Arkansas City, Arkansas Area

April 18, 2024

On April 17, we went to pick up Bruce’s scripts in McGehee, Arkansas. On the way, we made a slight detour to Dermott, Arkansas for BBQ.

We stopped in at Dermott BBQ. The BBQ was good, but not as good as Hoots in McGehee.

Dermott is a town that has seen better days. Nothing seemed open other than a couple of restaurants and the bank.

We did enjoy watching the train go by as we geared up to ride on to McGehee.

We rode to McGehee and picked up Bruce’s scripts and then rode to the Governor Mike Beebe Scenic Overlook and Boat Ramp on the Mississippi River.

One boat ramp was usable and the other boat ramp was set for the water to get a lot deeper before it was usable.

There was a lot of broken glass on the ground at the boat ramp and scenic overlook.

We decided to also check out the trailhead for the Delta Heritage Tail State Park. We were disappointed to discover the trail was the Levee Road.

The trailhead was an interesting stop. Arkansas City was a happening place before the great flood of 1927. The flood changed the course of the Mississippi River and the steamboats could no longer dock at Arkansas City. The town lost a major revenue stream and most folks left.

An archaeological dig was carried out at the trailhead park, before the park was created. The trailhead is now located where businesses once stood.

The trail head was a nice park with a pavilion and toilets. It was very informative and tied in with the information we saw at the Lower Mississippi River Museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

We decided not to walk on the Levee Road and rode the motorcycle back to the RV.