My Arkansas trail friends probably know exactly where I was when I took this photo. It’s a special place in the Ozarks and one I’ve visited many times. Today was overcast with a slight drizzle and cold…perfect trail conditions when hiking Spirits Creek!

After rock-hopping across Spirits Creek I walked downstream to the established campsite where I’ve camped many times. While spending a few minutes out on the creek I thought about previous trips to this spot and time spent there with friends.

The drizzling rain increased making me nervous about getting my camera wet. I placed a plastic bag over it and hiked back upstream to the crossing where I enjoyed remembering a morning in 2014 when the swollen creek was verging on dangerous. No worries today but there was still enough water for the creek to be beautiful and create ribbon falls from the nearby bluffs.

Before heading up and out of the valley back to Ragtown trailhead, I spent some time with one of my favorite waterfalls a short distance upstream from the V-shaped cascade cover photo for this post.

The climb from Spirits Creek wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated. I credit the views I continued to think about for making the hike up and out easier. As I got close to the end, I nodded toward the valley and said a soft, “Thank you” for the beauty that I was able to enjoy this day.