAS NATIONAL HERITAGE COMMISSION AND THE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION.

♪♪ >> THE BEST VIEWING OPPORTUNITY IN SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP IS USUALLY FROM LATE WINTER TO EARLY SPRING, WHEN THE WATER LEVELS ARE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO ALLOW YOU TO CANOE, KAYAK, OR MOTOR YOUR WAY AROUND.

THE WATER LEVELS HERE CAN VARY DRASTICALLY.

>> SEVEN DEVILS IS UNIQUE IN THE WATER SITUATION.

WE HAVE HIGH WATER PERIODS AND LOW WATER PERIODS.

WILDLIFE BENEFITS FROM THAT.

THE WATER IS HELD AT 130 FOOT BY WATER CONTROL STRUCTURE, A BIG RAIN, FOUR, FIVE INCH RAIN WILL PUT THE WATER NEARLY 3,000 ACRES OF WATER, AND THEN WHEN THE WATER RUNS OFF, DROP DOWN TO 600 ACRES OR SO, WILDLIFE, DUCKS LIKE TO FOLLOW WATER THAT IS FALLING OR RISING FOR FOOD AND OTHER SPECIES OF WILDLIFE BENEFITS FROM THAT AS WELL.

>> RUSTY MITCHELL HAS BEEN AT AREA MANAGER HERE FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF A CENTURY.

SWAMP STORIES, HE'S GOT'EM, INCLUDING SOME STRANGE SOUNDS.

>> PROBABLY 15 YEARS AGO WAS THE FIRST ROOKERY OF BLUE HERONS I EVER SEEN.

I FOUND THEM DOWN HERE AT SEVEN DEFLS.

THE SOUND THEY WERE MAKING, I WASN'T SURE WHAT IT WAS.

I WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE SOUND AND FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS A ROOKERY OF BLUE HERONS AND THEY WERE FEEDING THEIR YOUNG, AND THEY WERE MAKING A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS, AND THAT WAS UNIQUE SEEING THAT, AND LOOKING AT SEVEN DEVILS HAS BEEN PURCHASED NOW TO HAVE A PLACE LIKE THAT FOR THE WATERFOWL AND WADING BIRDS.

>> AND THEN THERE WAS THE ONE OCCASION WHERE YOU SAW SOMETHING UNDERNEATH -- >> THE WATER, YEAH.

I WAS IN HERE IN MID-SUMMER, AND IT WAS REAL DRY, AND THERE WAS A WATER HOLE LEFT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CREEK, AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A FRESHLY POURED CONCRETE, AND I KEPT WALKING UP TO IT AND LOOKIN', AND WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF IT, IT WAS WHAT WE CALL BOW FINS, ALSO CALLED CYPRESS TROUT, BUT THEY WERE ALL STACKED IN THERE TOGETHER SURVIVING IN MUD AND ONCE THEY STARTED FLOPPING, IT WAS JUST A CHAIN REACTION ACROSS THAT SWATH OF WATER.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS COMING OUT OF THAT AT FIRST.

>> THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A SIGHT.

>> IT WAS.

>> WE DID ENCOUNTER A QUICK GLIMPSE OF A DARTING BLACK SWAMP SQUIRREL, A SWARM OF SWAMP BEES AND AN EAGLE'S NEST, BUT IN EAGLE.

>> SO THE NAME, SEVEN DEVILS, JUST WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> WELL, I'VE HEARD TWO STORIES, AND ONE OF THEM WAS A LADY THAT LIVED NEAR HERE, AND SHE WAS OLDER WHEN SHE TOLD ME THIS STORY, AND SHE SAID THERE WERE SEVEN BRIDGES THAT CROSSED THIS SWAMP, AND THEY WERE ALL DEVIL CROSSED.

ANOTHER STORY, SEVEN CREEKS THAT RUN IN HERE, AND WIDE AREAS IN THE CREEK CALL THE LAKE, SO THEY NAMED THEM, AND THEY'RE SEVEN OF THEM, THEY'RE ALL A DEVIL TO GET TO, AND THAT'S THE REASON THEY CALL IT SEVEN DEVILS.

