Delta Science Club in the back of Devil's Den Cave
Wow! What a trip! Ten Delta students and two instructors trekked to Devil's Den State Park southwest of Fayetteville, Arkansas to spelunk and hike in the beautiful Ozark mountains. For us "flatlanders" the rocky terrain proved to be gruesome on our legs and shoulders. It really took some teamwork pulling each other up rocks and through tiny crawl spaces. We really felt it the next morning.
The team departed from Monroe around 9AM and headed toward Devil's Den some 6 1/2 hours away. Excitement filled the vans which were packed with food, sleeping bags, and clothing. Professor Green became jittery as she saw her first outcropping of rocks just outside of Little Rock. Actually her heart raced upon seeing a local rock shop near Pine Bluff.
The beauty of the Ozarks became ever more prevalent upon approach of I-540. This beautiful new interstate took us into the heart of northwest Arkansas' scenic mountainous region and on to Devil's Den. The curvy mountain road led us down to the main lodge on the valley floor below. Soon, we were at cabin 11, our home for the next two days.
We quickly unpacked and scurried off in different directions to explore the area around the campgrounds. A small dam had been created near the main lodge complete with waterfall. The sound of rushing water echoed around the valley. Overhead, the clear Arkansas skies were darkened only by the large and majestic turkey buzzards that called the valley their home.
Darkness was not far away so the team returned to the cabin for supper - grilled burgers! Oh so good! The sun quickly sat behind the mountains and the temperatures plummeted into the 30's. Chip Rawls and Professor Wheeler attempted to light a fire in the fireplace. The somewhat green wood proved to be a challenge for fire starting. However, the heat finally dried the wood and we had ourselves a little fire. Under clear skies, the stars and planets were incredible. Venus and Jupiter led the way with Saturn and Mars nestled between them.
Campers arose the next morning to the smell of bacon, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. Nothing but contentment could be felt around the breakfast table. After a quick cleanup, it was time to put on our hiking gear the set out for the cave. The hiking trails were just turning green with new spring growth. Dogwood and redbud trees dotted the landscape. Native periwinkles, violets, and bleeding hearts added a colorful touch around the rocks and forest floor.
We hiked about halfway up the mountain to the entrance of Devil's Den Cave. The tiny opening looked foreboding. Our clean clothes were about to become test material for a laundry detergent commercial. The cave was very wet, damp, and cold. Our breath continuously formed vapor clouds, many of which can be seen on photographs.
Not far into the cave, hundreds of bats hung from the ceiling and walls. Some took to flight. Professor Wheeler seemed to take the brunt of the bats. In fact three yells from him could be heard echoing through the cave. Once he put his hand on one hanging from the walls, and twice bats flew at his face. "I felt like Ace Ventura - Pet Detective in the Great White Bat's Cave!" said Wheeler.
We pushed and pulled our way deeper into the cave with ever increasing difficulty. We had to climb up 10 foot ledges over slippery rocks and force through tiny openings. The backpacks proved to be quite cumbersome in the tiny crawl spaces. Finally we reached the end of the cave some 200 yards into the mountain. The group nestled as close together as possible for a photo op. In addition, we also experience total darkness by turning off all of our lights. Imagine being trapped in a cave not being able to see anything!
We quickly exited bruised, scraped, and dirty. But, we had a great time getting that way! A brief rest and we were off to explore the remainder of the trail. We found deep crevices with 100 foot drop offs and beautiful waterfalls. The end of the trail wound its way around a running creek. Several waded out into the icy waters.
Finally, back to the cabin for lunch. Sandwiches never tasted so good. A quick rest and rejuvenation and the guys decided to hike the three mile trail on the other side of the valley up to the lookout. It was not as treacherous as the Devil's Den trail; however, we were really tired after hiking both.
Ah, the moment we had been waiting for - a shower and steak supper. Professor Green marinated the sirloin steaks overnight. They were complimented by baked potatoes with all the fixins', salad, and hot rolls.
As always, the trip home was bittersweet. We did not want to leave but knew we had to get home. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. One that we hope will be shared by many others on future trips.
Photos of the trip can be found by clicking below. There are a number of photos so be patient while they load. Keep in mind that some of the photos in the cave appear "cloudy". This is because of the condensation of water from our breath.
PHOTOS