A Day at Chickasaw National Recreation Area, 6/18/2019

Anxious to learn about Chickasaw Country, in general, and the Chickasaw National Recreational Area in particular, we began the day at the Chickasaw Visitor Center in Sulphur, OK. 

It is a large beautiful building with an information desk (very friendly and helpful staff), educational displays, gift shop, art by local Chickasaw artists, literature about the area, and more. At the entry is this wall sculpture by Paul Moore (Voyages, 2013). 

We both loved this painting, Bison Herd near Mt. Sheridan at Sunset, by L. Wayne Edgar ($4,500). The small gift shop had unique gifts. 

With a map of the Chickasaw NRA in hand, we drove to the nearby Travertine Nature Center. There, a ranger gave us information about hiking trails (dogs are not permitted east of the Nature Center). The Travertine Creek flows underneath a portion of the Nature Center.

Inside are exhibits about the geology, wildlife, and plant life in the park.

Travertine Creek Trail begins near the Nature Center and continues for 1.5 miles to Pavilion Springs. With multiple small waterfalls along this part of the creek, one of the most popular for swimming is Little Niagara. The water is, reportedly, very cold, but it was such a hot day that there were lots of folks taking a swim. 

Continuing on the trail we came to several more waterfalls. 

When we arrived at this waterfall, our doggie, Sadie, walked right out on the rocks and laid down in the water to cool off on this very hot day. 

The countryside here reminded us of North Carolina…which is not what I thought we would find in Oklahoma! A prickly pear, also seen along the trail, however, reminded us of Texas! This bee was very enamored with this bloom!

We arrived at Pavilion Springs where seven springs come together. It was once the center of the community of Sulphur and the center of the park. The water was believed to have healing powers. Various shelters were constructed over the springs in the past. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the permanent pavilion that is still here. 

We returned to the Nature Center along the Travertine Creek. There were many small streams that flowed into the creek along the trail. We saw lots of butterflies, but I only snapped a photo of this one. 

Returning to the car, we ate our picnic lunch while sitting in the air conditioning! Our next stop in the park was at the Bison Pasture Overlook. We were lucky enough to see several bison slowly moving across the prairie, including a couple of young ones. 

The herd here are descended from a group of 6 bison from the Wichita Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in western OK (1920). It is estimated that 50-75M bison roamed the prairies of the United States until settlers nearly wiped them out by the mid-1800s. In 1884 there were only 325 wild bison left in the US including 25 in Yellowstone National Park. Due to conservationism, today there are about 250,000 in private herds and 25,000 in public herds.  

Our last stop for the day was at Veterans Lake. A fishing pier is located near the parking area.

A concrete-paved, handicap-accessible trail encircles the lake (2.9 mi). We only walked along a portion of it, enjoying the views of the lake.

There are six campgrounds in the park (3 in the Historic Pratt District and 3 in the Lake of the Arbuckles area), although none have full hook-ups for RVs. Lake of the Arbuckles is very popular for boating and fishing. 

The Chickasaw NRA is a great place to cool off on a hot summer day. The area is a beautiful natural setting where you can enjoy time and activities outdoors. We enjoyed hiking along the well-maintained trails and learning about the history of the park. There is no admission fee. 

For additional information about the Chickasaw NRA, go to www.nps.gov/chic.

J&J RV Park and Storage, June 10 to 17, 2019

Rating:  4.0 on a scale of 5

Location: This RV park is only about 3 miles from Hot Springs National Park (which was the primary reason we traveled to this part of the country). But it was also a convenient location for other attractions (Garvan Woodland Gardens, Lake Ouachita State Park, etc.) It is a short distance from the Highway 70 and easy to find. 

Lot size: Our pull-through site even had some shade which was really nice (after the hot weather in Houston). We had plenty of room for the RV, tow dolly, and car with a picnic table provided. It is easy to maneuver through this park with the RV. 

Amenities: We spent very little time at the RV park, but they do have a room with a table, books, puzzles, etc., for guests to use near the restrooms and laundry room. The laundry room had only two washers and dryers, but they only cost $1/each and they were fine for our needs. 

A larger rec room is available for meetings and get togethers in the same building.  

Fishing in the pond or the creek are popular activities. There are numerous back-in sites that overlook the stream. It’s lovely.

The wifi was average, but I mostly used our Verizon hot spot for connectivity. 

Cost: $273/week; $39/night (with weekly rate)

Management: The hosts at this park were really very nice and helpful. The property is very well maintained as well. We would stay here again when visiting Hot Springs. 

General Comments: There is also a storage facility next to the RV park. 

Website:  www.jjrvpark.com

A Unique Bathing Experience, 6/14/2019

After learning about the history of Hot Springs National Park, I realized that I really wanted to experience the traditional bathing package that was offered 100 years ago. And, the only place to do that today is at Buckstaff Baths.

It is the only bathhouse that has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1912. (Quapaw has reopened as a modern spa facility that also utilizes the mineral waters of the hot springs). Buckstaff does not take reservations; services are available on a first come, first serve basis in the mornings and in the afternoon beginning at 1:15 pm. There is a waiting area for those that arrive early. After selecting and paying for the services you want, an elevator (with an attendant) will take you to the second floor to the women's area. Men use the facilities on the first floor. 

Below is a summary sheet of their traditional bathing package ($82). 

After you disrobe and lock up your belongings in a locker, an attendant drapes you with a large sheet and takes you to the large room where there are individual bathtubs. Another attendant escorts you to your private bath tub and uses the loofah on your back and legs (which feels fantastic) and turns on the whirlpool. Ahh, how I love to soak in a tub of hot water!

Then the attendant drapes you with another sheet and helps you into a steam cabinet…never did that before. 

My attendant, Mattie (who was great!), then took me to a table where hot packs (towels soaked in the hot mineral water) are applied (front and back) on your body (that is wrapped in a sheet) with a cool towel around your face. There were several other women receiving the same treatment nearby. It feels amazing. Here is a photo from the 1930s of women getting hot packs. 

Next was a sitz bath (again with hot mineral water), reportedly healthy for your hips. It did feel good. And the last step of the treatment is a needle shower. 

After all of that relaxing treatment, I had a 20-minute Swedish massage. It was heavenly. I felt like I was walking on clouds when I walked out of there. Honestly, after many years of various spa treatments and massages, this experience provided (as advertised) real “relief, rejuvenation, and relations.” It was fantastic. 

There was a special the day I visited, so I also got the paraffin treatment for my hands for only $4 more. This was a pleasant way to end my spa day. And I enjoyed talking with others that were also getting the paraffin treatment. Some were tourists like me; and, some locals that come regularly. When I was leaving, I left cash tips for the attendants and massage therapists in separate envelopes at the desk.

The next time we visit Hot Springs, AR, I will most definitely visit Buckstaff Baths again! 

For additional information about Buckhouse Baths, go to www.buckstaffbaths.com. If you want a more modern spa experience or prefer to make advance reservations, check out www.quapawbaths.com.