The itineraries  are focused on themed travel opportunities:

• Birding the Great Lakes Seaway Trail
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Capture the Moment: Photography, Art, and Painting
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Cultural Heritage and Quilts
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Just the Two of Us Getaways and Shopping
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Lighthouses and Shipwrecks
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Lighthouse-to-Lighthouse Bicycling
• Quilting Around the Great Lakes Seaway Trail
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail Seven-Day Scenic Coastal Drive
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail: Take the Blueway
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail War of 1812 in the U.S. and Canada
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail War of 1812 Quilt Challenge
• Great Lakes Seaway Trail “Where Can I Take the Kids.”

The itineraries vary in length from a one afternoon option to a 9-day bicycling tour. Some of the itineraries are time-limited; others are available any time for do-it-yourself drivers; one is an escorted two-nation group tour to War of 1812 sites in New York, Pennsylvania, Ontario and Quebec.

“These byway-branded itineraries represent unique “only on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail” travel experiences on a premier American national scenic byway touring destination,” Mitchell says.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail itineraries are posted online at www.seawaytrail.com/roadtrips.

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1. Exploring The Great Lakes Seaway Trail in Winter
2. New Passport to History Program Rewards Travelers Along The Pennsylvania Civil War Trail
3. Tall Ships Challenge Coming to the Great Lakes in 2010

“Warren County hotels offer a variety of vacation packages that bundle exciting experiences while offering an excellent value to consumers, such as Kings Island packages, La Comedia Dinner Theatre packages, shopping packages and more,” said Sally Derrick, Marketing Director for the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB).

Families who stay in Warren County are close to the action at the area’s signature attractions such as Kings Island, Great Wolf Lodge, The Beach Waterpark and Ozone Zipline Adventures, and just minutes away from downtown Cincinnati and Dayton.

Here are some specific Kings Island Vacation Packages the WCCVB is promoting:

Kings Island Getaway

This package includes four tickets to Kings Island (two adult, two children), deluxe accommodations at the Cincinnati Marriott Northeast and 25% off breakfast in the River City Grill.  Valid through Sept. 5, 2011.  www.cincinnatimarriottnortheast.com

Ride & Roar Family Getaway

This package includes four tickets to Kings Island, four tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo, two nights lodging at either the Hyatt Place Cincinnati Northeast, Drury Inn Middletown, Best Western Mason or La Quinta Mason, free breakfast and value added coupon savings pack for $334 plus tax.  Valid July 6 – Aug. 28, 2011. www.rideandroar.com

Kings Island Package

This package includes accommodations at the Hilton Garden Inn – Mason and complimentary full, hot, cooked-to-order breakfast for two adults and two children.  Discount Kings Island tickets available onsite or online.  Contact hotel for details.  www.cincinnatimason.hgi.com

Kings Island One and Two Night Packages

Packages available at the Super 8 Motel include a two-night package offering a standard double room for two nights, two adult two-day tickets to Kings Island and complimentary hot breakfast or a one-night package that offers a standard double room for one night and two, one-day tickets to Kings Island.  www.super8mason.com

Play and Stay

This package includes one night lodging at the Kirkwood Inn, two, one-day tickets to Kings Island, parking pass to Kings Island and a free, full hot breakfast served in this historic Kirkwood House.  Two-day packages also available.  www.kirkwoodinn.com/packages

“Sleeping Beauty” and the Beast

This package includes four tickets to Kings Island (two adults and two children), four tickets to LaComedia Dinner Theatre to see “Sleeping Beauty” – includes dinner and show, two nights lodging at the Kirkwood Inn and free hot breakfast in the historic Kirkwood House.  Valid through Aug. 28.  www.kirkwoodinn.com/packages

Here are other great vacation deals, according to the WCCVB:

Howl at the Zoo

This package includes accommodations at the Great Wolf Lodge, Mason and free waterpark access for four people from 1 p.m. on the day of arrival through park closing on the day of departure.  The package also includes four tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.  Valid through Dec. 31. www.greatwolf.com/mason/plan/deals

The Beach Waterpark Package

This package includes four tickets to The Beach Waterpark and one night accommodations at the Drury Inn Middletown (includes free breakfast, snacks and more).  www.druryhotels.com

The Beach Waterpark Package

This package includes two tickets to The Beach Waterpark, complimentary shuttle to and from the waterpark and one night accommodations at the Kings Island Resort.  www.kingsislandresort.com

Golden Girls Getaway

This package includes dinner for two at LaComedia Dinner Theatre, $50 shopping pass to Cincinnati Premium Outlets, dinner for two at the Golden Lamb Inn & Restaurant and two nights accommodations at the Kirkwood Inn.  www.kirkwoodinn.com/packages

For more information about Warren County, Ohio’s Largest Playground, visit ohioslargestplayground.com, Twitter (@WarrenCountyOH) or Facebook.

Warren County is in Southwest Ohio, between Cincinnati and Dayton, and within a day’s drive of 60% of the US population.

