Devils Den is a state park in a cleft of the Boston Mountains, and the name comes from the rock itself: a tangle of crevices, caves and fractured sandstone ledges, where the ground opens in narrow corridors that you can squeeze through, with moss on the walls and ferns in the cracks. It is a lovely, slightly gloomy place on a wet day, and in summer the cool air flowing out of the crevices is a relief. Lee Creek runs through the valley below, clear and quick over sandstone ledges.
The park was developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, young men who built the stone cabins, the dam that forms a small lake, and the trails, using local sandstone. Their work is still in use today, and it gives the park a handsome, old-fashioned look, with solid rock walls and rustic buildings that fit the landscape. A visitor centre explains the history, and the old CCC buildings are well kept. Some of the trails lead past rock shelters that were used for centuries by Native people.
Reaching the park is part of the fun. Highway 170, the road from West Fork, is a narrow, twisting route down through the hardwood forest, with sharp bends, steep sections and a rough surface in places. It is a favourite of Arkansas motorcyclists, and at weekends you will see groups of bikes parked by the entrance. The surrounding Boston Mountains Scenic Loop uses a series of back roads that climb, drop and wander, and the best time is autumn, when the maples and hickories turn, or spring, when dogwood and redbud flower. The roads can be slick with wet leaves and mud, and the sudden rain showers come quickly.
The park has a campground, cabins and a small restaurant, but not much else. West Fork, about seventeen kilometres away, has petrol and a few shops, and Prairie Grove and Fayetteville have more. Fill up before you head into the hills, since the roads are long and the signs few. Wear boots if you plan to walk, because the rocks are slick, and be aware that the crevices are best explored in daylight, with a torch.