Cotter, AR

Last week my family and I traveled to West Plains, MO to spend a week of vacation with my extended family. We stayed with my mom and step dad in the home where I was raised. Trips back home always bring back so many childhood memories! I love the Ozarks and find beauty in so many places so close to Mom's home.

Mom and I made many plans for places to see throughout the week. She and I have long loved to take walks, enjoy nature, and of course take photos!

We arrived on Saturday with a big family get-together on Saturday night (photos and post to come soon!). Sunday most of the family decided to join us to travel to Boxley Valley, Arkansas. Mom had told me of a valley where she had hiked to a waterfall and watched elk. She thought it would be beautiful with the fall leaves turning colors. She was so right!

On the drive to Boxley, not far into our journey, we stopped just outside Cotter, AR to enjoy a pretty view. We all decided to take a closer look and drove down to the bridge we could see. My sister and her husband knew the area well and led the way.







We ventured up onto the train tracks for more photos...


.....and then down the tracks to the tunnel we could see in the distance. Of course not one of us was brave enough to cross the bridge so we climbed back down, drove back across the river to a campground where my sister Regina knew the way to the tunnel on the other side.


My daughter Heather and my husband Marty:




The view from inside the tunnel:



Silhouette of my mom: