The drive to Jonesboro was the longest one so far and it reminded me that I need to do a better job of looking at maps before we set out and not just rely on the GPS. While the rural highway we took through Arkansas turned out to be just fine, there were times the flood waters were nearly up to the road on both sides and it was a little unnerving. Also, I wish I had a better idea in my head of exactly which town came first and alternate routes in case we would have hit a flooded road. Once we got to Jonesboro, what had initially sounded like a short cut to the park was in fact a gravel road. And later, once we arrived at Craighead Forest, I realized it was a very impractical route.
Craighead Forest is a Jonesboro City Park and a really nice one. We were to be there for seven days and there were only water and electric hook ups but there were truly the nicest campground bathrooms ever and we used them a lot and also for showers so it worked out. They do allow you to dump your gray water at your site but we don’t think that is good idea and chose not to do so. We also received a significant discount for being over age 55.
The first morning there was so lovely. We savored our coffee and the cool breeze, taking in the sounds of the birds (a woodland peewee and a Baltimore oriole). Then we took a long walk around the lake which is the centerpiece of the park.
Our visit to Jonesboro was all about family. My wife's niece, her husband and their four girls all live there. Kismet really enjoyed the chance to meet some sweet dog loving kids. We played pickleball and hung out. They took us to their favorite coffee shop, Shadrachs, and on a tour of town including Arkansas State University where they met while attending college.
An interesting fact about Jonesboro aside from being a university town is that it is in a dry county. The town is full of beautiful homes but also lots of random trailers and they seem to be living close to each other. There is a bit of haphazard growth to the sprawl but it is clear the town is growing.
The city is located on Crowley’s Ridge, in the northeastern corner of the state in Craighead County. The county was officially formed in 1859 and interestingly, it has two county seats. The other one is Lake City, just across the St. Francis River. In the early 20th century, Craighead county was known as a sundown town, a town with policies forbidding Blacks from living in the area or even passing through after sundown. The city of Jonesboro has a population over 75,000 people and the metro area is nearly twice that size. The university is the sports and cultural center of the region.