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More Ozark Fall Foliage
Photos 2008 Ozark
Fall Foliage Reports Please Note: We update this report about once a week during the pre-peak period. As peak approaches we update more frequently. If the report has not changed since your last visit here then conditions have not changed by any appreciable amount. To ensure you are getting the latest report please click your browser's Refresh or Reload button! Current Report - Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - Last Report For 2008 Important Tuesday Night Update: Daytime temperatures have been consistently 10 to 15 degrees above normal. The forecast for the rest of of week calls for strong winds, rain, and above normal temperatures. Due to these conditions color will rapidly disappear. It will fade or simply blow off the trees over the next two days. There is still good color at Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View, Arkansas, and also in the Mount Judea area in Newton County, Arkansas. However, it is unlikely that this color will last to the weekend except in individual trees that are turning late. Tuesday Morning Report This week and this weekend will be the last of good color anywhere in our reporting area. What started out as a strong peak soon wilted this past weekend under daytime temperatures over 60 degrees. For strong color to develop daytime temps must stay under 60 degrees F. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of this week saw daytime temps in the low 70's, which dulled some bright colors. Right now the best color is on the high ridge tops in the southern part of our reporting area. Almost all lower elevation color is past peak. Color faded very fast under hot daytime temperatures. In the northern section of our reporting area, the Glade Top Trail has peaked and is now in decline. You can still see some awesome patches of yellows and oranges, but these will begin to dull within a few days. High winds also blew off quite a bit of color along the Trail on Sunday. This weekend will be the very last of any remaining good color along the Glade Top. If daytime temps remain high the rest of this week, expect little weekend color along the Glade Top. There will be some, but it will be limited to small patches or groups of trees. In the southern part of our reporting area you'll need to visit the Sylamore District of the Ozark National Forest. Travel south from Mountain Home Arkansas on Highway 5 South to Mountain View Arkansas. You can also drive Highway 341 south to Highway 14, and then on to Mountain View, and take Highway 5 North back to the Mountain Home area. Most foliage along the highway at lower elevations will be faded. Just keep looking up at the hilltops. The Sylamore hilltops are in peak now and will remain colorful for a few more days. This weekend will be the last of the good color, but as with the Glade Top, if daytime temps stay high the rest of this week, color will fade fast. The Jasper area in Newton County, Arkansas is past peak except in higher elevations. Drive the ridge tops and you'll see good color for another few days in Newton County. This weekend will be the last of the good color. Like everywhere else, the color is past peak at lower elevations. Color is in peak on the hilltops. Happy leaf-peeping! the 2Cooleys - Gary and Mary Cooley Glade Top Trail Report Area
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**************************** End Current Report *************************** General Fall Photography & Watchable Wildlife Information There are many professional photographers relying on our reports, which is why we include photography timing information. But you do not need to be a pro to have fun making great Ozark fall photos. While spotting foliage photographers and wildlife watchers of all skill levels can enjoy several other fall phenomenon. 2008 Birds - Many songbirds, eagles, and hawks stop off in the Ozarks when migrating south. They'll stay and feed as long as the weather stays above freezing, which will be well into November here. Eagles, osprey, and migrating hawks are here now, as are ducks, cranes, and geese. The cranes don't land and stay for long, so if you spot them enjoy the moment! One of the best ways to spot birds is to hire a trout fishing guide to take you out on the White River. If you have never piloted a shallow draft john boat on the White, we highly recommend hiring a guide to pilot the boat for you. Not only is it safer, you'll have a lot more fun and see many more birds. If you enjoy photographing blue heron the White River is your spot. The trout fishing guides know the river very well and they don't mind taking birders out for a river trip. Make sure all of your gear is in waterproof cases, or at least in plastic ziplock bags. The water comes from light boat spray. Bring a jacket as the river is cool this time of year. You'll spot eagles, ducks, gulls, osprey, heron, and occasional white pelicans on the lakes. Most small resorts rent boats, as do several marinas. Most waterbirds in the area are not very boat-shy so you can get by with a 400mm telephoto. Wave motion tends to be light so in most cases you will not need image stabilization. Because insects are bountiful until mid November well after the leaves are off the trees, and because heavy rain this year has kept the forest floors moist, leaf and ground feeding songbirds are eating well this year. As a result they'll be here for a few weeks. 2008 Wildflowers - This was a good wildflower year. Along the roadsides you'll continue to see several colors of wildflower blooms right up until leaves fall off the trees. Your best bet in locating wildflowers will be along the back roads, both paved and gravel. Usually wildflowers occur in the same spots you'll stop and get out to look at foliage. When you stop your vehicle PLEASE be careful! Pull off the road in a smart, safe spot before getting out. 2008 Wildlife - This is the time of year animals and birds feast. Wild nuts and wild fruits are in good supply this year, so animals will be eating well. Locate food sources and then look for signs. Animals will eat every last nut or fruit in any given spot. If you see tracks and scat, and there is food left, set up your blind and be patient. Wild plums, berries, persimmons, wild grapes, walnuts, acorns, a long list of seeds, and a healthy insect population are plentiful this year. We have had a lot of rain so soils are moist making easy digging for animals grubbing and rooting. If you are a serious wildlife watcher you'll want to spend time in the Sylamore District of the Ozark National Forest and the Leatherwood Wilderness area near Mountain View, Arkansas. Other very good locations are all along the Buffalo National River parks and trails, Caney Mountain near Gainesville, Missouri, and the