Mulberry in May delivers stars and madness

by Connie Las Schneider

May is a perfect month to explore the Mulberry River area in Franklin County. The water is cool and inviting, the scenery alive with growth and night skies are ideal for star gazing.

Best of all, the weather is just right for outdoor activities, so grab your gear and have an adventure.
 
CANOE CLUB
Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 1, the Arkansas Canoe Club is holding its 36th annual Whitewater Paddling School at Turner Bend Junction on Arkansas 23 and the Mulberry River.

Whether you are into kayaking or canoeing, the two day event has classes for all grades of paddlers. Kayaking has become very popular in the past several years, so if you’ve ever wanted to try it, this would be a great time to learn.

The Mulberry River crested at 16 feet the night of April 25 after torrential rains turned the picturesque river into a raging torrent of water, but the river had dropped to 8 feet the following day and is expected to be at the floatable 4 feet level by the weekend.

“Unless we get significantly more rain, the Mulberry will be useable, said Tom Burroughs, state president of the Arkansas Canoe Club and safety coordinator for the event. “The Mulberry rises fast but it recedes fast, too.”

In the past 35 years, the club has never had to cancel this event, said Burroughs. If the Mulberry isn’t floatable, the club also maintains permits with the National Forest Service to use nearby Shore Lake or Lee Creek near Devil’s Den.

Unfortunately, Lee Creek also flooded after April’s storms, but it is also receding “slowly but surely,” according to Gordon Hamblin, Lock Master of the Trimble and Ozark Dams for the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Arkansas Canoe Club was founded in 1975 by about 75 students and faculty from the University of Arkansas and now has 1,200 individual members in seven chapters across the state.

For more info, visit the club’s website or contact Turner Bend officials at (479) 667-3641.

STAR PARTY
A star party is planned for May 20-21 at the Mulberry Mountain Lodge.

This is a group of amateur astronomers who use telescopes, binoculars, cameras and even the naked eye to see and experience the fascinating and beautiful wonders of the night sky.

Not just for science nerds, the group welcomes anyone with an interest in astronomy and is a great event to bring children in the evenings, as education on the wonders of the universe is a primary goal of the group.

The event will be held at Mulberry Mountain Lodge and Events Center on Arkansas 23 in Ozark and there is no cost for evening visitors.  Star gazing will begin at dusk and visitors will have a unique chance to look through astronomical instruments of all types and sizes. Objects viewed may include the moon, planets, deep sky objects like galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Dave Grosvold, president of the Arkansas Oklahoma Astronomical Society, said Mulberry Mountain is one of the darkest sites in Arkansas to view the night skies. He also asked that visitors bring a flashlight with a red light as white lights limit the ability of the eye to transition to night vision.

The Arkansas Oklahoma Astronomical Society (AOAS) and the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society, are co-hosting the event in conjunction with the 2011 Mid States Region Astronomical League Convention.

Visit the AOSA website or call (479) 848-0125 for more info.

GO TAKE A HIKE
May 21 is National Walk in the Woods Day, an event coordinated by the American Forest Foundation.

Why not make a day of it and hike the trails during the day and star gaze at night. The Mulberry River area has abundant trails for hiking and two National Forest Service campgrounds, Redding and Wolf Pen. Mulberry Mountain Lodge also has camping facilities available from primitive to full-hook-ups.

MAY MADNESS
Madness in May, a four-wheel-drive competition held by Come Get Ya Some at Byrd’s Adventure Center on County Road 83 in Ozark, will be held May 27 through May 29.

Drivers compete on mountain climbs, rock crawling, barrel races and mud runs. Excellent prizes awarded and a great event for spectators.

For more info, visit Byrd’s Adventure Center website or call (479) 667-4066.