Walking in the Footsteps of Archaic Indians at Lake Catherine State Park

Lake Catherine State Park is located a few miles south of Malvern in the Ouachita Mountains of Central Arkansas. The park has four main hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. The trails themselves are made even better with the beauty of the natural surrounding and the beautiful wildlife and lake that accompany the hike.

Hidden Creek Trail is the first trail visitors have the pleasure of taking. It is rated easy and is only 5/8’s of a mile long, and located just a short walking distance from the Visitor Center near the entrance of the park. Hidden Creek Trail follows the Slunger Creek for most of the walk. This creek provides plenty of water to the vast array of wildflowers that grow along the trail which photographers consider a dream in the spring.

The other three trails begin at the Trail Head located on the other end of the park in the campground area and wind their way through pine and hardwood forests. These three trails cross the Little Canyon Creek at various times and include a scenic waterfall at Falls Creek, which flows into the lake below.

The first and shortest of the three moderate trails is Falls Branch Trail. It covers approximately two miles (1.5 -2 hours). This trail reaches a maximum elevation of around 500 feet.

The second of the three moderate trails is Horseshoe Mountain Trail. It covers approximately three and a half miles (2 -2.5 hours). This trail takes you along a higher path than Falls Branch, gives you a higher elevation of 782+ feet, and includes scenic vistas and unique rock formations along Novaculite outcrops.

The last of the three moderate trails is Dam Mountain Trail (National Recreation Trail). It covers approximately four miles (2.5 -3 hours). This trail takes you out towards the dam and gives you breath-taking views of the lake along the way. Along with the creeks and waterfall, hikers may even get a glimpse of the majestic Bald Eagle. This trail also takes you along the Novaculite outcrops along the top ridge of the mountain.

The surprise that Lake Catherine holds, for those who venture out on its hiking trails, center on the outcrops of Novaculite. These outcrops were a frequent destination of Archaic Indians thousands of years ago. These Indians would quarry the stone from the mountain and use it to fashion tools for their daily life and for trading with other Indian groups along the rivers. Hikers with a keen eye can still see the quarry pits in late summer along the top of Dam Mountain Trail. Just remember as you walk in the footsteps of those who were there thousands of years before you, “take only pictures; leave only footprints”.

For more information on Lake Catherine State Park visit their website @ http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakecatherine/

For more information on Novaculite and the Archaic Indians: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2220


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