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1. Ohio Unleashes Kings Island/Cincinnati Zoo “Ride and Roar” Savings Package
2. Warren County, Ohio — A Mom’s Family Vacation Paradise
3. Mission Point Resort Offers Mackinac Island’s Most Affordable Fall Packages

Orchid, Missouri Botanical Garden

You hear the word orchid, what comes to mind? Beautiful flowers from warm, tropical islands? A plant grown in a hothouse, to be used as a corsage? Springtime in Missouri? Yes, Missouri. All three of those thoughts are correct, but let’s not stop there. How about vanilla ice cream? The vanilla bean, used as a flavoring in many of your favorite foods, is the fruit from an orchid plant; rum is often flavored by the pods of another orchid species; and the tuberous roots of many orchids are edible (they taste like potatoes).

Getting back to the beautiful flower part, it may surprise you to learn that orchids grow wild throughout Missouri—in fact, 36 species are found in Missouri, while Hawaii (there’s that tropical island thing again) can claim only three native species of orchids. Missouri’s wild orchids, although they don’t always resemble the large, exotic flower that comes to mind, are amazing things of beauty and wonder. Nature lovers who wish to seek out Missouri’s orchids in bloom should head to undisturbed areas in rocky glades, ravines, and along creeks. The showiest species appear in spring and early fall.

Orchids are found in many of Missouri’s State Parks, including some surprising locations, such asCrowder Sate Park in the north-central Missouri, near Trenton. Several native orchid species are found in the 1,912 acres of the park. While searching for the elusive plants, you can enjoy more than 17 miles of hiking, bicycling and equestrian trails. The park offers fishing, boating and swimming opportunities in 18-acre Crowder Lake. The family-oriented campground includes modern restrooms, and shady picnic sites scattered throughout the park.

Although known primarily for its lake and recreational water activities, Harry S. Truman State Park, outside of Warsaw, is home to ample orchid populations for the discerning lover of flora. The plants are found in the park’s oak woodlands, natural grasslands and lakeside areas. The expansive park has a marina, fishing, boating, swimming, hiking trails, picnic areas, campsites, and an abundance of wildlife.

Near the Missouri community of Pittsburg, the 7,800-acre Pomme de Terre State Park offers two hiking trails with many areas to spot native orchids. The lake is a great place for bass, walleye, catfish and crappie fishing. Also, this is the home of Missouri’s big game fish, the muskellunge, more commonly called the muskie, the largest member of the pike family.

While famous for its more than 40 caves, including Fisher Cave, where you can take a tour,Meramec State Park, off of I-44, south of Sullivan, is home to at least 10 species of native orchids, which can be found by exploring the many hiking trails. Canoeing and rafting the Meramec River are very popular in the park. The park’s visitor center holds a large aquarium that shows the diversity of aquatic life found at the park.

You can discover upward of 11 species of Missouri orchids near Troy, in the Cuivre River State Park, which is known for its 11 hiking, backpacking and equestrian trails which meander through prairies and forests. The park has modern campsites, group camps, picnic areas and a lake.

While orchids are widespread throughout the state, they are not common and are rarely abundant. Many species of orchids are tiny and inconspicuous in the landscape, like the crane-fly orchid with its half-inch blossom; but you can spot them if you look closely and know what to look for. The yellow lady-slippers orchid, which blooms in late April, is Missouri’s showiest, often reaching three feet tall. Missouri’s seven species of ladies’-tresses orchid, which bloom from August into November, are the most commonly encountered, especially in parks with glades that have controlled burns.

Let’s not be stingy by limiting our discussion to only Missouri native orchids. The orchid is earth’s second largest family of flowering plants, numbering between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species; more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number of mammal species.
The Missouri Botanical Garden, located in St. Louis, maintains one of America’s largest and finest Orchid Collections, including roughly 7,500 plants, of 2,500 species of these fascinating plants. Orchids can be viewed in the Garden’s Visitor Center and in the Climatron conservatory on the grounds, as well as their Shaw Nature Reserve, in Gray Summit, 30 miles outside of St. Louis. The Garden holds an annual Orchid Show from late January through mid-March in their Visitor Center. Founded in 1859, Missouri Botanical Garden is the oldest botanical garden in continuous operation in the United States. It is a National Historic Landmark, with 79 acres of gardens and historic structures.

Another great place to view orchids from around the world is Powell Gardens, located in Kingsville, southeast of Kansas City. Set on 915 acres of lush, rolling hills and meadows, Powell Gardens offers breathtaking display gardens, interesting architecture, a nature trail, plus a year-round calendar of special events and classes for the family. Powell Gardens includes the Island Garden, the Perennial Garden, the Rock and Waterfall Garden, the Wildflower Meadow, a chapel, and the ever changing Terrace Gardens. The 12-acre Heartland Harvest Garden is one of the largest edible landscapes in the nation.

Information on orchids and other native Missouri plants is available through Grow Native, a joint project of the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Department of Agriculture. Contact The Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City for guidelines on growing orchids in your home.

You can get help with gardening from the Missouri Botanical Garden. They offer a Horticultural Answer Service, where master gardeners provide personalized answers to your specific phone-in questions. Call 314–577-5143, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to noon.