>> AS FAR AS GATORS IN HERE, SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN MOTORING THROUGH HERE, HAVEN'T SEEN ANY.

I GUESS -- I GUESS THIS IS KIND OF -- YOU SAY YOU KIND OF -- YOU CAN MAYBE SPOT SOME OF THEM ON THE LOGS SOMETIMES, BUT NOT -- IT DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF THE DAY, TOO.

>> THAT DEPENDS, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

WHEN THE WATER RISES LIKE THIS, A LOT OF TIME YOU WATCH THE LOG, YOU WILL SEE THEM, A GATOR LAYING UP ON A LOG WHEN THE WATER IS AT THIS STAGE.

LOW WATER, YOU CAN SEE THEM USUALLY UP ON THE BANKS.

BUT THERE IS QUITE A FEW ALLIGATORS IN SEVEN DEVILS, AND WE MAY SEE ONE BEFORE THE DAY IS OVER.

>> WHAT IS THE NUMBER OFS OF THEM, A ROUGH GUESS?

>> IT WOULD BE JUST A ROUGH GUESS, BUT I WOULD PROBABLY SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 GATORS IN HERE.

>> WERE THEY BROUGHT IN HERE BY THE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION?

>> BACK IN THE 70s, THIS AREA WAS STOCKED WITH GATORS.

>> WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR THAT?

>> WELL, THEY WERE ONCE HERE BEFORE THEY WERE SHOT OUT, AND -- OR CAPTURED OUT.

BUT ALLIGATORS IN A SWAMP SITUATION IS VERY BENEFICIAL ON TURTLES AND SNAKES, AND THEY JUST MAKE THE ECOSYSTEM LEVEL.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE.

NOW, WE SEE THE METAL CLIPS IN THE TREES.

THOSE ARE THE -- THAT'S THE BOAT ROUT?

>> THAT IS THE TRAIL.

>> TELL ME THE EXTENT OF THOSE.

>> WE HAVE EIGHT MILES OF BOAT TRAILS IN THIS AREA, AND THEY ARE MARKED WITH THE REFLECTABLE DEVICES THAT ARE ON THE TREES.

IT IS ACTUALLY MADE OUT OF LICENSE PLATE MATERIAL, AND THEY'RE VISIBLE DURING THE DAY, AND THEN THEY ALSO ARE VISIBLE AT NIGHT WITH A LIGHT.

>> THOUGH SEVEN DEVIL SWAMP HAS REMAINED FOR THE MOST PART UNDISTURBED, THERE ARE REMNANTS OF OLD LOGGING OPERATIONS.

♪♪ >> I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AREA FOR 24 YEARS, AND THE FEW YEARS I -- I FOUND THIS STUMP, AND IT HASN'T CHANGED IN THAT LENGTH OF TIME.

SOMEWHERE BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, THIS STUMP, TREE WAS SAWED DOWN WITH SPRING BOARDS.

THE NOTCHES ARE STILL HERE IN THE STUMP, STOOD ON THE SPRING BOARDS AND SAWED THIS TREE DOWN.

AND FELL INTO THE WATER, WHEN THEY SAWED THE END, AND SNAKED THE LOG OUT ON THE WATER AS IT FLOATED.

>> THERE IS ALSO WHAT I CALL A SWAMP PHENOMENON.

AFTER A WHILE THE SURROUNDINGS ALL START LOOKING THE SAME.

♪♪ >> THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF PLACES IN IT THAT EVERYTHING, IN THAT AREA, ALL OF THE TREES ARE THE SAME SIZE AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING INTO A MIRROR AND YOU CAN GET TURNED AROUND REAL EASY.

THAT'S THE REASON THE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION CHOSE TO PUT BOAT TRAILS IN HERE TO MARK IT AND THE REFLECTORS.

>> I IMAGINE YOU CAN GET LOST PRETTY EASY HERE.

>> IT IS EASY.

>> MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN LOST HERE.

SO, IF YOU HAVE A GPS UNIT, BY ALL MEANS, TAKE IT WITH YOU BEFORE VENTURING INTO SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN BELLA VISTA HAVE IT MADE.

