Got the winter blues already and planning our 2008 rides... provided I don't pack up and move to Texas! We always check out a new place every year in addition to our regular rides and I was wondering about 4-J Big Piney. Looked at their website and it's looks nice....  The stalls looked kinda small in the photos. How big are they and are they in good repair? Is there enough trails to ride a whole week? And how are the meals and campground? Shade trees or open area setting? Any info would be great!

Weve been going to Big Creek Trail Rides for the past five years and really enjoy it there. They have very good food on the organized rides and the stalls are very nice too. Shavings are provided during the rides. No shade trees though. One thing I like about Big Creek is it is available year round so you can go before, after or during a ride. There are numerous trails and a GPS is recommended. Very rocky too so same thing with the pads suggestion. Big Creek borders the Current River and also has some interesting places to ride to such as real cabins and Springs.

For Primitive Camping We also like the Buffalo River area in Arkansas and for elec/water hook-up we enjoy Cedar Lake in Oklahoma, Circle B in Shawnee Nat'l Forest, and  Eagle Ranch (this place is a good weekend ride only). Send me a PM if you'd like more info on these places.

We also want to check out Horse Heaven Ranch this year and maybe if we have time Devils Den. Was suppose to do HHR this year, but couldn't make it. Hope we have better health next year! Happy 2008!

They used to host April rides but river with spring rains made river uncrossable/really deep n fast after big rain storms.I hope to ride in fall ride since we're about 70 miles away now.Is best trailriding in Mo we've found and food n people are so kind and helpful.River is where people gather in heat of day.

What you describe is a great deal like Big Creek at Hartshorn,also.

I think that Big Creek shuts down organized rides during July and August but is always open for individual campers with their own meal arrangements at this time.

 We also went canoeing one day - the bus picks you up at camp! He loved it!  And tea and lemonade all day in the messhall. Quote

NOT like Big Creek on this point! I want to go to Big Piney,too!

Ya there is some shade but almost all campers have full living quarters with air.They have tv area and movies etc if ya need air or place to escape too.Horses stalls have plenty of shade covering them and many water spiots too.They offer misc camping items or horse items are very reasonable prices salt blocks,ice can soda etc.Food is all ya can eat too

I'll second that! We have some really scenic riding here in Arkansas too.We have to travel further to it,so,we're closer to MO.Have you ridden at Devil's Backbone region any? Or in Irish Wilderness area?

Have you ridden on the Buffalo,or is that on Steel Creek/Ponca area?

Big Flat up above Mt.View is nice.Also Moccasin Gap at Dover.We're going to Lonesome D one of these days.

My husband used to ride up at Irish WIlderness all the time with groups.He would tell me about the two trails,one that went back to the springs and cave,and the other that went over the top of a ridge and you needed to be on a mountain goat to climb it! When I rode it,I only rode the easy one to the cave.

We've ridden at Turner's Mill,McCormick Lake and some on the Jack's Fork and Eleven Point rivers.

Maybe we could meet y'all sometime up at Irish Wilderness to ride.

PS have you ever ridden down at Hunter,MO on the train tram that goes all the way up to Van Buren?

Hunter is below Elsinore on the highway that runs north from hiway 160,I am not sure of the highway #.It may be 20,or 27.It comes out on 60 tho.Hunter is a little community of only about 15-20 people I'd say.Years ago,it was a booming logging town with 2 hotels and a railroad.They have taken up the old track and there is a trail made from the tracks we call the "tram." We park on a little road in town and ride from there.It goes back to a campground at the Current River and on north to a wonderful overlook.You can ride all the way to Chilton,this land is all owned by MO.dept of waterways.From Chilton,you could ride to Van Buren and the trail comes out at the bridge,I'm told.We've never ridden past Chilton much.You could not ride it and back in a day I do not think.Maybe if you were going fast and started really early.

From Hunter,part of the land is owned or used by a timber concern,and part by the dept of waterways.When we first enter the trail,there is a "no tresspassing" sign and says that all land "below the water" (whatever that means) is private.However,land laws state that a road that was a former train track has easements on either side,and it is not entirely owned by one individual.I have spoken personally with a woman that lives at Hunter,and she says that half of the road for about 1/4 mile is hers.Another gentleman that owns a MFT horse breeding operation has told me that the individual that put the sign up DOES NOT own the road.

I say all of this because: we've ridden there for years as responsible conservative trail riders without incident of any kind from anyone.I attempted to find out from the county through both the sheriff and the assessor about the property so I would be knowledgable if an incident ever did come up,but,couldn't even get a reply from email,phone calls,or a letter.(The "good ole boy" I've got your back syndrome that is also alive and well in Arkansas in operation,there.)

It certainly is beautiful riding,goes along a creek that is always running,and in spring the dogwoods throughout the woods are incredible.And the trails are wide and clear.We are going to try to ride from Chilton to Van Buren sometime this year,also.But Hunter has always been our favorite spot to go on a day ride.

Pooperscooper,the pictures were great,and,yes,that's all typical scenery of the tram ride from the Hunter/Chilton area.Beautiful any time of the year.

Maybe we can all meet up there sometime and ride from Chilton.Do you park in that big field near the river next to the tram? We know how to get back there now since we got directions how to get to it from "T" highway.Before,we couldn't ever figure out how to get back to it or how far back there off T it was.Part of the road goes through some creekbeds,doesn't it?I wonder how people living in Chilton make it out of there sometimes.

Crowleyridgegirl,

Just holler sometime, we love to ride up there. There is a wooden bridge that isn't real long but one you have to cross and there is a board missing. My husbands horse's leg went thru and thought he was going to break it. Very scary. If it is dry I think you can bushwhack around it but it is really viney and grown up on either side. It is one of those bridges that doesn't have any sides on it, and several years ago we had someone riding with us on a green horse and we told him to lead across but he didn't and his horse got scared and went off of it. We thought it had killed him but fortuantely he was just banged up a bit. There's plenty of riding though and we found some side trails the other day and hope to ride those next time and see where they go.

I don't know if you can park at Hunter anymore? We were thru there back in the fall and it was all grown  up and maybe even had some cable there and the school is all posted too. There is a cave just below Hunter we ride at some but now alot of that riding is fenced and posted. I think people on 4 wheelers poaching and littering have ruined alot of our places to ride.

I wonder how those people at Chilton get out too when we have lots of rain. It is quite a ways back there. They have done quite a bit of road grading t hough and the road is much better.

Where in Ark are you located? We're near Doniphan.

Big Creek is a place that's a goal to go to someday.  I had reservations to go five years ago with a group but changed jobs that same month so I had to cancel.  Heard it's real nice and was described as similar to the 4-J.  I know two couples that go to both, Big Creek in the Spring and the 4J in the Fall.

I've camped at the Circle B before and have been checking into the One Horse Gap campground.  He mentioned the riding area is some of the same as Circle B.  The Bay Creek Campground area is beautiful and would recommend them too.

The Buffalo River area is another goal place to go too.  We went to Arkansas once but didn't like the campground area since it almost took one hour one way just to get to some good riding and it was the only trail out of this campground.  I was shown some pictures from a friend that went to the Buffalo River area and it looked beautiful

I'd like any information you'd have on the Buffalo River area and I also the Cedar Lake in Oklahoma.  Heard the Eastern part in Oklahoma is really nice but not sure where it was someone was telling me about and they're to get back with me yet.  Any information will be appreciated. 

I noticed where you live and I have friends that go to the 4J in October that live in Harrisonville, MO, Melvern & Manhattan, KS.

Thanks!