Glade Top Trail just outside Ava, Missouri - all of which are public lands. You'll find elk along the Upper Buffalo National River, black bear and wild razorbacks in the Sylamore District, turkey and whitetail deer in all areas. The whitetail rut begins in mid October. You can tell when the rut is on because large buck will appear in broad daylight along roadsides acting as if they could care less about danger. Normally you will rarely see these big deer in daylight. Butterflies - Expect flying color all around wildflowers. Butterflies will remain active as long as the weather during the day does not drop much below 45 degrees. If you enjoy insect macro work you'll find plenty of colorful beetles and walking sticks this time of year. Landscapes - If you want dramatic, wide-open vistas with hills vanishing off into the horizon, if you want to give your wide angle lens a healthy work out, head for either the Jasper, Arkansas area, or Ozark County in southern Missouri. The Jasper area is where you'll find the Boston Mountains, which are the highest elevations in the Ozarks. If you want mostly scenic views with little human signs such as buildings and roads, head this way. If you want a few farms and roads in your shots head to either the Boxley Historic District south of Jasper, Arkansas, or into Ozark County of southern Missouri. If you want to explore both areas you can do so in three or four days. They are about a three hour drive from each other. In between are many scenic spots, so allow for plenty of time for stops. While both areas are very rural, you'll find plenty of gas stations and little local Mom & Pop restaurants where you'll enjoy the local culture with your meals. Cell phone signal can be very spotty in some areas. Macro - In just about any place you stop along forests roads you'll spot some excellent texture and macro work. Barks, mosses, gravel, and leaf beds all offer some unique textures. You find colorful berries and rocks in the same shot. Look along the small creeks for creatives on water. The best spots will be the public parks and lands because there will be no cattle mucking about in the water. For awesome foliage close-ups just walk around in the understory. Believe it or not, your most colorful fall foliage is only about 3 to 5 feet off the ground. Fall is also the time of year that you'll see cool weather mushrooms, which can be quite colorful as well. For Professional Photographers - Like any other area, magic light hour will be morning and evening. However, with standard ND filters and/or a polarizer you can shoot all day. Fog and mist shots are plentiful early morning along the rivers and lakes. Stay on top of the weather. Reports are frequently wrong, especially concerning cloud cover. This is because clouds in the Ozarks seem to spring up out of nowhere. This is not a problem as long as you enjoy shooting in overcast skies, which in the Ozarks can actually be a blessing. This year pilots are hard to come by. If you want to make aerials line up your pilots well in advance. I had three pilots I used, all are now out of business and have sold their planes due to insurance costs. You do not need shoot permits on Federal lands unless you will be using something in your images that is not naturally occurring. (An example would be a refrigerator set in the middle of a stream for an advertisement.) The exception is in the Buffalo National River. Commercial photographers are required to get a shoot permit, however many do not. Just be aware that if a ranger sees a pro shoot going on, s/he will ask for the permit. Contact the ranger station in Harrison Arkansas for shoot permits. If you are just a one or two person team chances are good you will not need the shoot permit, but call and ask anyway. Also be advised that no motorized vehicles, including helicopters, are not allowed in many parts of the National River lands. In most cases, even with a permit, you will not be allowed to air lift in models and equipment. However, there are several scenic spots close to roads should you need to conduct a full-blown pro shoot. There are no photography equipment rental houses in the area. Whatever you need you'll need to bring with you. There are no modeling agencies in the area having outdoor working models. You can normally recruit willing locals, but if you need professionals, you'll need to spend a bloody fortune bringing them in from a major metro area. As you can imagine, if you are shooting film you'll need to bring it all with you. The only developing lab in the area that I know of that does quality work is Lawrence Photo in Springfield, Missouri. If you are going to shoot roadside out of the back of your vehicle you won't need hard equipment cases. However, if you are going out on the trails, I highly recommend going to the extra effort of packing your gear in hard cases, or at least well padded soft-sides. This is rock country, and you'll slip on small rocks and fall at least a couple times a day until you get used to what happens underfoot. If you plan on bushwhacking to find your shots bring insect repellent, both on-skin and for clothing. Wear long pants and long sleeves as the ticks and chiggers will eat you alive if you get out into the weeds and brush. This is especially important for those who enjoy macro insect work! How The 2Cooleys.Com Reports Are Written We drive the highways and back roads. We float the waterways in various watercraft. We hike the trails and follow small creeks through deep valleys. Then, as the peak approaches, we fly over our entire reporting area at 2,000 feet. We cover hundreds of miles on land and in the air. Our reports are based 100% on what we see with our own eyes. We've used this approach since 1997 so we are well familiar with the Ozark color turn. We are a for-profit corporation. Our foliage reporting efforts pay us back in many ways, so we are motivated to continue providing an accurate, useful report. However, our profits from this report are indirect. We do not in any way benefit from biased reporting for any particular location, and therefore are not in any way obligated to promote any specific location or cause. Our only motive is accurate, unbiased information for our readers. Photos | Tours | Lodging | Travel | Main Page © 1997-2008 The Ozark Mountains Website (OMW), Inc. dba 2Cooleys.Com. All rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be used or reproduced in any manor for any reason without written permission from Ozark Mountains Website, Inc. This includes all photographs, all images, and all text. For use permission phone 870-491-5751. Any party who uses any text, any photographs, or any other part of this presentation without written permission from Ozark Mountains Website, Inc. will be billed a minimum fee of $1,000.
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