To help identify Missouri’s orchids, a guide book, titled “Missouri Orchids,” compiled by Bill Summers, is available through the Missouri Department of Conservation Nature Centers. In his book, Summers gives this reason to protect, and preserve, Missouri’s orchids: “To suddenly come upon a colony of lady-slipper orchids in full bloom is a sight to be remembered always,” he writes. “They will hold you spellbound until you suddenly realize they are real and that nature, once again, is the perfect artist.”

Be very careful in your quest. Orchids are to be admired, not touched. The roots are attached to fungal threads in the soil; if you disturb the roots or dig one up, the orchid will die when those threads are broken. It is illegal in Missouri to dig up or remove any plant from the right-of-way of state or county roadways, state parks or public lands—the penalty can be a year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

Find listings for thousands of Missouri attractions, events and vacation ideas on Official Missouri Travel Guide.”

Photo by photobydave

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“We’re more than just a hole in the ground,” explains Dennis Boyer, who owns the attraction with his wife Vicki.

Boyer says War Eagle Cavern is also unique because you can get there by car or boat. He has a dock on the lake for people who want to come via the water. In addition to being on Beaver Lake, the attraction is located in the middle of several other popular locales. “We’re right here with Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area. You can visit the War Eagle Mill and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge,” he explains. “We’re a half hour either direction to Rogers or Eureka.”

He stresses that it is important to him for visitors to have a good experience regarding every facet. “Our staff is well-trained and provides quality tours,” he explains. “We maintain good clean restrooms and nice grounds. We’re pet friendly, and we try to make it as family friendly as possible.”

About 30,000 people visit the facility each year, with about 20,000 taking the cavern tour. The cavern also hosts more than 4,000 kids each year on school trips.

The Cavern

The attraction’s namesake is a prime feature, of course. You might meet a bat in the cavern, a great summer retreat with its year round temperature of 58 degrees. “Early in the spring you can see them coming out of here like tornados,” says Guide Jerry Dill. It is home to more than 75,000 bats. The two main species are the Eastern Pipestrelle and the gray bat.

The well-lit, guided tours last about 60 minutes. In addition to the physical features of the cave, the tour highlights the history of the cavern. Osage and Cherokee Indians once found shelter in this protective grotto. One chamber is called the Indian Council Room. “This is where the Native Americans would have lived,” explains Dill. A movie about outlaws Frank and Jessie James was filmed in the cave. It provided an ideal place to make moonshine not only because it served as a hideout but also because of the clear running water inside.

Cavern features include stalagmites, stalactites, cave pearls, rimstone dams, and fossils. Water droplets cling to the ceiling, a crystal clear stream runs along the tour path, and small waterfalls flow. Several chimney features have water falling down them. It’s said to be lucky to be dripped on. There are also rocks that appear to have animal shapes and a huge pile of bat guano.

The cavern is spacious and open, making it easy for adults to walk through and a good starter cave for children who might be a little apprehensive. There are wide walkways and no stairs. “Wheelchairs and strollers can go through 90 percent of the cave,” Boyer adds. “We have lots of dogs go through the cave.”

A Wild Cave Tour is offered from July through October. “We do get you wet and muddy on those wild tours,” Boyer says.

War Eagle Mining Company

Kids and adults have fun panning for gems such as rubies, peridot, amethyst, Arkansas crystal points, sapphires, topaz, pyrite and more. You buy a large bag of a substance that looks to be dirt, dump small portions of it at a time into a sluice box, and then dunk the box into the water sluice. Washing away the grime, you end up with colorful treasures. In addition to the gem mix, you can choose bags with only Arkansas crystal points or fossils. “For the kids it’s the highlight,” Boyer says. He adds that some adults pan for gems to use in making their own jewelry.

Lost in the Woods Maze

The maze is over a half mile of twists and turns inside a wooden stockade. Your challenge is not just to find your way out but also to find four lost Indian tribes along the path. “There’s even a tree house in the middle you can climb up and look around,” Boyer explains. It takes cunning, skill, logic and luck. Boyer says you sign yourself in at the beginning of the maze and there’s a record time you can try to beat. “The average person takes 12 to 14 minutes to get through,” he adds.

Nature Trails

The nature trails are open to anyone on the regular tour. The Lake Walk is stroller friendly. Other trails lead to lookouts or sinkholes, and some have information signs along the way. One leads to a rest area containing a fossil dig. Buried in sand are the artificial remains of a mastodon. Children dig in the sand to uncover the bones, then cover them back up for the next person to find.

Smoke Signal Cafe

The cafe is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can order smoked pork or turkey sandwiches, hot dogs, and hamburgers served with baked potato salad or chips, and a root beer float. Also on the menu are chili dogs, deep dish pizza, and nachos (mild or spicy). You’ll find plenty of ice cream choices as well.

If You Go

War Eagle Cavern is located one-half mile off Ark. 12. The GPS coordinates for the parking lot are 36° 17′ 43.48″ N, 93° 54’ 15.88″ W. It is an easy drive from Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, Eureka Springs, or Branson. Visit www.wareaglecavern.com or call 479–789-2909 for more information and driving directions.

