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Published Jul/Aug 2005 | ||||||
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Find a river or lake this summer to refresh you
and revive childhood memories. By Kathryn Buckstaff |
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 he sparkling Buffalo National River in northwest Arkansas was my family’s favorite swimming spot, even before the U.S. Congress designated it as the country’s first federal river park in 1972.In spring, canoe enthusiasts find exciting rapids on the 135-mile waterway. In fall, trails along the banks offer hikers stunning views of flaming colors. But in the hot days of summer when the water is too low to float, those in the know head for an old-fashioned swimming hole at Pruitt. The deep pool is bordered on one side by a broad gravel bar and on the other by a towering cliff. This is where my sons, Brett and Brian, grew up. Our farm was nearby, so a short ride down the gravel road was a summer treat. Some days, other locals joined our fun. But most afternoons, the solitude was as refreshing as the water. Today, the memories of afternoons at Pruitt still refresh even in the depths of winter. That is the lasting joy provided by nature’s gifts from the Buffalo National River to Roosevelt State Park in Mississippi or the Grand Isle State Park deep in Louisiana–three ideas for a cool getaway during the dog days of July and August. Bliss near Jasper Pruitt–off Arkansas Scenic Byway 7 just north of Jasper–is a favorite launching point for canoeists. The Buffalo National River–offering elk, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and quail–is a wildlife lover’s dream. The river holds 300 species of fish, including juicy bass just right for pan-frying over a campfire. Jasper is a cozy town of about 400 people who thrive on the river’s visitors. Business owner Janice Sloan has been running the House of Treasures since 1984. “The tourists are mostly from Texas and Louisiana,” she says. “In the spring, the (canoeists) come through, and in the fall, people come for the colors.” The Riverview Motel offers lodging and canoe rentals. And if you didn’t catch that bass to fry, have supper at the Ozark Café, where owner Tim Ray and his wife, Mona, have a secret recipe for scrumptious potato salad, and a piled-high barbecued brisket sandwich for $3.50. Remodeled in Mississippi Bubba Hubbard says that his pick for a great swimming hole and a place to fish is at Roosevelt State Park located in Morton, about 20 miles east of Jackson. Hubbard, the assistant chief of fisheries for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, says the park is family-oriented. “It’s very scenic. It’s a nice fishing lake from the bank or the boat, there’s swimming and cabins and a hotel. And if Momma wants to go shopping, we’re only a few miles from the malls. And if Daddy wanted to go to a ball game, the Atlanta Braves will have a Double-A farm team in Jackson.” The Mississippi Braves this year relocated to Pearl, a suburb of Jackson, Miss. The park’s centerpiece is 160-acre Shadow Lake. In 2001, the lake was drained due to dam repairs and was later refilled and restocked with generous numbers of large mouth bass, brim and red-ear sunfish, so called because of the red spots on the sides of their heads. Last fall, the lake was reopened for fishing. Roosevelt Park has 15 cabins that can accommodate from four to 12 people. These cabins also have screened porches, as well as air conditioning, and rent for $55 to $75 per night. The park’s 109 RV sites have nightly rentals that range from $11–$20, and a wooded area on the upper end of Shadow Lake for tent camping at $10 a night. There’s a 20-unit motel with rooms for $50 to $55 a night. During the summer, there’s a water slide to the lake, a swimming pool, paddleboat rentals and water skiing. When the kids’ fingers shrivel, they can dry out at picnic shelters, explore the four nature trails or the playground. There are even two lighted tennis courts. Hubbard says his son and two daughters grew up fishing with him. “My kids are college-age now, but we used to fish the reservoir for crappie,” he says. “When I go out, I wade-fish in the smaller streams. I like the trout, spotted bass, long-eared sunfish and catfish. I go where it’s wooded, in a canopy. There’s no specific time. Just anytime you get out there is good.” The park has a lot of family reunions that come year after year, says Dorothy Hudson who has been a desk clerk at the park for eight years. On weekends, Hudson says children are everywhere. “When you come in the mornings, it’s quiet and you can set in the campground and see across to the other side of the lake. We have a wildlife place with a pen of deer. My grandchildren love to come out and feed the deer,” Hudson says. Song of the sea Fresh-water lagoons and a 400-foot-long pier stretching into the Gulf of Mexico can be found at Grand Isle State Park on a barrier island off the coast of Louisiana. There’s a lot of Louisiana to experience south of New Orleans, says Bo Boehringer, spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Grand Isle is one of the top five most-visited parks in the state, and it’s easy to see why. “As Louisianans, we maintain one of the best fishing resources in the country,” Boehringer says. Grand Isle State Park is home to 280 species of fish. This is a fishing village, home base for shrimp boats and the crews that service the oil rigs along the gulf. For a different fishing experience, hire a guide to take you out to one of the numerous abandoned oil rigs that have been retrofitted as artificial reefs for fish habitat. You’ll find the big fish: red snapper, amberjack, grouper and tuna. “It’s not uncommon for people to go tuna fishing year-round and catch a couple, three, four, five of those monsters,” says Mike Lane, owner of www.rodnreel.com, an online guide service. “Catching a tuna is the equivalent of catching a pickup truck on your rod and reel,” he says. If this seems too daunting, surf fishers can catch speckled trout. Children can fish off the pier or catch crabs on the beach with nets. There are swimming beaches and places for a picnic, as well as lagoons and ponds. The camping area has 100 sites where a family can boil up a fresh batch of crabs. There also are sites with electric and water hook-ups. And there is marsh fishing, Boehringer’s personal favorite. “You leave right at sunrise, heading out into the marsh with the sun coming up on the east,” he says. “Especially on a morning when the wind’s not blowing and the water’s slick and there’s pelicans and terns, it’s extremely peaceful moments then.” Wherever you are in the South, you’re not far from a great swimming or fishing hole. If you’re not sure where they are, ask the locals with a peaceful look in their eyes. It’s a good bet they’ll know. Kathryn Buckstaff is a contributor from Hollister, Mo. |
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