We just got back from a birthday trip to the Ouachita National Forest!

We stayed at the Cedar Lake Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest for six nights!

Three nights in a really nice wooded campsite with no electricity and three in an electric spot since it was going to get cold and we had a space heater.

Oatmeal.

Nick’s little stove is so nice for cooking on!

We started off our first morning there with an easy hike around Cedar Lake.

It was 3.9miles all the way around after taking a spur.

We saw some blood from a wounded animal on the trail.

The boys of course were set on tracking it.

This is a beautiful lake.

This was a great easy hike to start off our time there.

I had decided we should do two hikes that day.

Of course my second choice was not as easy…

The Horsethief Springs Trail is around 11miles and definitely fit it’s “more difficult” rank.

The terrain varied.

Sometimes it was not too bad and sometimes I think it was trying to kill me.

It was also overgrown in parts and not always the easiest to follow.

Mostly we ran into fading light more than anything.

It gets dark so early that this should have been our first hike of the day.

American Beauty Berry were everywhere!

We made it back before dark (barely)!

The next day I decided to take it easy and drive the Talimena Scenic Drive.

I will share more picture from our next (and much easier on my feet) day Monday!