War Eagle Cavern’s boat dock is located in the last cove on the right in Devil’s Gap Inlet, south of Marker 6. Just stay to the right as you follow the inlet back, and look for the “CAVERN” sign on the boat dock at the end of the inlet. The GPS coordinates are 36° 17′ 46.49″ N, 93° 54′ 16.05″ W.

Related posts:

1. Eagle Watching at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks
2. Hot Springs: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Four
3. Ghosts of the South: Exploring Haunted Places in Arkansas

A Day With Family On The Arkansas/Missouri Border

We spent today with our extended family. This happens every two years with this branch of the family, and as usual, it was a good time. Lots of food, conversation, and river play along the Current River. The kids pretty much spent the day in the river, as usual. The grownups kept an eye on the kids and visited with each other. We caught up on what cousins were up to, met new additions to the family, and generally had an enjoyable day.

Day 6, Sunday June 14

The Trip Home: Back To Illinois

Well, it was a fast week, full of adventure, and today we got to take the last leg home. Having done it many times before, we knew it was around ten hours, so we headed out by 9am, as usual. We always say earlier, but it’s hard to manage. This part of the journey is generally uneventful. We were all tired and ready to sleep in our own beds again and normally we decide to make a minimum amount of stops. Today we decided to mix it up a bit, and take a small detour. “Let’s visit Metropolis, home of Superman,” I suggested. Everyone said “OK, why not?”

The Man of Steel in Superman’s Hometown, Metropolis, Illinois

I expected a quiet town on a Sunday. I envisioned a fast group photo with Superman before getting back on the road. Little did we know that we would also meet Batman, Iron Man, Super Girl, the Joker, and many more super heroes! We had no idea that this was the weekend of the Superman Convention in Metropolis Illinois. Wow! We had unknowingly walked into an outdoor carnival, complete with contests for superheroes, villains and monsters. We wandered the town for an hour thoroughly enjoying ourselves. As the kids exclaimed, “It’s like Wizard World (a Chicago area comic book convention we go to every year), for Superman!” And yes, indeed, it was. We all agreed that Mr. Freeze was the best costume. If you’re are out there Mr. Freeze, we voted for you! It made for a fun side trip on a generally unexciting part of our vacation.

A fun whirlwind adventure. Four states: Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky. One more state to mark off our map as visited and explored. One more experience to mark off our list of things to try! One more adventure to add to our memories.

Related posts:

1. The Ghost Town of Cairo: Arkansas Diamond Mining, Day One
2. Fort Massac and the Superhero of Metropolis
3. Hot Springs: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Four

Hot Springs, Arkansas

We made one more group breakfast, got everyone cleaned up and ready to go. As the kids put it, the shower was pretty small, but you didn’t feel like you would fall over. Always the optimists! And it had lots of hot water, which was nice. We checked out, and moved on our way. It was about a 40 minute drive to get to Hot Springs, then about 10 minutes to get to the park area. I think everyone else was expecting an actual park, but we knew this was a more urban setting. The Hot Springs are actually some of the historic bathhouses which have been restored and you can go through. There is one that the National Park Service runs, and a couple which are still functioning bathhouses. We didn’t have the time to take a bath, although it did sound nice. Maybe next time.

Sauna Contraptions, Fordyce Bath House, Hot Springs, Arkansas

We spent the time to get the kids their park ranger badges. This involved an extensive tour of the Fordyce House, which is the one the park service runs. We compared the architecture on the original houses, explored the rooms in the Fordyce House, saw where the springs feed into the structure, saw equipment used in old days and generally discovered where current spa services and physical therapy evolved from. Surround showers, steam rooms, massage tables, physical therapy equipment; it all started here. It would have been amazing in its prime. I am sure it was an experience like no other at that time.

As we were walking the promenade behind the bathhouses, a major storm started rolling in behind us. The rest of our group decided to call it a day and head back; we stopped at one of the filling stations to fill our jugs of water from the Hot Springs, then juggled the 140 degree jugs from hand to hand to try not to burn ourselves as we headed to the cars! We watched in amazement as vanloads of people would stop and fill multiple jugs of water and speed off. The water is free and it looked like some of these people were locals who must come fill jugs daily. Many people believe the waters have healing effects, but it is bizarre to watch all the same. The water was still hot hours later, amazingly. Maybe the locals just don’t want to pay for hot water.

Once we split up, the storm had pretty much passed us by, so our family went back out to the town for some gift shopping and then on to the mountain tower. The area around the park buildings is all shops, and we spent a little time finding some souvenirs, then decided to take a drive up the mountain for a different view of the town. We started with the North Mountain drive and went up in the mountain tower. This is an observation tower at the top of one of the mountains, where you take a glass elevator up to an observation deck. You can see for miles, and it’s gorgeous. You can see why this area is popular, it is very peaceful. You can see to Missouri and Oklahoma from up here, and in the early days of this settlement, it must have been a pretty awesome sight. Next we took the West Mountain Drive. You could see just as far, with many scenic outlooks. It was a pretty drive, worth the time. Next order of business, we all agreed, was food!

