Arkansas Novaculite

[Michael C.]

I plan on going hiking down the Ouachita trails this weekend and wondered if anyone has ever done any collecting in that area. Would like to keep an eye out for some rock, I have seen photos of the novaculite from around there and I think I should be able to recognize it if I see it. The question I have is I'm not a knapper yet, so I don't know what to look for specifically to tell whats "good" rock. I plan on being either in the Mena area or Oden, quite a bit of distance between them and I wouldn't mind going some other spot on the trail if I know there might be some decent rock in the area. Are there any tools I should take, so I can tap some rocks like a hammer?

Thanks for any help.

[Hardawaypoints]

You can put everything I know about novaculite into a thimble and not have to worry about any spilling over the sides.  I do know that a lot of novaculite is quarried, so be prepared to dig.  Take along a prybar, a shovel or two, a rock hammer or copper billet to test rock with, and some buckets to tote that stuff in. Don't forget a strong back either.  Novaculite needs to be heated before it knaps well.  Once it is heated right, it is like butter.  The color varies from pure white, grey, to black, to brown, pink & purple.
That right there is all I know. 

Post some pictures of whatever you find. Good luck.

Jim

[comebackshane]

Hey Michael, I know this doesn't really answer your question, but I have hiked on the oklahoma side of the trail (starting at Talihena) and didn't find any Novaculite.  Maybe its all in Arkansas!

[Michael C.]

Jim

I will post anything I find, I have seen pictures of some of the areas and a lot of it is by the river just poking it's head out, plus I think(not sure) that there are a few places you can pay a bit and carry some off, just wouldn't know quality wise which ones to pick out. I don't know that I will carry any off this time, except maybe a few small pieces, as I will be hiking about 15-20 miles a day and wouldn't want to carry 80lbs of stone along, but I want to scout the area and see what I can see

Shane,

I haven't heard of any on the Oklahoma side, but I will be deep in Arkansas I think just west of Hot Springs where I hear the mass of Novaculite is. Usually drive right on past the Horse Thief Spring area, pretty but to many tourists in that area. I thought about going to the Mena area because some of the Geological maps show some in that area too, but there are rocks for sure further east of there.

Usually go pretty far down the trails this time of year and don't see anyone for 3-4 days, It gets a bit spooky at night by yourself, especially if the dogs/yotes or whatever the heck does the howling gets within' foot stomping distance.

[comebackshane]

LOL I bet you don't see anyone for three ot four days! Too freakin' cold! LOL

[Michael C.]

LOL I bet you don't see anyone for three ot four days! Too freakin' cold! LOL

  well it's one of the few seasons I can go camping and not get sweaty in a sleeping bag, plus that is one of the reasons I go that time of year. Downside is if you get lost or hurt there isn't anyone out there, so you have to be cautious 

[comebackshane]

The last time I hiked there was 8 or 9 years ago.  i took my wife for our fifth anniversary. There had been a big ice storm the winter or two before and there were lots of trees still across the trail that we had to go around, over and through.  We somehow got off the main trail but I didn't realize it for about half a day .  I knew we were north of the highway so at the end of the third day so we just went straight south by the compass and hit the road.  We hitchhiked back to the truck.  My wife has not been hiking since and still says she will never go again. LOL It seems funny now but wasn't at the time.  Ive thought about hiking the entire length of the trail sometime in the spring before it gets too hot.

[Michael C.]

Yeah I have gotten off the trail a couple of times but like you said it's pretty easy to find your way back to a road if you do, as long as you can tell north and south. The first time I went out there was right after the leaves fell and the trail isn't marked real well when you get down in the deeper spots, pretty soon I realized I hadn't seen any blue dots on trees for about an hour or so.  I got a little freaked out but then I just started walking again and eventually hit a stream that went down to the Kiamichi River and was fine.

If you do take that trip drop a message and I might just come with you, I have wanted to do that a couple of times, but no one I know is crazy enough to do it. It's a good 119 mile walk from one end to the other, but I haven't ever done anything like that and I think it would be a great experience especially out there.

[El Destructo]

MichaelC have even done any wandering around between Avant and Barnsdall?? I have 120 Acres that We are going to Buy....Sight Unseen over there Northwest of the Osage Reservation....if You know anything about this Area I would like to hear it....Michael

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[Michael C.]

I haven't been in the Avant area, but Skiatook is pretty close and it's a really nice spot, kinda flat for my taste, but pretty. I can definitely take a drive out there and let you know what I think though. I like to take country drives with the kids just to go see whats around us and that's a good enough reason for me. If you bought 120 acres your bound to have a good spot somewhere on there 

[El Destructo]

The Woman says that it has two Ponds and is up in the Hills really wooded...with all kinds of Deer ....Fox and Coons...so it sounds pretty damned good to Me ....especially after living here for so damned long!! If you go...let me know what it looks like...and if you want PM me and I can send you Mapquest Directions right to it!!

[Michael C.]

Here are some of the rocks that I found in beds that had large rocks with more of this type of material in them, I don't know that any of them qualify for knapping material but I plan on taking some more time around this trail to scout out some more. If I find anything more interesting I will make sure to put it in the updates.

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