A Country Tour in Saline County
by Lin Stone
In Little Rock, Colonel Glenn Road leads west off of I-430 There is a classy Burger King when you come off the freeway. It is part of a large FINA station. Everything inside the station is immaculate and the convenience store part of it is well-stocked. There was no soap in the bathrooms, but they were spotless.
At first you're in a high class neighborhood. Then you leave the inhibitions of town behind and discover the extremes of human inclinations with a preponderance of trash-filled yards occasionally alternating with studiously clean properties. A few miles out you reach an area that the well-to-do have claimed as their own.
Beyond that you finally reach the COUNTRY.
This is defined as an area settled by those who have carved out niches that appeal to them for one reason or another. The people here have elected to be in the country and found their home with the singular views and environment that sustain their love of COUNTRY. From this point on you may be on a road that is technically a part of the Little Rock Metro, but actually you are taking a tour in the country.
The median annual income for a family is $48,717 in Saline county. The population is 95.27% white and those claiming to be native Americans constitute less than 1%. 14% of Saline County residents claim German ancestry, and 14% admit they are Irish.
After this point Colonel Glenn is not a well-traveled road. Be sure to take water with you, and food. Except for the road itself you may not see a sign of civilization for several hours. Depending on the time of year you should be watching for cardinals, blue jays, robins and meadow larks. Hawks are in abundance as are vultures. Even in broad daylight I saw two large owls. I also startled several deer along the way.
At first there are enough pine trees in the area to keep the eye dancing on spots of green. Oak trees predominate with sweetgum coming in second among the hardwoods. Most of the trees are less than twenty feet tall and spaced out as if it had been hard for them to find an initial place to root. There are no large farms in this area and even homes are few and spread out.
Virtually every one of the homes has a NO TRESPASSING sign up to secure their privacy. Several homes had people out in their yards and I stopped to see a few of them. The people I did stop to see were initially suspicious of anyone ignoring their sign. But almost immediately they turned into loquacious hosts when I explained I was a writer on a peaceful mission and began asking what kind of animals were pests in this area.
Armadillo are becoming a problem. Deer don't know they are wild. Skunks think they are pets. Wildcats and coyotes think they own every chicken on earth.
But this is a great area to live in if you like seclusion. "Nobody bothers you," a second glance of suspicion, "ahem." And satellite TV keeps them connected with the rest of the world.
The farther you go the fewer homes you see and the shorter the trees are until finally you're in a desolate brush country. At this point CONGO FERNDALE cuts across Colonel Glenn Rd. If you have decided seclusion is not for you then turning left will lead you to the booming town of Benton. I-30 now runs through Benton with your choices of Little Rock or Texarkana in either direction.
Turning to the right on Congo Ferndale will lead you to the town of Ferndale, and then eventually to Highway 10 near Pinnacle Mountain. This too is a remarkably beautiful stretch of road. Given any kind of chance at all, COUNTRY vegetation will overrun civilization in a few years here, removing all trace of humanity. Highway 10 from Little Rock to the Oklahoma border is one of the most scenic highways (for country lovers) in the state of Arkansas.
If you haven't run out on me we are still heading roughly west on Colonel Glenn Rd. The key word there is roughly. You come almost immediately to a "Y" with the right arm being named RUSHING ROAD. It looks more interesting and invites us deeper into the countryside. The road is getting rougher, homes fewer and wild animals much braver. By the same token, there is much more to appreciate. An outcropping of crystal runs for miles through here. Some of the loose crystal rocks are really boulders. Others are small enough to get into your car, if you know what I mean. Then there are millions of various pocket-sized rocks crying out for a new home.
The oak, sweetgum and hickory trees are shorter than ever, almost shrubs. Brush is thick, deer more populous. Hawks are skirling overhead. We may have seen an eagle but it got behind some trees before we could identify it for sure. Buzzards seem to thrive in the area.
Miles later Rushing Road turns sharply to the left. The road going straight ahead looks more inviting, more interesting. Looks are deceiving. The countryside quickly turns rugged and the brush thickens. Signs of wildlife loom on every side with deer frequent and almost undisturbed by the passage of our car.
Unfortunately this is not an area to get out and walk over so one can experience nature first hand. The terrain itself welcomes your attempt, but first on the right, then on the left, big signs have appeared to warn the whole world this part of the country is reserved for members of The Muleshoe Hunting Club.
There aren't any signs indicating the road itself belongs to the club so we keep on, admiring that which is reserved for wealthier eyes than our own. The gravel forming the road bed at this point gets even rougher and more treacherous for holding on curves and crests. A bumper-deep stream crosses the road and causes some hesitation and a lively question and answer session with my partner. This is a city car we are in and we haven't seen a living soul for many miles. Do we wish to continue? Obstinately, we continue.
As soon as we get into the water it is obvious we should have been more hesitant. This stream bed does not consist of good sand, the kind that is firm and will pack down to hold you up. No, it separates and sucks you in, giving little traction. If you too find curiosity irresistible let me tell you that the road beyond is blocked off less than a mile farther. Not only that, but you are at the bottom of Schoolhouse Mountain (with Pilot Knob on your right) and will soon be proceeding on foot anyway if you wish to continue.
So, stop HERE, before you cross the stream.
Turn around and head back down the trail.
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* Click HERE for some great books about Arkansas *
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