Natural hot spring, Hot Springs, Arkansas

We decided to find a local place to eat, a general requirement for us, so we drove the strip looking for something appealing. There were several pubs that looked OK, but we decided to go back to the spot that struck our fancy when we were souvenir shopping, Bubbalu’s, for burgers and dogs. Pretty basic fare, well done, in a quaint old building. We took a seat at the counter, ordered malts and burgers, and some excellent chili cheese fries! The food was all good, cooked from scratch (the burgers were not a frozen affair) and the service was extra friendly. You can’t ask for much more. And the building was fun, antique without being stuffy. I was amazed that the high ceilings made it open and airy, even with the hot humid weather all day. The doors were open, a breeze flowed through, and it was cool and inviting. We all agreed it was a great choice.

We felt like we had done the town justice. Although if we had another day we would try a bath. We headed out to meet back up with the rest of our group. We had a family affair the next day, so we needed to get back to our home base to prepare.

Related posts:

1. Ghosts of the South: Exploring Haunted Places in Arkansas
2. Superman’s Hometown: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Five and Six
3. Sifting for Treasure: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Two

“Each 1,500-foot-long line is longer than any single line on our existing course, and longer than any single zipline in Ohio,” said Jeff Merhige, Executive Director of YMCA Camp Kern which operates Ozone Zipline Adventures. “When the new lines open in April we will have grown our total zip-tour length to more than a mile and a half, a nearly 50% expansion.”

The first 1,500-foot-long line will start at the top of Ozone Tower, a multilevel platform tower where all tours begin. The zip line will connect to a platform on a designated tree on the Fort Ancient side of the river. From this platform, riders will connect to the second 1,500-foot-long zipline and zip back across the river.

“As you zip out on the new river lines, the canopy will drop away below your feet…within a few seconds you’ll be zipping in 360° of open air with an amazing view of the river and valley,” said Merhige.

The new lines will allow Ozone Zipline Adventures to offer three, hands-free, guided tours beginning April 1, 2011. The “Traditional Tour” will include seven zip lines and seven sky bridges. The new “River Tour” will include nine zip lines, nine sky brides and the nature trail. The new “Extended Tour” will include 11 zip lines, nine sky bridges and the nature trail. Preliminary construction will begin in December and conclude prior to opening on April 1, 2011.

According to Merhige, more than 14,000 riders from 46 states and 11 countries have zipped on Camp Kern’s educational eco-adventure since it opened in July 2009. Almost all of those out-of-town guests have stayed overnight, says Merhige, and added canoeing, Kings Island or other attractions to their vacation.

“Ozone Zipline Adventures is an exhilarating educational experience that combines the thrill of flying with an environmental and historical curriculum,” said Merhige. “With the expansion connecting to Fort Ancient, Ozone Zipline will now include a history of Fort Ancient and information about the federally designated scenic Little Miami River.”

The expansion was made possible through a partnership with YMCA of Greater Dayton the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Historical Society (OHS) and Fort Ancient.

Additional Tour Details:

• Riders must be at least ten years old and weigh at least 80 lbs. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult or guardian
• Reservations are required
• The zipline canopy tour is open seven days a week April 1 through Dec. 12 (weather permitting)

Located just minutes north of Cincinnati, Ozone Zipline Adventures is nestled alongside The Little Miami State and National Scenic River in Southwest Ohio, a hub of outdoor activities such as the Little Miami Bike Trail, Morgan’s Canoe Livery and Fort and world renowned historical sites like Fort Ancient.

For more information visit www.ozonezips.org or call (513) 932‑3756.

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Wegner’s Quartz Mine, Mount Ida, Arkansas

The cabins were great for our setup. We all met at Cabin One and made breakfast together. We cooked up a nice meal and enjoyed planning out and discussing what we would find today at the quartz mine. Cabin one had a large table and we almost all fit around it! The kids wanted to eat back outside at the picnic table, so it worked out well. We cleaned up and headed out. This cabin was a little further than our original plan from the Diamond Mine, but we could bring along the dog. It was closer to the quartz mine though, so all in all, it worked out well. That meant that today, we didn’t have far to go for our next round of treasure seeking.

Stare into my crystal… er, rock-like thing

We chose well in Wegner’s Quartz Mine. The people who checked you in were so friendly and helpful, it was great. I am not a rock hound by any means, so I need someone to show me what I am looking for, and how to find it. They were great for me. The kids have been studying minerals and rocks in school, so they already knew some of this; however, they have never found them on their own out of the mine. It is a bit different than studying a sample in school which is already cleaned and polished. The instruction was great. No one at the mine made us feel inferior for asking novice questions. In fact, they took us under their wing and gave us some extra tips on how to be successful. This was great, since the kids soaked up the advice and moved all over the field looking for new “hot spots” for the best finds.

Red dirt rovers; sifting for quartz

This mine was wonderful, in that they gave you buckets and garden shovels to use. We had brought our own, having read up on mining and having friends who are rock hounds guiding us in the gear we should take. We felt pretty well prepared. The mine is really a field of red clay that has been dug to the surface from the underground mine. This is surface mining, and you work your way around the field. Each person found their spot, and began digging away!

