Arkansas: How We Found a Helpful Ranger at Lake Ouachita by Getting Lost
Hiking to the end of the Caddo Bend Trail at Lake Ouachita State Park rewards you with an astonishing view of the lake. SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE A GALLERY OF PHOTOS!
We’ll never forget Lake Ouachita State Park in Arkansas, not because of its amazing beauty but due to it being the setting of a simple 4-mile hike that turned into a frightening adventure. It became the second time when a park ranger had to rescue us (technically that is “rescue Doug”). We won’t share the first story with you because it happened at South Mountain in North Carolina and is a much too long of a story to tell. Instead, this journal will focus on our episode of “Lost” that took place near the scenic shores of Lake Ouachita.
There are always two sides to every story. We’ll start with Linda’s version of what happened.
LINDA’S TAKEAWAY
Linda: Lake Ouachita is a pretty, big state park with lots to do. I enjoyed watching visitors fishing, boating and camping. The park also offers a 4-mile hiking trail. As always, Doug and I go hiking at any park we visit if there’s a trail. After about a mile of walking on the trail with the shoreline on our left, Doug said he wanted to go down the hill to take photos of the beautiful lake. He asked me to go with him, but I said no because it looked like an easy place to slip and fall. I told Doug I would wait for him on the trail.
I quickly forgot to stay put and started walking, not taking note of which direction I was headed. I walked searching and praying I would spot a deer that wouldn’t run away when I saw it. After not seeing a deer, I turned to go back to where I thought I had started. As I walked, the path looked the same straight ahead as it did when I turned around. I kept walking back and forth. Then I called Doug’s name out loud, but I didn’t get a response. Fortunately, I carry my smart phone with me on hikes in case of an emergency. It was time to dial ICE—Doug. I called and texted many times, with no connection being made.
Linda discovers that it isn’t always easy to stay on the right path or go in the right direction when hiking.
A few minutes later Doug called me. The connection was bad, but I heard the following words before the call ended: “As you walk, you need to see the lake on your right.” I immediately started walking, glancing at the water on my right. I saw signs that indicated I was on the right path. But I quickly stopped walking when I spotted a small deer less than 20 feet away. I started taking pictures. The deer never moved. She appeared to be looking straight into my eyes. A blessing in disguise. If I hadn’t gotten lost, l wouldn’t have seen this deer waiting for me!
I returned to the walking path and made it back to our car safely. I then called Doug, no answer. My “smart phone” was still useless. A park ranger drove past and then stopped after noticing the concern on my face. I told him I had lost my husband in the forest. The ranger began a search and found Doug. He told him where I was waiting. I’m grateful to the state park’s caring, committed ranger who quickly recognized that I was a visitor needing help and located my missing husband.
Doug hikes to the end of the Caddo Bend Trail and back while searching for Linda. A ranger “rescued” him.
DOUG’S ACCOUNT
Here’s how “Lost” at Lake Ouachita took place from Doug’s point of view.
Doug: During our hike on the Caddo Bend Trail near the shore of Lake Ouachita, I saw a scenic beach about 20 yards off the trail. It seemed like the perfect place to get closeup shots of the lake and shoreline. I told Linda that I wanted to briefly leave the trail for better photos, but the steepness of the hillside worried her. She preferred to wait for me on the trail. I promised to make it quick and headed downhill to the shore.
Doug shot this photo about the time Linda moved on from her waiting spot on the Caddo Bend Trail.
After about 10 minutes of shooting photos, I received a phone call from Linda. The connection was choppy, but I heard enough to learn that she had continued walking instead of waiting on the trail. Her tone was urgent because she had become confused about which direction she should be heading. I advised her to stop and let me catch up.
I hurried back up the hill and got on the trail, heading in the direction we had been going. Linda had given me the impression that she had continued forward instead of reversing our course. I picked up my pace to attempt to close the gap and hoped that Linda had heard me tell her to stop. I worried that she would take one of the side trails and finding her would be difficult if she kept moving.
Doug sees this view when searching for Linda—an empty trail winding through tall trees.
You might think catching up with Linda would be easy. Here’s the challenge. She used to be a champion racewalker and can still set a blistering pace when motivated. I assumed that’s what was going on as more than five minutes had passed and there was still no sign of her on the trail. This trail, though, made it impossible to see more than 10 to 20 yards ahead at any time because it winds through a forest and goes up and down hills. I kept going and started to shout Linda’s name, but there was no reply. I continued moving forward faster and faster, yet still hadn’t spotted Linda. And there were no other hikers on the trail that day to tell me if someone had seen her.
