Q. How did you get the idea to write
this book?
A. I grew up in Little Rock and spent a lot of time hiking, biking,
and kayaking. As far as I can remember, everyone just found out
the good places to go through word of mouth. After high school,
I went to schools in California and North Carolina. Outdoors stores
there had all kinds of maps and sometimes books of local hiking
opportunities. When I moved back to Little Rock, I realized we didn't
have that. After working for Audubon Arkansas for a year, I noticed
that I was finding all kinds of trails that I'd never heard about
and was maybe finding some that not many people at all knew about.
That is when I decided to write the book.
Q. What is your favorite trail in this book?
A. I don't think I can name a favorite. Many of them were my favorite
while I was exploring them for the first time. What I really like
about all these trails is they show that, no matter where you
are in the city of Little Rock, you are within a short walk or
drive of someplace to hike, bike, or float. I currently live near
Boyle Park and love the fact that, even though I live in the middle
of the city, I can jog out my back door and spend the next hour
running through the woods, along creeks, and enjoying a natural
setting. You don't have to drive to Pinnacle or Petit Jean State
Park to be surrounded by nature.
Q. What was the best part about writing this book?
A. My favorite part of writing this book was finding and mapping
new trails. I got in lots of long runs trying to map places like
Pinnacle Mountain and Allsopp Park in just one visit.
Q. Besides wanting to help people find places to hike, bike,
and float in Little Rock, do you have another agenda in writing
this book?
A. Yes, indeed! By helping popularize use of local trails and
parks, I hope people will push their local, state, and federal
officials to increase funding for trails, parks, and alternative
transportation routes. Imagine being able to bike to work along
a trail in the woods that offers views of a scenic creek rather
than having to sit in traffic on the highway. If Little Rock simply
built trails along most of Fourche Creek and its major tributaries,
we'd have an efficient network of trails connecting all parts
of the city.
Q. What’s next on your list of projects?
A. If this book is successful, I hope to put out another edition
covering more of central Arkansas and updating trails already
mentioned in this book. I'd also be interested in putting out
maps of individual parks or trails.
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