Immediately you could hear excited cries of “look at this piece!” and  “I found a great one over here!”; “This one is so pretty!” This continued for hours, as we all filled our buckets with prime samples of quartz. One child proclaimed they had more than they could ever use, so they might sell some of theirs! The great thing about the mine is that you only pay an entrance fee and whatever you find you take home. There is no additional charge, one piece or one bucket full. It’s up to you and the space you have in your car! We went for buckets of course!

The mine had some picnic tables set up in the shade, so we took a break and had a picnic lunch. Next, we moved over to the gemstone sluice. Now, these aren’t gemstones native to Arkansas, so if you’re a purist type of rock hound this won’t appeal to you. But the experience was worthwhile for the kids. Where else can you sit with your bucket of dirt, pour it into a screen and run it through a sluice and work hard to identify all the gemstones you uncover? We had a great time and everyone took home a big bag of gemstones.

Washing off our finds in the sluice

We spent around 4 hours at the mine, and it passed by pretty quickly. Of course, we had kids who love to dig in the dirt, and the excitement of finding lots of treasure. We were hot and sweaty at this point from sitting out in an open field with near 100 degree temps and what felt like 100% humidity, so we decided to go into town for ice cream. There was a great little ice cream shack, the Dairyette, just up the road, and it hit the spot perfectly. We sat outside with our dripping ice cream and tried to eat it before it melted. It tasted pretty good after a hot day at the mine.

Since there was a grocery store right across the street also, so we picked up a few supplies for dinner, including charcoal, and headed back to the cabin. We had another dinner by the fire then spent time wading in the river and enjoying the peacefulness of the river setting. This night the kids decided to sleep inside, which is ironic since it was a beautiful night! Go figure…

Photos by eJourna

For more photos from our Arkansas Diamond Mining adventure, check out the gallery.

Related posts:

1. Sifting for Treasure: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Two
2. The Ghost Town of Cairo: Arkansas Diamond Mining, Day One
3. Hot Springs: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Four

Crater of the Diamonds State Park, Murphreesboro, Arkansas and Caddo Gap, Arkansas

Up and at ‘em! We got everyone assembled and loaded, and headed off to the Diamond Mine. We were now part of a three car caravan, and were hoping we wouldn’t lose anyone along the way. We had our coolers and tools packed; I guessed we’d be able to dig our way out of anything and not starve, so we’d be OK!

The entrance to “strike-it-rich-ville”

We crossed the line into Arkansas, our third state in two days; making progress! We got a bit hungry sooner than expected, or left later than expected I guess. We hadn’t passed a single rest area for a picnic lunch, which just seemed unbelievable. Even though we were on a county or state highway, it’s still a major thoroughfare for Arkansas. Since we’re traveling with four kids, I had planned on us being able to pull off in a rest area.

Checking the map, we decided to stop at Lake Catherine State Park, since it would surely have picnic tables and play area for the kids to get some energy out. It looked pretty close to the road, but don’t believe the map. It ended up being 12 miles off the road, and took about 20 minutes to drive back to the picnic area. It’s a beautiful park, and a nice stopping spot, but further than we wanted. Oh well, we’re on vacation, so we decided to quit worrying about a schedule so much and just go with it!

Wouldn’t you know it, after we got back out to the highway and headed further south,  lo and behold, we came across a rest area one mile farther. Go figure! They could have announced it earlier with road signs!

Digging for Diamonds

After a bit more driving, we finally pulled into the Crater of the Diamonds State Park. Yeah! Crater of the Diamonds is the ultimate treasure seekers playground! Everyone loaded up their bucket with tools and headed into the park. We enthusiastically figured since were ten of us, we just knew we would be the lucky ones  to find a diamond that day! One was found the day before, but not yet on this day. “You betcha its gonna be us…”

Oh land, we implore you to give up your bejeweled bounty!

We spent the next four hours digging around in the dirt and running buckets of rocks through the sluice. Shovel, carry, swish, swirl, tap, swish, swirl; squint at the rocks. Still nothing. Rinse, repeat. After baking in the hot sun for four hours, everyone was ready to give up for the day. We took our finds up to the park ranger who helped us identify the stuff we did find. We discovered that we had lots of Jasper and some Quartz and that’s about it! Everyone was hot, tired dirty and somewhat disappointed that we hadn’t located any Diamonds. We decided the quartz mine we’d planned on visiting tomorrow will be better; never lose hope!

Bunking at the Caddo River Ranch

We headed out on the caravan again to make our way to the cabins we’d rented. I called ahead to let them know we were on our way. We figured it would still be daylight when we arrived and hoped we’d be able to find the place OK. After a lot of searching on the internet before we set out on vacation, I had picked the Caddo River Ranch to stay at for this part of the trip. Darlene and Ken, the proprietors, were very accommodating and friendly on the phone.

