There’s a place in our own backyard that runs the whole gambit of geologic features.
From waterfalls, to sand stone structures to caves, there’s so much to explore, for free, at Devil’s Den, which is where Sean Bailey headed in this week’s Adventure Arkansas.
For the Marcel family’s vacation, the outdoors are an oasis.
"I love going outside in nature, I mean this is great," said Alyssa Marcel, who is visiting from Louisiana. "Disney World is nice, Florida is nice, the beaches are OK, but this is just as enjoyable for us. We really like being out and connecting with the earth."
Connecting with the earth and disconnecting from electronics is a positive trend that our guide, Terry Elder, said she has been noticing among hikers.
"They actually enjoy it," Elder said. "It makes them sit back and put their phones away for a while and just absorb what’s around them."
Along the trails there's the sandstone, the caves and the overlooks. Yet there’s always something new to discover, whether it’s your first or thousandth time visiting.
"It’s always something different, like a different bird you hear out there or something," Elder said. "It’s always changing, even though it’s the same. It’s always changing and I always enjoy the people and them taking in nature."
For Marcel, who was visiting the park for the first time, the waterfall stole the show.
"I’d probably say the waterfall because I’m a Marine biology student so anything near water I really enjoy," Marcel said. "The waterfall was absolutely gorgeous. It’s something you gotta see."
While the waterfall was a picturesque sight of the flow of nature, other features that are made by hikers aren’t helping.
While stacked rock features may look cool, they’re actually impacting the environment in a really negative way. They contribute to erosion in the creek as well as disrupting the animals that live within the creek. Park officials actually advocate that you knock them down.
Whether you’re on a guided hike or with just your family, remember if you pack it in, you should pack it out, and don't leave garbage on the trails.
The park has been around for 80 years, and respecting mother nature will allow for more years of this trail system for future generations to enjoy.
There are almost a dozen trails at Devils Den, which frequently offers new and free events for people to learn about nature.
And for those of you wondering, the caves and crevices are still closed due to white nose syndrome with the bats.
Segment Sponsored By: Adventure Subaru