Delta Heritage Trail, Barton, Arkansas

April 27, 2015
20 miles
We began our ride at the Walnut Corner trailhead in Barton, Arkansas. There is a park visitor center located here with nice, clean restrooms and a quaint gift store. Yes, we found something for the grandkids! The lady working here was friendly and knowledgeable about the trail.

This is our
first out-of-state ride this year. We went south looking for warmer weather.
Today, we didn't find it. It was in the upper 50s and overcast (it sprinkled on
us driving to the trailhead) with a brisk NE wind. I had to wear several layers
of riding clothes and even my ear muffs.

In
spite of the cold weather, I thoroughly enjoyed the trail. It is a former Union
Pacific Railroad right-of-way that has been turned into a biking/hiking trail,
passing through rich delta wetlands. The surface was crushed limestone so that
slowed us down a bit. Trees provided a shaded canopy for a majority of the
trail, the honeysuckle was just starting to bloom so the scent was heavenly,
and, I even spotted a bluebird in the bushes today.






Some historical highlights of the trail included crossing over Lick Creek where a Civil War Skirmish took place, and we stopped at the Lake View trailhead which was a "New Deal" community.

Deeper south we go in search of warmer temperatures!