Eureka Springs Blizzard
This is our first trip together that we have planned out. A few days before we left, we decided that we wanted to go somewhere, anywhere! He asked me if I had ever been to Eureka Springs, it was about a 3 ish hour drive from where we were. There was really no planning on my part at all. He had been a few times himself and wanted to take me. So we packed our bags and headed out.
Now this was early February in Oklahoma/Arkansas, and if you are from here you understand. The weather can be 75 on day and 14 the next. This is one of those moments
We looked at the weather for where we were living and it showed a small chance of flurries (Oklahoma speak for yeah its cool but don't worry nothing is coming) However we didn't really look to see what was going to happen in Arkansas, because its only 3 hours away right, how much different can the weather be right.......
We started our trip and got up around 7 am left around 8 am we should be there around 11:30. All was going well, we hit the main HWY 412 and it was all clear. Now if you don't already know when you are on 412 heading east, there is a toll road. It splits off to the right, if you stay on the main road there is no toll, its old 412 (or what ever they have named it) When we plugged in the destination to our tom tom, we missed the "do you want to pay toll" and some how hit no. No big deal really, its a beautiful drive, if you don't mind twist, turns, ups, downs, and everything in-between. Really do love the drive!
This is where it started to snow, not flurry, but actual snow. We are now at the point of our drive where we are literally half way. We stopped at a little gas station ( its no longer there :'( ) to call family (oh this is pre smart phone days.. what ever did we do) to check on how bad it was were we are heading. From the information we got from the people we called, it wasn't going to be bad maybe a few inches and it wasn't going to be getting that for the next few hours! We jumped back into the car and continued on. The closer we got the more it lightened up. By the time we made it to Rogers there was nothing falling at this point.
About 30 min for Eureka Springs it started up again. Not only that but it had been snowing there for about and hour. To the point were the sand truck are out and moving! This part of the drive was.. interesting... The road is through a mountain and there are lots of drop points. To top it off we have a big rig behind us (coolest driver ever, He stayed way behind us and kept traffic back there with him) The roads were fairly clear, over pass and what not had a little ice/snow mix, but really not bad, just not used to it!
We make it into Eureka and first stop it to find a place to sleep for that night. Now its off season for this place and most of the hotel/motel ether don't have room open or are closed or charge a crazy price because its off season... whatever... We found the cutest little spot, Alpine Lodge, bonus for being next to pizza hut!! We dropped our stuff off, found a few brochures of what's around and headed out!!
First stop
From here you can go down to the viewing area and see the Crescent Hotel. I call it my castle in the sky
From here we went ahead and went over to the Crescent Hotel. Which is amazing!!!
Next to the hotel is a little church
While we were inside the hotel taking photos and just enjoying it all we were asked if we would like to get tickets to take part of the hotel ghost tour for latter that evening. At the time we said no. We were not sure what we had planed and didn't want to commit to something if we couldn't
get out or found something else to do.
We went downtown to just walk around, there were a few shops open, or getting ready to open with in the next week for there chocolate festival. For the most part it was just a blanket of white over everything and it was awesome!
Later that evening after getting some pizza from next door. We started talking about the ghost tour and if we should go or not. We went!! So glad we did. Because of everything else we were the only ones who went!! We got a private tour and were able to go into places they normally cant take anyone because of the number of people. Now before you ask no we didn't see anything!! If you are ever able to do this tour, go for it!!! To be able to learn about the history and everything around it. Totally worth it!!
As we made our way back to our hotel. The snow was now several inches and we were preparing to be snowed in the next morning, to the point where we were planning on staying another night if we had to. When we woke up the road were cleared and the plows were moving. We had breakfast in town and headed home. When we got over to Rogers there was no trace of any until we got back home, and then only in the shady spots.
The best part about all of this was because it was off season and there was snow everywhere. it was like our own little winter wonderland. We could go anywhere, not have to be in anyone's way or have someone in ours. With it being in the mountain they are used to this kind of weather and the road stayed cleared.
Travel on!!!