THEY CAN GET AWAY FROM IT ALL WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING TO LEAVE TOWN.

IT IS BY WAY OF THE TANYARD CREEK NATURE TRAIL.

WE HAVE TEAMED UP WITH A FEW OF THE FOLKS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAIL.

SO, LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT, SHALL WE?

>> VOLUNTEERS ARE THE KEY TO THE TANYARD CREEK NATURE TRAIL.

THEY BUILT IT AND MAINTAIN IT.

IT IS ACTUALLY SEVERAL TRAILS THAT LOOP, SO YOU CAN HIKE AS LONG OR AS SHORT AS YOU WANT OR HAVE TIME FOR.

ANYWHERE FROM MORE THAN TWO MILES TO LESS THAN A MILE ROUND TRIP, SUCH AS TO TANYARD CREEK FALLS.

>> THE WATERFALL IS ALWAYS A FAVORITE, AND THE RAPIDS, THE ONE RIGHT BACK HERE.

I LIKE THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SNAKES THAT LOVE TO LIVE BACK HERE.

I LOVE REPTILES, I AM LOOKING FOR THE COPPER HEADS.

>> USUALLY IT IS THE GUYS LOOKING FOR THE SNAKES.

>> NO, THEY'RE NOT TOO KEEN ON THE SNAKES.

I DO LIKE SNAKES, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THEM.

THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION ON WHAT WE CALL THE PHASE ONE THAT HAS ALL OF THE ROCK OUTCROPPINGS, AND THAT IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

THAT IS GORGEOUS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF COLUMBINES THAT GROW ON THE CLIFFS RIGHT THERE, AND JUST A LOT OF PRETTY WILD FLOWERS IN THE SPRING.

THAT IS ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS.

>> ANY PARTICULAR SEASON YOU LIKE OUT HERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY, SPRING, BUT EVEN IN THE WINTERTIME, IT IS GORGEOUS.

THAT ONE AREA I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE THE CLIFF IS, IN THE WINTERTIME, THE WATER IS THROUGH THERE, AND THAT WHOLE WALL IS NOTHING BUT A SHEET OF ICE AND IT IS GORGEOUS, REALLY GORGEOUS.

♪♪ >> I JOINED THE IN 1993.

THE TRAIL WAS ALREADY BUILT, PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO STARTED AROUND 1990.

IT WAS A PROJECT, A TOTALLY VOLUNTEER PROJECT STARTED BY THE VFW AND THE WELCOME WAGON, WITH THE PERMISSION OF OF BELLA VISTA'S POA -- >> THE PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION.

>> SORRY, THE PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION.

DAVE WEEMAN, FORMER RETIRED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, HE LAID OUT THE TRAIL, AND 40 VOLUNTEERS STARTED TO BUILD IT.

AS I SAID, I JOINED THEM IN '9 P AND WORKED ON THE BUILDING OF PHASE 3, WHICH IS THE WATERFALL TRAIL, WHICH WAS QUITE AN OPERATION AT THE TIME.

MOVING TELEPHONE POLES FROM THE TOP OF THE DAM TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE.

>> AND THIS WAS ALL BY HAND.

>> ALL MANUALLY.

NO POWER EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS QUITE AN ORDEAL.

BUT, IF YOU WALK THE TRAILS, YOU WALK THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE TRAIL, YOU WILL SEE IT WAS WORTH THE EFFORT.

I LOVE THE TRAIL.

I WORK ON IT TWICE A WEEK IN THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL.

WE HAVE -- RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT SEVEN TO NINE VOLUNTEERS.

WE GENERALLY GET FIVE TO SEVEN ON ANY SINGLE WORK SESSION, AND WE DO ALL OF THIS FOR THE -- THE WALKERS AND A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE -- FOR THE THANKS FROM THE WALKERS AND A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE AND A DOUGHNUT.

IF ANYONE WANTS TO VOLUNTEER, BE HERE AT 8:00 TUESDAY OR THURSDAY AT THE PAVILION AND WE WILL PUT YOU TO WORK.