The Ranch ended up being pretty simple to find and we couldn’t have asked for a prettier setting. We drove  on to the Ranch, passed the main house and kept following the path on out towards the Caddo River. The cabins were situated at the end of the drive, about a half mile past the main house.

There were a total of four cabins set along the bank of the Caddo River. We had made arrangements to rent numbers one and two, and they were the furthest along. It was very private, well off the road, and reached our cabins and parked the vehicles, we hardly even noticed there were other people renting the other two cabins. We all went around checking out both cabins and discussing who would sleep where.

Cabins 1 and 2, situated on the bluff overlooking the tranquil Caddo River

Cabin number one sat atop a small bluff, with a great porch that overlooked the river. Cabin Two was smaller and a little less elevated above the river, but with an equally great view of the river. Each cabin came equipped with everything we’d would need to enjoy our time here: an accessorized kitchen with refrigerator, stove, microwave; cutlery, silverware; all linens and towels. It had a nice “campy” feel to it; kitschy but clean. The bonus was that the cabins had air conditioning! Oh yeah, we were really roughing it!

Outside Cabin One, we found a stone lined fire ring, stacked firewood and a great picnic table to sit at. The porch, which wrapped around two sides of the cabin; the front and the river-facing side; was fitted out with plenty of chairs to sit on and enjoy the view. We took advantage of it and rested a bit, just watching the river wander by, listening to birds and talking.

The grownups would’ve been content to just sit on the porch a while, but the kids were dying to go play in the river immediately. We split up; half of us going with the kids to watch over them as they played in the river; the other half tasked with making dinner.

Dinner by Campfire

We discovered at all of us had forgotten to bring any charcoal, so we sent the kids out to forage for kindling so that we could build a fire in the fire ring. We got a great campfire going, and had hamburgers cooked over the campfire. Though we ate a little later than originally planned, the kids loved cooking over the fire, and no one complained.

By the time we were done, we were using flashlights and a camping lantern to see, which just added to the adventure. We were lucky that one family was camping on their way down and were well prepared! The cabins were stocked for the kitchens, but not necessarily with lighting for the outside. We ended up cooking dinner outside the whole time we were here because it was fun to visit around the fire. There is definitely something relaxing about a summer cabin with the river next to you, and a campfire and smores to put everyone into a reminiscing frame of mind. The grownups and kids all just kicked back and chatted. Very nice.

A Tale of Two Kids and a Rain Swamped Tent

Our kids really wanted to camp outside, so we put the tent up on the porch and got them set up. We don’t camp too much since we’re city dwellers, so this was a lot of excitement for our kids. It looked like a nice night as we all headed in.

Funny how things  can change! About 2 hours after we called it a night, a major thunderstorm came roaring through. This was the torrential downpour, thunder so bad the house shakes, kind of storm. I’m lucky my husband didn’t strangle me after all the times I sent him outside to check on the boys. I just knew they were outside cowering inside their tent, afraid to try to run in the house because it was so dark, and the thunder was making them shake! Each time my husband would come inside soaked, and tell me the kids were sound asleep. I stared at him unbelieving. How could they sleep through this, in a tent! The storm didn’t let up until around 4am and I sent him out at least three or four times to check on them. They slept soundly through the whole thing. WOW! My husband and I on the other hand, didn’t get much sleep at all!

Camping the porch of Cabin 1, Caddo River Ranch, Arkansas

Finally, at 5:30am, my oldest came into the house, soaked to the bone. He was angry and shaking cold, stating that “he was soaking wet and it wasn’t his fault!” He had rolled off the air mattress, sleeping bag and all, and was then lying in a puddle of water on the floor of the tent. I forgot to tell my husband that I had let them open the screen window in the back of the tent for some air. It had been hot and muggy when we went to bed and I thought the cross breeze would help them cool off. He had zipped the front screen closed the first time he went out to check on them, but didn’t realize there was one inside also since we had borrowed the tent! Oops! The other one was completely dry; he never fell off the air mattress. They didn’t even know it stormed! What troopers!

All photos by eJourna

For more photos, check out our Crater of Diamonds and Caddo River Ranch photo galleries.

Related posts:

1. A Day In The Quartz Fields: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Three
2. Hot Springs: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Four
3. Superman’s Hometown: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Five and Six

I’m from Central Illinois, but my husband was born in northeast Arkansas and still has a lot of family along the Arkansas-Missouri border. We’ve been to Northeast Arkansas and Southern Missouri more times than I can count to visit family on holidays and for family reunions. Despite that, I can’t say that we’ve ever really seen much of Arkansas itself.

I decided that at some point we needed to see more of Arkansas than the 30 or so square miles we’d seen so much of! I mean, there must be more to the state than the soybean fields and the hill my husband’s grandmother lived on, right?

Over last summer, another family reunion in Arkansas  gave me just the excuse I needed to plan an extended family vacation with the intention of exploring more of this great state my family had seen so little of.

The centerpiece of the trip sprung from our neighbors’ passion for mining trips. In casual conversation they happened to mention visiting a diamond mine in central Arkansas. A diamond mine? In Arkansas? Considering that I have two sons who would jump at any chance to dig in dirt, especially if I added the lure of a “get rich quick” scheme, I figured this would be a good thing to center an entire trip around.

