I had work to do on this trip, so this wasn't exactly a vacation. But one of the nice things about traveling for work is finding a little time around the edges to see what's nearby.
This time, that meant a few days around Cotter, Mountain Home, Yellville, and the Buffalo National River in north central Arkansas. I managed to squeeze in some fishing, wade Crooked Creek, explore Tyler Bend, eat some good local food, sample a few Arkansas beers, and generally wander around a part of the state that is pretty easy to like.
A Quick Stop at Tyler Bend on the Buffalo National River
One of my first stops was Tyler Bend on the Buffalo National River. I didn't have any grand plans. I had a little extra time, my fishing gear was with me, and the Buffalo River was right there. That was enough. The water was a little low, but the area was still beautiful. I spent about an hour throwing a lure and hoping something would bite. Nothing did. Eventually, I gave up on the fish and started trying to skip rocks across the river. I wasn't particularly successful at that either.
So, for the record, my visit to Tyler Bend produced no fish and no impressive displays of rock-skipping ability. Still, it was a pretty damn good way to spend an hour. That's one of the things I like about places like the Buffalo National River. Every stop doesn't have to become an adventure. Sometimes you can pull over, walk down to the water, fish for a while, screw around skipping rocks, enjoy the scenery, and then get back on the road.
Staying in Cotter, Arkansas
For this trip, I stayed in Cotter, Arkansas, in the Cotter Historic River District. Cotter is a small town along the White River, and I liked it almost immediately. It was quiet, easy to get around, and made a good home base for exploring this part of northern Arkansas. I stayed at the Cotter Trout Lodge. My review is pretty simple: it was clean, comfortable, and uncomplicated. I like uncomplicated.
I don't need a hotel to be part of the entertainment when I'm traveling somewhere to actually spend time outside. Give me a comfortable bed, a clean room, and a good location, and I'm pretty happy. Cotter Trout Lodge checked those boxes for me, and being in the Historic River District put me in a good spot for the rest of my wandering.
Smallmouth Fishing on Crooked Creek
The fishing got considerably better when I made it over to Crooked Creek, just south of Yellville, Arkansas. I still had work to do during the day, but once I finished, I grabbed my fishing gear and headed for the creek to see if I could find some smallmouth bass.
This turned into one of my favorite parts of the trip. I found a couple of good holes, waded out until the water was about belly-button deep, and started working through a few different lures. Eventually, I figured out what they wanted. No, I'm not telling you what it was.
Over about two hours, I probably caught a dozen fish. Most were smallmouth bass, although a few other random fish decided to join the party. Nothing was particularly large. It didn't matter. Standing in Crooked Creek catching smallmouth after smallmouth was exactly what I wanted to be doing. And once in a while, I even remembered to stop fishing and look around.
The Scenery Along Crooked Creek
Crooked Creek deserves some attention even if you never make a cast. The stretches I explored south of Yellville had clear water, rocky banks, shallow runs, deeper holes, and the wooded Ozark scenery that makes this part of Arkansas so enjoyable. I took quite a few pictures while I was out there. Some had fish in them. Some didn't need fish.
There is something about wade fishing that makes you experience a creek differently. You're standing in it. You feel the current, notice the rocks beneath your feet, and gradually work your way upstream or downstream looking for the next promising spot. Of course, you're also occasionally standing belly-button deep in water wondering whether your phone is as high above the waterline as you think it is.
It's all part of the experience.
Dinner and Beer at Rapp's Barren Brewing Company in Mountain Home
One evening took me over to Mountain Home, Arkansas, where I stopped at Rapp's Barren Brewing Company. I ordered the Buffalo chicken grilled cheese with fries. This was an excellent decision.
I also tried a flight of four beers, which naturally required me to rank them. My order was:
Arktoberfest
Lucky Dawg Lager
My Sweet Mountain Home
Twin Lakes Imperial Stout
Arktoberfest was easily my favorite, which makes complete sense given my usual beer preferences. Lucky Dawg Lager was a solid second. There was then some distance between those two and the others for me. But that's the point of getting a flight. You don't have to love everything. You get to try several beers, decide what works for you, and probably discover something you'd order again. For me, that was Arktoberfest.
The food was great, I enjoyed trying the beers, and Rapp's Barren was a good stop during my evening in Mountain Home.
BBQ at KT's Smokehouse in Gassville
The next night, I stopped at KT's Smokehouse in Gassville, Arkansas. I went with a pulled chicken sandwich and mac and cheese. Both were really good. But what I remember most about KT's wasn't actually the food. It was my server. I had never been there before and wasn't quite sure what I wanted. Instead of simply waiting for me to figure it out, she talked me through the menu, explained some of the options, and helped me decide what to order. She was friendly, patient, and genuinely helpful.
Good service can change the entire feel of a restaurant, particularly when you're traveling alone and walking into someplace you've never been. The food would have been enough for me to leave happy. The service made KT's someplace I'd gladly visit again.
A Few Days Around North Central Arkansas
None of this was particularly elaborate. I didn't catch a trophy smallmouth. I didn't land anything at Tyler Bend. I apparently still can't skip a rock worth a damn. I stayed in a simple motel. I ate BBQ and a Buffalo chicken grilled cheese. I drank a few local beers. I stood belly-button deep in Crooked Creek and caught a bunch of small fish. And I had a really good time.
That's probably what I liked most about exploring this part of north central Arkansas. Cotter, Yellville, Gassville, Mountain Home, Crooked Creek, the White River, and the Buffalo National River are all close enough together that you don't need an elaborate itinerary. There is plenty to do, but you can also just wander. Fish for an hour. Stop somewhere for dinner. Try a local beer. Drive down a road because there's a creek at the end of it. Take a few pictures. Spend a little longer somewhere than you intended.
Sometimes that's enough. And sometimes wasting a little time is the whole point.