70 private acres in the Arkansas Ozarks

What 70 acres actually feels like

Seventy acres is more than fifty football fields of Ozark mountain country. At Bearly Earth it's all private and yours for the stay: no shared amenities, no neighboring cabins in view and nobody else on the trails. The house sits on an open ridge with long views south and west. From there the land drops into wooded hollows, creek beds and sandstone bluff lines that most guests don't fully explore in a single trip.

One group said it plainly: “After 2 days we maybe explored 10% of the national forest.” That's because the property borders thousands of acres of the Ozark National Forest, so the woods past the property line keep going.

A property built for doing things

This is a working outdoor property, not a manicured resort. Bring the four-wheelers and side-by-sides, the fishing rods, the crash pads and the hiking boots. In one weekend you can ride a creek crossing before breakfast, fish the lower pond from the dock at lunch and scramble over sandstone boulders in the afternoon. Then come back to the fire pit for sunset over the valley.

And for doing nothing at all

Plenty of guests never start an engine. The wrap-around porch, the hammock, the glider and the Adirondack circle around the fire pit are where the slow days happen. The big lawn is the best seat for stars on a clear night. As one guest put it, “If you go for relaxation and solitude, you've got it. If you want outdoor activities and beauty in nature, you've got that too.”

A day on the land at Bearly Earth

Sunrise

Coffee on the porch while the fog lifts out of the valley, then a walk to the henhouse to collect breakfast.

Morning

Unload the side-by-sides from the trailer pad and ride the private trail system out to the bluff line and the creek crossing. Stop at whichever waterfall is running.

Afternoon

Paddle the canoe and fish the lower pond from the dock. Explore the rock-shelter cave with the kids, or bring the crash pads and spend the afternoon bouldering on sandstone.

Evening

Fire up the grill, light the fire pit (it's usually built and ready for you) and stay out on the lawn until the stars come out. Bears and other wildlife sometimes visit the property's feeding spot after dark, and guests have caught them on camera.

Good to know before you explore

• The trails are natural and rugged. Ride and climb within your experience, and wear helmets on machines.
• Summer means ticks and chiggers in the Ozarks, so pack repellent and do tick checks after the trails.
• Waterfalls depend on rain. They're best from late fall through spring and can dry to a trickle in late summer.
• The national forest past the property line has its own rules. OHVs must stay on routes shown on the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map.