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| lrh | profile | all galleries >> Jasper ARK Pictures >> Jasper, Spots (Documentation) >> Ponca Access | tree view | thumbnails | slideshow |
Ponca Access
Home City: Ponca ARK GPS: 36.01870,-93.35710 (link) Shade: Fair Proximity to Food/Gas: ~ 5 Minutes (Buffalo Outdoor Center) How We Found It: On the fly in 2012, also listed in Tim Ernst book Fee: No Years Visited: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 Photo Gallery: Here Video: Randy Templeton YouTube Pros: Scenic, hiking nearby at Lost Valley, good jumping, some fishing, smooth easy road Cons: Sparse shade, somewhat far from restaurants other than a sandwich shop, tree had fallen in water as of 2022 Grade: A Ponca Access has entertained us well for years, although it has taken a hit lately. I'd give it an A+ except that it's been visited so much, it's somewhat "worn out" as it were with us, but also because in 2022 a large tree fell right in the best stretch of water of the whole thing, and last I heard it was still there, and for me that ruined it for good. Me rating this anything other than an F is contingent on that tree being moved out of the way, in which case I give it an A. Anyway, we found this spot "on the fly" in 2012 in passing (while leaving the nearby Lost Valley Trail), but as it turns out it was also listed in the Tim Ernst book we later bought, and in fact was also listed at the swimmingholes.org site, the site I had researched and which lead me to the Jasper area in 2012 in the first place. Somehow, I missed noticing Ponca in my readings, but we noticed it "on the fly" in 2012 and checked it out. It has deep water and a jumping platform, right off the bridge, that's me you see jumping in during 2020. It doesn't have much shade, and it's a bit rough walking in with the hard rocks, but once in it's well worth it. It's a hit with locals, yet usually isn't crowded to the point of being undesirable. We have gone every year, except in 2024 when we started visiting Marshall instead of Jasper (a change which may become permanent), it's a good 1½ hours from Marshall, but if you're in Jasper and don't mind the tree (or they've moved it since 2022), it's absolutely one of the best spots. If you're visiting from Jasper, you will be climbing up ARK 74, a rather curvy and higher elevation road, for quite a ways (about 20-odd minutes), just so you know, but once you get to the top it's easy driving. You're also going to be rather far from any real eating places (they're all back in Jasper), but there is a nearby Buffalo Outdoor Center which has hot sandwiches. In fact in 2021, our son Adrian sampled their pepperoni grilled cheese sandwiches and has been hooked ever since (to where I had to start making them myself at home). There are "porta-potties" for using the bathroom, and parking is usually fine, and it makes for great scenic shots too. There are also smaller shallow holes in the area if you walk a short distance, and of course nearby you have "Lost Valley Trail" which is a good hiking location. ----------- Nearby Gas/Food Ponca ARK (~5 min) Buffalo Outdoor Center (link) Buffalo Gas Station (link) Jasper ARK (~25 min) Ozark Cafe (link) (various gas stations in the area, Dollar General, Harp's Grocery etc)
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