Devils Den State Park

[Smorkle]

UPDATED 7/16/2012 with printable tank maps and dowloadable file for your GPS!

People were suggesting that I have a "destination" ride and this last weekend I visited Devil's Den State Park and thought better of my original long Thursday ride. This is a MUCH more scenic ride than my original route and a tad shorter. The entire route, as marked, is 185 miles. Taking the short cut at Hwy 12 makes it about 165-170 miles.

Link to Google map

Thanks to Rowdyc, we also have:
Link for Cell Phones with Google Maps

Link to printable tank map, northern section
Link to printable tank map, southern section

Want to dowload a file for your GPS?
NOTE: Right-click on the link below, and save the file on your computer. Then you can download it to your GPS!
Right-click on this link, then save is as "STO Devils Den.GPX": Link to .GPX file for your GPS
NOTE: Windows will want to name this as ".KML" file, which will not work properly. Name it manually with a ".GPX" file ending.

Park Website

Leaving the state park there are 8 switchbacks and some incredibly beautiful scenery. There is a restaurant and a gift shop on the grounds and dozens of places to hike and or stop and look off. There are a series of caves in the park but, unfortunately, they are currently closed to the public because of "White Nose Syndrome" that is plaguing the bat population.


Here is a picture of a waterfall that is on a 1.5 mile hiking trail in Devils Den state park.



Here is a link to War Eagle Mill

The route will take us across this 100 year old bridge at War Eagle:



The bridge is one lane with two planks across making the tire path. I had no trouble crossing it with my scooter. Trikes should be fine but they will likely have to straddle the regular driving path but should be fine.

This is one very scenic and interesting ride. Lots to see and do.
Here is a link to pictures I took while I was pre-riding the route:

s496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/Smorkle1/STO%202012/?albumview=slideshow

The lunch place is Grandma's Kitchen. It is a buffet on US hwy 71 about 3 miles south of the intersection of AR 74. They have EXCELLENT food and the buffet comes with several different types of home made pie! They had wonderful fried chicken and an assortment of fine things guaranteed to make your mouth water. This will be after the state park so we can work up an appetite!

[Smorkle]

Here is the Devils Den ride cheat sheet. Starting from Comfort Inn:
Follow each road until you get to the next road. Mileages are not given between points. Make sure you study the map and become familiar with the road.


2012 STO Devils Den State Park Cheat Sheet
South on AR 23
Right (West) on AR 12 (Gas)
Left (South) on AR 45
(45 crosses 412 and is marked 412 B)
(Gas before Hindsville)
Follow 45 Thru Hindsville
Left (South) on AR 295
Right (West) on AR 74
Right (West) on AR 16 (Gas)
Left (South) on US 71B
Right (West) on AR 170
(Gas in West Fork Last gas for 40ish miles)
(See Scenic Riverside Park on left
Has PortaPotties )
Follow AR 170W to Devils Den State Park
(Enjoy Park- Hike or see Dam. Visitors
Center and gift shop open)
Left (East) on AR 74
(Be carful on switchbacks)
Right (South) on US 71
(3 miles south of Winslow is Grandma's
Kitchen on left - Lunch Buffet & drink
is $10.99 CASH ONLY- no Credit/Debit)
Right (North) on US 71
Right (East) on AR 74
(Becomes CR 43 Whitehouse Rd)
Right (East) on CR 57
Left (West) on AR 16
Right (East) on AR 74 (Gas)
Left (North) on CR 302 (Hummingbird Rd)
(Road chip & sealed in March-Kinda Rough)
(Road looks like following the road to the left
would stay on 302 but that becomes 301)
Right (East) on CR 50 (Lake Sequoiah Rd)
Follow pavement becomes CR 303
Right (North) on CR 48 (Wyman Rd)
Right (East) on AR 45
Left (North) on AR 303
Right (East) on US 412 (1 mile)
Left (North) on AR 303
(Turns into High Sky Rd)
Follow pavement to War Eagle
(Watch Wood Planks on Bridge)
(Visit War Eagle Mill & Gift Shop)
Follow War Eagle Rd (North)
(Follow left fork)
At Jct AR 12 either long or short way as follows.

LONG WAY:
Left (West) on AR 12 (Gas on 12)
Right (North) on US 62 East (N 2nd Street)
Right at stoplight in Avoca on Woods Lodge Road (CR 74)
Right on Guyll Ridge Road (CR 74)
Left on Coose Hollow Road (CR 74)
(Becomes Posey Mountain Road)
Left on Posey Mountain Drive
Left at Stop Sign on Ventris Road (CR 99)
Left at stop sign on AR 127
Right on US 62 East
Follow 62 (East) To Eureka Springs

Short Cut:
Right (East) on AR 12
Left (North) on AR 127
Straight (East) on AR 12
Left (North) on AR 23 (Gas)
Follow 23 back to Eureka Springs

[Ed]

Looks good to me. The mill also has good beans and cornbread.

[dacooks (Tim)]

Nice route, Roy! Grandma's is a great place to eat. I have been surprised by their being closed a few times when they were supposed to be open! I'm sure you'll call them to give them a "heads up" on our big group trickling in. For people heading south after the Rally, I highly suggest stopping for their Sunday brunch too!

[Smorkle]

I got a business card for just that purpose! They're only open Thur, fri, sat and sun so I bet they don't have a large crowd on Thursdays anyhow. Giving them a heads up to know that there will be an extra 60 people for lunch than they usually have seems important.

[Smorkle]

Devil's Den State Park (Long Guided Ride) is ready to go. I suggest everyone print out a map and bring it with them. Print out the turn by turn directions and bring them with you as well.

[rowdyc]

This link will work better on cell phones with Google Maps. It is just the lines and not written directions but you can see where you're located in relations to the route of the ride.

maps.google.com/maps/ms?ll=36.082402,-94.067688&spn=1.092088,2.705383&t=m&z=9&vpsrc=6&msa=0&msid=214682569460985445922.0004c8aa81e6801e93c7f

[dacooks (Tim)]

Sept 2, 2012 8:35:48 GMT -6 rowdyc said:

This link will work better on cell phones with Google Maps. It is just the lines and not written directions but you can see where you're located in relations to the route of the ride.

maps.google.com/maps/ms?ll=36.082402,-94.067688&spn=1.092088,2.705383&t=m&z=9&vpsrc=6&msa=0&msid=214682569460985445922.0004c8aa81e6801e93c7f

NICE! I added it to the main link with the maps. You'll have to show me how to do that!

[Smorkle]

Please note: if you have already printed out the ride "cheat sheet" there was a typo on it. In the long portion of the run you turn off of Ventris road left on to AR 127. I had marked it as 27. You might want to pencil this correction in.