Devil's Den State Park Hike

One of the things Dan and I really love to do wherever we end up is hike! We love to explore local hiking spots, including state parks, lakes, rivers, and mountains. Devil’s Den State Park is located in northwest Arkansas's Ozarks amid ancient sedimentary mountains renowned for their natural beauty and lush oak-hickory forests. This is where we decided to hike while we were here, and it was only 42 miles from our RV Park. Miles of hiking and multiple use trails wind through Devil's Den and the surrounding Ozark National Forest. Caves, crevices and bluff overlooks are everywhere, and often without warning! Most of the places I’ve hiked in the past are overly posted with warning signs, and dangerous drop-offs or other situations are usually fenced off as well. At Devil’s Den, there was a sign at the beginning of the hiking trails warning about the bluffs, crevices, and caves stating that they weren’t labeled or fenced in order to preserve the natural beauty. I’m glad of this, as the hike was absolutely spectacular! Hikers are encouraged to explore the caves, and are advised to bring two sources of light and to wear non-slippery shoes. The park is known for its 18 species of bats, although we didn’t see any when we were there. We did go into a couple of the caves, Dan further than me, I’m not as brave as he is! The first cave we explored was called Devil’s Den. It wasn’t too bad, no sudden drops, or long slippery slopes. Just dark and wet! I went several yards into that one. The second one we explored was called Icebox, and it was! It was a nice relief from the heat of the day. I only stepped into the slight interior of this cave, as it immediately brought you down a steep, muddy, slippery slope which I wasn’t confident enough to try out. Dan went down a little further than me. I’m not sure spelunking is in my future! I hope these shots can capture the flavor of the day.