Exploring Arkansas

Join Chuck Dovish as he begins the new year admiring a 15 year-old who plays and makes fiddles, visiting an African-American schoolhouse from the early 1900's, enjoying a scenic drive through fall foliage, biking some off-road trails, and eating incredible food.

The latest addition to Arkansas' system of Natural Areas is Rattlesnake Ridge west of Little Rock. It happens to be the eastern-most point of the Western Diamondback rattlesnake. The only remaining free-standing art deco Greyhound Bus depot, from the days of "&hellipsleave the driving to us" is now a museum in Blytheville. North America's largest waterfowl is the Trumpeter Swan. More than a hundred migrate to Heber Springs every year for their winter vacation home. The art of blacksmithing is alive and well in Mountain View, where Stone County Ironworks creates heirloom pieces inside "America's Blacksmith Shop."

Arkansas's version of "Jurassic Park" is at Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs. Called "DinoTrek" it's the state's only permanent outdoor dinosaur exhibit. "Tilting Rock" as the locals call it, overlooks Big Creek valley near Cozahome. The 14-ton slab of rock really does tilt back and forth when you walk on it. Blowing Cave near Batesville has a sci-fi history dating back to the 1940's and 50's involving a secret subterranean culture. Banjo builder Randall Wyatt of Searcy has made 'em for some of Nashville's best, and he can play a mean banjo himself as well. They're not always there every year, but when they do arrive to winter on Lake Conway, the white pelicans make for quite a photographic treat.

Madison County Wildlife Management Area south of Eureka Springs has several really impressive waterfalls. A couple of them are featured in this segment – Road 299 Falls and Glory B Falls. The 1886 Concord one room schoolhouse east of Eureka Springs is but a handful of such structures still standing in the state. The Newton House Museum in El Dorado happens to be the only antebellum home in that town that's open to the public. Searcy is the recent winner of a national small business revolution competition that involved literally thousands of entries. Segment looks into what exactly makes the town so successful.

Originally built during the old WPA days under President Roosevelt, Lake Atalanta in Rogers is undergoing a revitalization with a whole new generation enjoying its waters. Snake World just outside of Berryville is one man's creation with about eighty venomous and non-venomous snakes – that's much more than at the Little Rock Zoo! Dardanelle Rock and Council Oaks are two historic landmarks along the Arkansas River. One is a lookout point and Natural Area, and the other is where a treaty was signed under two towering oak trees, in which the Cherokees gave up their lands south of the Arkansas River. The ATV trails in Fairfield Bay provide high adventure, and lead to some scenic waterfalls.