Seventeen TrailBlazers under the command of Buffalo Bob headed for Petit Jean to tackle the 7-mile loop starting from the lodge. Of course, our crack forecasters had been warning us of an imminent winter blast with possible snow, but we were pleasantly surprised by the great hiking conditions. When we arriving at the lodge parking lot, it was a tad chilly at 37 degrees but we quickly warmed up as we started trekking in sunlight. 

We walked along the bluff, dutifully went to the outlook to view the non-existent falls in the distance, and then started our rocky descent to the creek and crossed the bridge. Right now the Natural State theme song ought to be: “How dry I am.” Before long we reached Rock House Cave and once again searched for art as we have fruitlessly done on several occasions. Imagine our surprise to actually find some, and the more we looked, the more we found. Of course, the interpretation is in the eye of the beholder. 

We crossed the turtle rocks and then did a little exploring among the rocks and boulders along the trail. This time we did the hike in reverse of last year’s route, and it was a good thing because this time we hiked down that never-ending road, not up. Finally we reached the creek and had our lunch before heading back to the falls area to make the final assault back to the lodge. The trail is steep with lots of rough-hewn rock steps, but mercifully it isn’t very long. The lodge is closed and will be for some time due to renovations. 

It was a very enjoyable hike with the added benefit of great weather. Check out Buffalo Bob’s new camera – with the zoom lens attached, the lens reaches its destination 15 minutes before the rest of the camera - like Cyrano de Bergerac’s nose!