Indian creek/eye of the Needle?

In the Buffalo area. I just looked at a few accounts online and ain't feelin no more edumacated than when I started.

Does one start this trail at Kyle's? Any info online? Some friends told me while not a "walk in the park" it is not that hard. We have this on the list for cooler weather time and I am just trying to get the idea. Any one wanna show us?

Clif this trail is started at Kyles. Just go like your doing the BRT backwards and headed to Steel Creek. I believe there is a sign there at the turn off. Just a FYI if you have the time its worth the climb to go up the hill to Slatty place. There is a wonderful overlook up there. I don't think it actually overlooks the part of Indian Creek that you go up but still a worthy lookout. You can come in from off 74 but there is a land owner up there that sometimes puts a cable up and tries to keep everyone out. The rangers come around and take the cable down and I have heard of a few heated arguments between hikers and the land owner. But it is possible to go in that way. But having said that you do need to know where it is and I am not 100% sure myself. I mean I know basically where it is and how to get to it but doubt I could give well enough directions. Besides come in from Kyles and feel more like you have earned the hike right . Have fun and be careful. 90% of all rescues on the Buffy takes place on the Indian Creek. Expect a non technical scamper.

One of the guys on our float trip Sat said he had approached from the top earlier this year. Ice debris was bad. He also said it is easy to get out of the creek going down and to get back you have to double back or do some serious drops.

After seeing Ozark rocks, trees, creeks, waterfalls, caves, etc... all my life, I can pretty much visualize what they look like and don't go to a lot of trouble to see others.

knowhutyamean... feel the same way about swamps. The hills, however....

Yeah Cilf thats what I kind of remember of doing it to. Been many years but it was rough even back then. Though from what I am told they will not allow you in the cave anymore and from the top is the only way in to the upper end beyond the cave. Some kind of endangered bat or something so they closed the tunnel off. Don't know if its sealed or a sign or what, thats just what I have been told. Hey we need to get together here in a few weeks to do a overnight on the buffy...

Hey, don't be openly making plans if you're not planning on inviting

hahaha.. I need to check my sched... to many backpacking and hiking trips to run right now. I am almost booked solid until Feb... lol. Poor me huh.

That's a nice problem to have.

Seriously though, I'm always looking for a chance to get out of "The Rock", and that usually means I end up going by myself. I came down here for school and still haven't met any friends who backpack. Lots of folks tell me they'd love to come, but they always end up backing out with some lame excuse when I offer the trip.

That's the long way of saying that if you are ever in the area and have a hole to fill, I'm always looking for an outing! I'm compact, I use a hammock, and I don't whine too much.

Well..phhht.. the tunnel/cave was part of the attraction??

As far as a Buffy trip... let me know a date.. and I will probly be busy!!

Hahaha Clif. Yeah thats the prob I usually have. east don't feel bad. I run a group here that has 239 members. When we hold a local hike I am LUCKY if I can get 8 people to show up lol. So I know the feeling. I am starting up a backpacking group though. Everyone is invited. If you go to www.meetup.com and sign up (its free) then look for the Southern Backpacker group, thats us. Or go here http://www.meetup.com/Southern-Backpacker/

east_stingray wrote:That's a nice problem to have.

Seriously though, I'm always looking for a chance to get out of "The Rock", and that usually means I end up going by myself. I came down here for school and still haven't met any friends who backpack. Lots of folks tell me they'd love to come, but they always end up backing out with some lame excuse when I offer the trip.

That's the long way of saying that if you are ever in the area and have a hole to fill, I'm always looking for an outing! I'm compact, I use a hammock, and I don't whine too much.

I here you there. I actually like going alone over going with other dudes, but there are a few times I would enjoy some company.

We should have a hammock meetup at the Buffalo sometime before Spring, and see if anyone shows. I might be able to get my local hammockers to venture down, if they don't come up with a lame excuse.

Ah yes the Lame excuses.. I know them by heart... hahaha. I too prefer the lone system but I was placed in charge of this group so I have to keep it going.. no one else will. We will be up on the Buffy in a few weeks.. We will do the ORHT though not the BRT, for a quick overnight then back.

I've followed the ORHT at times, but I usually end up picking the same weekend as all the horses. I much prefer mud to... horse mud.

Coldspring, make sure and let me know ANYTIME you're going to be in the Buffalo area and I'll be there if I can. I can only do weekends as I'm rounding at the hospital most weekdays, and even then my weekends depend on what rotation I'm on at the time. I should have all weekends free until after Christmas.

I don't mind going by myself, but my family gets worried every time I do. I just don't have the money to spend on a SPOT system right now, and a hiking buddy is better company anyway.

Indian Creek is one of my favorites. I think I posted a few pics on here somewhere. The tunnel cave is no big deal so you're not missing much. I went through there back when it was open half the year. No formations to speak of. The other way around is much more interesting but it's a 3rd class scramble with exposure.

The water was really flowing down Indian creek last Friday.

I love the Indian Creek Trail and the cave at the top of the Depression is pretty neat. Just make sure that you follow the trail, other wise you are lost

Has anyone else had any trouble finding the trail up and over the bluff? I wrote to preacha man briefly about it, but to be honest...I still don't feel confident that i could find it. I looked everywhere for a trail once i got to Arkansas cave. I finally made it up and over, but it was very treacherous. I don't think it was the correct way to go. If anyone can give a fairly detailed description of the best way to get to the "eye" i would appreciate it. Like i said, I looked all over for a 4' tall hole to go thru, but could find none.

Just upstream from Arkansas Cave the little canyon is blocked (by another waterall) and you cannot go any farther upstream in the bottom. When looking upstream, you climb up a small bluff to the RIGHT - this is on the opposite side form Arkansas Cave. There is often a small rope there to help pull yourself up - if not it is a touch reach. You simply climb straight up from this spot and that will lead you up into a hollowed out part of the bluff above. When you reach the top of this there is a narrow ledge on the upstream end that will lead you back out towards the creek - at the very end of that ledge is the 4' hole you spoke of. Crawl through this hole on your hands and knees and it will give you access upstream. Then simply get back down on the creek and go upstream - you will soon come to the base of the Eye - again you will not be able to go any farther and you will know you are there! In order to proceed beyond this point you need to cross the creek (back over to the Arkansas Cave side) and climb up and around the Eye. It is all pretty tough scrambling in this area but quite scenic...

By the way, there is no official "trail" in this area at all.

Cloud,

Thanks for this description, it is a lot better than I described it. When the leaves are on the ground, like they are now, it is even harder to see this "unofficial" trail, so be very careful!!!

I think a group of us need to get together and do this trail TOGETHER this Spring. And if one of us has a really nice GPS (Trail Monkey ) then we could map it out and post the map here

This is great stuff, guys. I appreciate it.

Just please be careful up in there. 90% of all rescues on the Buffy is in the Indian Creek area. This is per the park.

I finally got to hike indian creek a couple weeks ago. I didn't even make it to the cave this time, but it was still worth the trip. Here are some pics.

Tye

How far did you go and how safe was it. The stats have really scared me away but would love to see some of it. It is a 59 thing.

Hey Dfield,

I was about a tenth of a mile from the cave when I turned around. The water was too high to continue down below without wading waist deep. I tried climbing up and going around, but decided it would be better to try again when the water was lower. There was one ledge that we crossed that was pretty narrow and slippery with a 20 ft or so drop if you took a wrong step. This is the only time I've ever been so I couldn't tell you what to expect beyond there. I would recommend that you give it a try. You could just turn around whenever you saw something ahead that you were uncomfortable with. I just noticed it cut half my pics off the screen....must have uploaded wrong.