♪♪ >> SMALL SIGNS, SOME 200 OF THEM ALONG THE WAY, EXPLAIN VARIOUS POINTS OF INTEREST.

♪♪ >> TANYARD CREEK, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, CAME FROM A RANCH THAT USED TO BE AT THE BASE OF WHAT IS NOW WINDSOR DAM.

THERE WAS A TANNING YARD AND THE BUFFALO HUNTERS AND DEER HUNTERS USED TO BRING THEIR HIDES OVER TO HAVE THEM TANNED, AND AS TIME WENT BY IT BECAME TANNING YARD CREEK WHICH TURNED INTO TANYARD CREEK AND THAT IS OUR MAIN FEATURE ATS THE NATURE TRAIL IS THIS PARTICULAR CREEK.

>> TELL US WHAT REACTION YOU HAVE BEEN GETTING FROM VISITORS, TOURISTS THAT COME HERE AND HIKE THIS TRAIL.

>> WELL, IT'S A VERY UNIQUE TRAIL.

WE TRY VERY HARD TO KEEP IT A NATURE TRAIL.

THAT'S PART OF THE NAME AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TRY REALLY REALLY HARD TO MAINTAIN.

WE WANT FIRST TO ABIDE HERE -- THIS TRAIL BELONGS TO NATURE, NOT TO US.

WE JUST USE IT.

WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME HERE ANNUALLY FROM AS FAR AS AWAY AS CALIFORNIA TO LOOK AT WILD FLOWERS.

IT IS A UNIQUE TRAIL.

WE ARE OUTDOOR PEOPLE, AND THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE TRAILS I HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF WALKING PLUS WORKING ON.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SECTIONS?

>> PROBABLY MY FAVORITE ONE IS ONE WE HAVEN'T VISITED YET.

IT IS THE BLUFF AREA, AND IT IS A VERY QUIET -- IT IS WONDERFUL OVER THERE IN THE SUMMERTIME BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH COOLER.

THE TEMPERATURE IS PROBABLY 15 OR 20 OVER BY THE BLUFF, A LOT OF UNDERWATER SPRINGS THERE, A PEACEFUL, QUIET AREA.

A NEAT PLACE TO GO AND REFLECT.

>> I GUESS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO USE THIS HIKE FOR THERAPY, AFTER MAYBE AN INJURY OR SOMETHING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, RICHARD, IS A FELLOW THAT I MET OVER HERE.

HE WAS DOING REHAB ON A BROKEN BACK AND BROKEN LEG AND WE EVENTUALLY RECRUITED HIM TO BECOME A WORKING VOLUNTEER.

HE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

A LOT OF FOLKS USE THIS AS A REHAB TRAIL.

IT IS GOOD FOR THE MIND AND GOOD FOR THE BODY, I GUESS.

>> THERE YOU GO.

♪♪ >> YOU ENJOYED YOURSELF OUT HERE TODAY.

>> I SURE HAVE.

>> ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT CAUGHT YOUR EYE OR THAT YOU LIKED ALONG THE WAY?

>> I LIKE EVERYTHING THAT IS OUT HERE, JUST BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FLOWERS BLOOMING NOW.

>> WILD FLOWERS.

YEAH >> YEAH.

>> THERE IS ALL SORTS OF NEAT STUFF ALONG THE ENTIRE TRAIL.

ESPECIALLY THE WATERFALL.

>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE BELLA VISTA AREA, TAKE A HIKE FOR YOURSELF ALONG THE TANYARD CREEK NATURE TRAIL AND TAKE IN TANYARD CREEK FALLS ITSELF.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

OR IF YOU DARE, VENTURE INTO SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP NEAR MONTICELLO.

I WOULDN'T GO AFTER DARK THOUGH.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT ALL OF THE FALLS, CASCADES AND BLUFFS IN THE HAW CREEK FALLS AREA NORTHEAST -- FOR MORE INFO, OR TO ORDER A COPY OF THE EPISODE VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT AETN.ORG/EXPLORINGARKANSAS.

WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON "EXPLORING ARKANSAS."

♪♪ ♪♪