I phoned Linda again and we briefly connected—barely enough to pick up a few words. She had continued walking but didn’t know where she was. I asked her to return to the car and promised to meet her there. To find it, I recommended staying on the main trail with the water always to her right. The last thing I heard from Linda was that she had reached the end of the trail and could hear children playing. Wow! I thought. How could she have reached the end of the peninsula already? That’s where the trail turns and goes back to the marina and campground area where we had parked our car.
Doug stood alone at the end of the trail where he thought Linda might be waiting for him.
A new worry crept into my mind. If she had turned the corner at the end of the peninsula, then she would be moving from its southside to the northside. My instructions to keep the water to her right would no longer be the best way to get back to the car. I called Linda and left a message that she should be hiking with the sun at her back because our car was straight east of the trail. Later, I learned that she didn’t have access to voicemail and didn’t get my new advice.
At my accelerated pace, I soon reached the end of the peninsula and was disappointed to not find Linda waiting there. I also realized that she had never come to this point because it was void of humans except myself and a boater far away from the shore. Linda had told me that she heard children playing at the end of the trail. That clue now made it clear to me that she had returned to the marina and campground instead of continuing forward as planned. While there, I shot a few photos for the travel journal and then took the fastest path back to the car—a dirt road that ran down the middle of the peninsula.
Doug runs on this dirt road to return to the parking area to find Linda.
The road’s relatively smooth surface allowed me to run part of the way, so I made the 2-mile return trip in about 20 minutes. As I came off the trail and started down the paved road to the where our car was parked, I noticed a park ranger driving toward me in a truck. He slowed down and studied me closely. I smiled and waved, anticipating the outcome of this encounter. He had come to rescue me. I verified that I was the missing hiker, thanked him for looking for me and finished my walk to the car. Fortunately, Linda and I were able to laugh about the experience—the second time she enlisted a park ranger to find her “lost” husband.
P.S. In case you’re wondering, Arla was safe with me through this entire episode of “Lost.”
Arla plays it safe by sticking with Doug throughout this entire episode of “Lost.”
Doug and Linda celebrate the end of their “Lost” episode with a delicious dinner at The Shack.
ARLA’S TRAVEL TIP
Stay together when hiking, especially on a trail where you’re the only hikers. Don’t split up.
If you get lost but then are found, celebrate! That’s what we did by going to The Shack, a casual dining restaurant on scenic Highway 7. We had delicious food that included catfish po-boys and fried pies (apple and pecan). We also enjoyed the friendly service and wish The Shack wasn’t so far from home. If visiting Lake Ouachita, include it in your dining choices. The restaurant is easy to find at 7901 N. State Highway 7 in Jessieville.
GEE WHIZ FACTS
According to National Park Service statistics, more than 46,000 hikers get lost each year and require search and rescue efforts.
About 42 percent of the “lost” are day hikers. Overnight backpackers at 18 percent comprise the next largest category.
ARLA’S SHOCKING MOMENT
Arla: Before the shocking moment of losing Linda, I encountered a sign near the Lake Ouachita marina that warned swimming wasn’t allowed within 50 feet because of an electric shock hazard risk. I assumed that the shock was due to electrical equipment being used at the marina, not the presence of electric eels or some other natural phenomena. Still, the sign made me wonder if somebody could get shocked here!
With all the little kids running around the park, I felt the urge to stand on the beach and yell, “Get out of the water!” Fortunately, Linda talked me out of the idea, and we went on our “safe” hike on the Caddo Bend Trail. Somebody should have warned us to skip the hike and take a calm, relaxing boat ride instead.
Arla encounters her most shocking moment yet—a warning about the electrical hazard in the water near the Lake Ouachita marina.
CABINS AND CAMPING
The park has four three-bedroom cabins that sleep up to 10 people and four two-bedroom cabins that sleep up to six. The cabins sit under trees in an area overlooking the lake.
Scattered along the shores of Lake Ouachita are 93 campsites, with the majority having electricity, water hydrants with sewer hookups, and a table and grill. Bathhouses with hot showers are near all the sites, and the park has a sanitary dump station.
