To be honest I had never really thought much about the state of Arkansas and what it had to offer me. All in all it was a truly inspirational roadtrip. I woke up with a cough and achy head on my first morning in northwestern Arkansas. I felt a cold coming on but I persevered and hit the road.
My first stop was at Thorncrown Chapel a glass chapel in Eureka Springs which is found in the heart of the Ozark mountains. After a short walk through the forest I came upon the stunningly beautiful chapel nestled among the trees.
The chapel has 425 windows, which adds up to 6,000 square feet of glass. It was open so I was able sit in a pew to take in the beauty and nature this glass structure offered. An absolutely beautiful and peaceful setting.
After a prayer at the chapel, a bit of relaxing and a short forest walk back to my van I was back on the road. I travelled along highway 62 through the northern part of the state. Beautiful scenery, mountainous roads, and rolling hills. All quite unexpectedly stunning.
Being Sick on the Road
The next day my cold was full on with me having a headache and a cough. It is tough being sick anywhere and being on the road in a small van with no one around that I knew made it especially so. Mid morning I stopped and napped in a Walmart parking lot then kept driving for a few more hours. I didn’t know this area but decided I needed to stop for a few days and just rest.
Pocahontas was my saving grace on my Arkansas roadtrip. Here I found an inexpensive and sunny campground for only $10 per night. The campground was not terribly scenic but I felt safe, was able to get sun for my solar panels and had time to rest.
The city had a number of historic buildings, including the Old Randolph County courthouse built in 1871. I ended up staying 4 nights just sleeping, relaxing, enjoying the area and getting over my cold.
Memphis Here I Come
Being fairly close to the western Tennessee border and with a visit to Graceland on my bucket list I headed to Memphis. Last year I travelled through eastern Tennessee touring Nashville, Dollywood and the Smoky mountains.
When in Memphis I visited the Peabody Hotel for the 11am duck march. Then the National Civil Rights Museum and Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther was assassinated. Finally a funfilled tour of Graceland and the Elvis Presley Museum. After a fabulous 2 days in Memphis I was back on the road..
Continuing My Arkansas Roadtrip
It was getting colder at night and I still wanted to see more of Arkansas so I travelled southwest along highway 40 towards Hot Springs. Hot Springs National Park is technically the 15th national park, dedicated in 1921. The officical number one spot goes to Yellowstone, designated in 1872. Hot Springs was actually set aside as a public reserve long before that in 1832 making it number one in this process.
It was a rainy day but I strolled along the Historic Bathhouse Row which was known as the Spa City in the 1920’s. I drove up to the Hot Spring Mountain Tower where I enjoyed the beautiful view of the surrounding area. I stayed 2 nights at the local Cracker Barrell while touring the area.
Diamond Hunting
Next stop was a Crater of Diamonds State Park. I was surprised when I realized I could potentially find a real diamond at this state park. It is one of the only places in the world where the public can search for real diamonds in their original volcanic state. Crater of Diamonds is near Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Visitors come to the park in search of diamonds and I wanted to find one!
I arrived early not really knowing what to expect. First off all I saw was a huge muddy field, 37 acres to be exact. The visitor center, videos and displays were helpful in teaching me about diamond hunting and what to look for when I started searching. Families came with chairs, tents, and other equipment to spend the day searching for diamonds. I wasn’t so prepared but had a fun morning.
More than 35,000 diamonds have been found by park visitors since the Crater of Diamonds became an Arkansas state park in 1972. Notable diamonds found at the Crater include the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam, the largest diamond ever unearthed in the U.S.; the 16.37-carat Amarillo Starlight; the 15.33-carat Star of Arkansas; and the 8.52-carat Esperanza. Impressive!
After a morning walking through the muddy field, unfortunately I did not come out with a diamond. I did however find some large Jasper agates, three barite and two calcite stones. A pretty good hall in my opinion. I could easily see myself becoming addicted to this spot if I lived nearby. Definitely a place to visit for anyone travelling through Arkansas.
In Conclusion
I had a wonderful time touring Arkansas even though it started with me having a head cold. I recommend taking an Arkansas roadtrip in this “natural state” for the beautiful scenery, mountains, history and a chance of finding your ultimate gem stone.