Down to the Valley

"The observation tower stands out clearly this morning," said Andy, as we headed up West Mountain Drive. The temperature said 35 degrees at 9 a.m. "We'll drive the roads this morning, give the clouds a little time to clear out, and then hike a trail along the ridge, probably Sunrise Trail from West Mountain to Music Mountain, the highest point in the park at 1,405 feet. It's only about four miles round trip." The road coming down had a 25 percent grade, steep even for Little Red. Sun filtering through pine and leafless hardwoods played interesting melodies on the pavement. We turned around and drove back up. "The sign said 25 percent grade," said Andy, as books pamphlets, flashlight, GPS and pens fell from the dashboard into my lap, "but it forgot to mention blind curves." The turn shifted the paraphernalia farther to the right. "Let's go do our hike," said Andy, downshifting as I came out from under the wreckage.

An hour's hike of probably three miles and back at the car, Andy said, "This map makes no sense. I know we walked to the highest point and there was no more trail, but there is no way we did four miles in an hour. Three, yes, because it was generally flat."

The trail followed the ridge with views of the Valley of the Vapors. A hazy mist clouded the air, like someone upwind burned leaves on a cold October morning in New England. Sun filtered through, and occasionally a patch of blue broke overhead. I watched my footing--jagged chunks of granite and quartz, pebbles and chips of chert and novaculite, leaves from last fall's drop, some still crunching under foot and others black and slippery with moisture.

As we drove, I read signs: Canyon Springs Health Center, Levi Hospital, The Caring Place, Adelphi Rehabilitation Center, Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center, Happy Hollow Home, St. Joseph Mercy Medical Center, Bella Vista, Small Group Therapy Center, Fairweather Manor, Manor Adult Living Center, Quapaw House, Massage Institute. Everywhere in town were places for the infirm, the aged, the handicapped, the disabled.

We checked out Gulpha Gorge, just a picnic area and campground with one RV trailer. A female cardinal swooped in front of us.
"Weather here moderates in February," said Andy. "It's almost spring."

We sat in the car at Observation Point pavilion picnic area and let the sun wash over us. No wonder people flocked here for health reasons, but it wasn't for the air. It was to bathe in hot springs and drink the mineral water.

"Okay," said Andy. "Time for fresh air." He had designed his own hike through Hot Springs Mountain woods to North Mountain and back, past holly bushes, oak and Southern yellow pine forests and an occasional magnolia tree. Later at the Visitor Center, Ranger Jim helped me identify the red berry mandina, an exotic that had escaped from town during earlier plantings.

I heard a chain saw buzz several times, stop and whir again. Someone must be cutting logs, I thought. Dogs barked intermittently. Then a train whistle sounded in the valley below, sharp and urgent. Toooooot, toottoot. It echoed from hill to hill in succession, as we sat at Goat Rock and nibbled on trail bars for lunch.
We had left Little Red at the pavilion on top and followed Andy's trail all the way down twice and back up twice for at least five miles: Hot Springs Mountain Trail to Gulpha Gorge Trail to Goat Rock Overlook Trail to Goat Rock Trail to Upper Dogwood Trail to Lower Dogwood Trail to Floral Trail to Honeysuckle Trail to Hot Springs Mountain Trail to Peak Trail and back to Little Red at 1,060 feet.

I'm certainly glad he had a map.

"That was a good workout," he said, climbing up the last rise to the parking lot. "That was easily five miles, a lot more than I ever figured we would do today. And look, the sun is out bright and full, and even with the haze it's blue sky." But down below us a fog drifted in the valley.

"I imagine the Valley of Vapors is hazy pretty much always," I said.

But from Central Avenue, where the vapors rise from 47 seeps and reservoirs, the sky looked like an azure blanket. My how healthful living has changed, I thought. Most people came to Hot Springs to relax and loll in the hot mineral water at the base of Hot Springs Mountain. We hiked about eight miles around the top of it.