"nu na hi du na tlo hi lu i" The Trail Where They Cried

Camping next to the Mississippi River

We left the White River, at Calico Rock behind and moved out of the Ozarks towards the Mississippi River. This is the White River as seen from near our camp in Arkansas as we departed.

We hoped to find a campsite available in Missouri, on the Trail of Tears

This intimate campsite is on the western edge of the Mississippi River a the site of tragic loss of life during the winter of 1838-39. A contingent of the Cherokee Nation, forced marched far from their homelands in the east, crossed the Mississippi River near this location. The river was clogged with ice and the crossing was painfully delayed. Poorly provisioned for the extreme cold, hundreds of the Cherokee perished while waiting for the ice to clear. A sad time in our collective history.

The park is a very quiet place to stay, nestled between the Mississippi and railway lines of communication and a lush forest. Here's a northbound barge carrying commerce toward St Louis.

There was easy access to the river where I was able to let a Native American Flute send out some mournful sounds after dark. Oscar was intimidated by the massive amount of rushing water which was rising. They are expecting to evacuate the campsite tonight as the water rises over the road. We should be well north by then . . .