Hawksbill Crag

[Faulkner]

A buddy and I recently hiked out to Hawksbill Crag in the heart of the Arkansas Ozarks. This was one of my bucket list items I've wanted to do for years.

The Hawksbill Crag, also known as Whitaker Point, is located along the northern edge of the Upper Buffalo Wilderness in the Ozark National Forest, just south of the Buffalo National River. It often photographed and recognizable feature in Arkansas, and hikers from around the country trek to the location for the scenic view. The hike to it is a 3.0 mile round trip with a 400 foot elevation drop but offers scenic vistas, huge boulders, and beautiful waterfalls during wet weather. The point where a rock formation juts out from the cliff, known as the crag, overlooks Whitaker Creek and a huge valley stretching as far as you can see.

It was a great day for a hike with the temps in the upper 50's, but once out around the cliff face the wind was blowing through the valley at this elevation at about 20 mph making it imperative that you keep a steady foot. My buddy took my picture as I stepped out onto the crag for a uninterrupted look at the view.

 

[mrchick]

Beautiful spot.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I can't do heights. I got vertigo just looking at that. I would have to have prehensile feet to walk out there.

 

[Kitgun]

Beautiful spot precarious perch.

 

[Truckman]

I can't do heights. I got vertigo just looking at that. I would have to have prehensile feet to walk out there.

I'm with you...As a much younger man, I had no problem dancing around on top of F-4 and F-105 fighter wings when servicing the weapons systems before flight...Nowadays I get queasy stepping off a curb to cross the street......Ben

 

[JET4]

Beautiful picture, thanks for sharing

 

[Puller]

Awesome shot. I have seen pictures of that spot in tourist publications for Arkansas but didn't know it had a name.

 

[ACORN]

The picture of you standing on it puckers my sphincter.
Awesome view.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I can't do heights. I got vertigo just looking at that. I would have to have prehensile feet to walk out there.

Rusty, Thank you for saying this for me. I agree 100%

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[lawandorder]

What is really bad Arkansas Tourism ads sometimes showed a tent out on the rock. Yeah right.

 

[islamoradamark]

Thats a nice day out

 

[SS336]

What a beautiful spot. The view looks pretty spectacular.
I think I might have crawled out there on my hands and knees.
The picture would have been something I would share.

 

[somorris]

Thanks for sharing your pictures, Faulkner. Great shots!

 

[ladder13]

Blowing Rock, in yep, Blowing Rock NC looks like a pebble next to that. The views, however, are just spectacular.

 

[Faulkner]

What a beautiful spot. The view looks pretty spectacular.
I think I might have crawled out there on my hands and knees.
The picture would have been something I would share.

It wouldn't have been all that bad had the wind not been blowing so hard. Unbeknownst to us, these were the lead winds to the storm that formed in the area that generated the deadly super-cell that moved across Arkansas, Kentucky, and Illinois later that evening. Regardless, the obligatory government warning sign was posted at the trail head.

My buddy thought the perch from where we took the pictures was more precarious than being out on the crag itself since it was on the very edge of the cliff face . . . I took his picture with my iPhone from the crag while he was using my camera.

 

[snubbyfan]

Sounds and looks like a nice hike. I'd love to step out on that crag and see the view.
There's lotsa good hiking out here in the mountains of West Virginia. Some of the trails follow ridge lines but nothing as nice as that. Well, that we've found yet anyway.

 

[ladder13]

This is in Grandfather Mountain NC, across the way from Blowing Rock.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...gh_ridge.htm&usg=AOvVaw3ggIzkqZb9P2ORC4X2zbOV

 

[TripLeader]

That area around Ponca, AR is perfect for exploring. Floating down the Buffalo River is hard to beat.

 

[woodsltc]

That area around Ponca, AR is perfect for exploring. Floating down the Buffalo River is hard to beat.

Years ago when the wife and I lived in Memphis we would canoe/camp on the Buffalo National River......our favorite section in early spring was the Ponca to Pruitt run. (FJB)

Don

 

[Faulkner]

That area around Ponca, AR is perfect for exploring. Floating down the Buffalo River is hard to beat.

Years ago when the wife and I lived in Memphis we would canoe/camp on the Buffalo National River......our favorite section in early spring was the Ponca to Pruitt run. (FJB)
Don

No doubt the Buffalo National River runs through some of the prettiest country in America, and Boxley Valley is one of my favorite places.

I've floated the Buffalo from Ponca all the way to where it empties into the White River, but I think the stretch from the Ponca low water bridge to Hwy 7 is the best and most scenic.

Here's a picture from a recent float that's not too far downstream from Ponca.