I spent countless hours searching for some good old-fashioned cabin-style lodging and other attractions in the area; and spent even more time convincing the in-laws and my husband’s sister and her family to go along with us. Knowing we would spend the last two days of the trip attending my husband’s family reunion, I put together an itinerary for the entire family that included diamond and quartz mining, visiting historic spas, and spending a few nights in a pair of rustic country cabins, complete with campfires and river views.

The evening before the trip was spent with our usual hectic last minute packing. When it was just my husband and I, packing for trips seemed so easy. Adding two sons ages 8 and 10 to the mix tends to make my job a lot harder! After getting the kids all packed, we hustled them into bed, with visions of diamonds the size of their fists and roasting marshmallows dancing in their heads and then hit the sack ourselves.

Day One, Tuesday, June 9

Northern Illinois to Doniphan, Missouri

Finally, day one of the great mining adventure was upon us! The kids were excited to be on the way. Amazingly, everyone managed to get up by 6:30, get dressed and ready to be out the door by 7am. This was a new record for us! Despite our best intentions, and my husband’s increasing frustrations, we typically leave at least an hour later than we originally plan. In fact, its’ a bit of a running joke with family and friends. Such is the life of parents.

We loaded up the rest of the gear, got everything in it’s place, but somehow I managed to misplace the new game I had bought the kids especially for the journey. So much for something new to do on the trip. After wasting time searching fruitlessly for it, we finally gave up and I just hoped it made its way into a bag unnoticed and we would find it for the way home.

We finally headed out, only about an hour later than planned. Ah, I knew it was too good to be true. We struck out along Route 47, a county highway, opting for this more scenic route than the traditional Interstates. By 10am we had only endured one question of “how much longer til we get there?” from the kids. Out of the corner of my eye, I’m pretty sure I saw them grinning as they asked. Maybe it was the countless stories my husband had told the kids about his epic four week grand vacation by car to California and back when he was young, with lines like “back then we didn’t have video games, so my sister and I had fun the old-fashioned way, by picking on each other and asking my parents ‘are we there yet’ over and over and OVER again!” Whatever it was, the kids had obviously figured out exactly how to get under Mom’s skin. I punched my husband in the arm, as just punishment.

We got stuck behind the longest semi I’d ever seen, which was hauling a single windmill blade to a nearby windmill farm. Considering the load, I couldn’t really fault them for moving slowly, and it was interesting to see how big the blades were up close. Despite that, we still made good time.

Route 47 eventually runs into Interstate 72 near Champaign-Urbana, which we took over to Interstate 57 and then continued south. Before we got too far, we stopped for lunch at a rest area just south of Champaign-Urbana. For a change, this one had very clean women’s bathrooms. While that might sound silly, for a female it’s worth noting for future trips. I circled that one on the map!

We assembled sandwiches, ate some grapes and let the kids run around on the playground for a few minutes to siphon off some of that pent-up energy before getting back on the road.

We  stopped for gas in Salem, Illinois and everyone caved in and bought some chocolate. My husband’s eye was caught by a sexy looking retro-style A&W Root Beer Float bottle and just HAD to have it, proclaiming “wow, this is the coolest looking thing EVER! I bet it tastes GREAT!” While it looked interesting, the general consensus was: YUK. We couldn’t even give it to the kids, which should tell you something! Ah well, live and Learn.

Coldest Beer In Town

As luck would have it (or is it a curse?), an old abandoned liquor store overrun by rampant foliage, happened to be sitting on an equally abandoned dead-end road right next store to the gas station. My husband is a sucker for urban decay, so we drove over to it and he jumped out of the car and excitedly took pictures. I happened to steal a glance back at my oldest son and caught him looking at his father and shrugging his shoulders with that “he’s crazy, but we’re used to it” look on his face.

Cairo, Illinois

Speaking of urban decay, our next stop was Cairo, Illinois. More pictures for our photo album of signs. It is amazingly sad how dilapidated this town is. Here it sits, at the junction of two major rivers, and it’s boarded up.

Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter

As you come into town, there is a very cool iron gate that rises up into the overpass, a remnant of very old times. We drove through and into the old downtown area. At least ninety percent of the buildings are vacant and boarded up. As the kids looked around, they both exclaimed “Looks like the zombies could show up at any time! Then that iron gate will drop, and we’ll be dinner for sure!” This town should make its next million as a movie set. You could shoot a horror film here without having to build a set; just use the abandoned town.

We took the bridge out of town and within minutes found ourselves in Missouri. Yeah, next state on our journey! Now we just needed to finish the long stretch through the state to make it to our first stop for the night. Our plans called for meeting up with the rest of our party that evening, then forming a caravan for the drive to the diamond mine the next day. Ten hours today, then another six tomorrow, then hope for treasure!

All photos by eJourna

View a complete set of photos of Cairo, Illinois

Related posts:

1. Superman’s Hometown: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Five and Six
2. A Day In The Quartz Fields: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Three
3. Sifting for Treasure: Arkansas Diamond Mining Day Two