Westside Community Guide

2021 Westside Community Guide – 13 By Brittany Smith Westside Community Guide E ver wanted to explore an old cave for hidden treasure? Take a trip to the wild side to pet a lemur or watch leopards and hippos without ever leaving your car? How about a one-of-a-kind outdoor excursion of fly-fishing and hunting for ducks and deer? All this and more are just a short drive away and waiting for you to come and experience your next adventure. old Spanish treasure Cave e Old Spanish Treasure cave is one of the Ozark's biggest and fascinating mysteries. You can take a guided tour through the cavern and learn all about the legend of the Spanish Conquistadors and their hidden treasure. It is even believed that some of the treasure is still in the cave! ere are ongoing expeditions throughout the caves that have brought discoveries of hidden rail tracks, symbols carved into the walls, and there are numerous hidden rooms and tunnels still waiting to be explored. You can even go on a treasure hunt of your own with gem stone panning where you can search for real gems, rocks, minerals, crystals, and fossils. When you are done panning for gems, it's time to head back into the cave for movie night. e Treasure Cave offers an Underground Movie Event that is unlike any movie theatre you've ever been in. e Cave's Big Council Room has been converted to a theatre for visitors to watch popular movies inside a real treasure cave, and don't worry about the weather because inside the cavern is always at a comfortable 58 degrees. Be sure to make a stop in the gi shop that is housed in a log cabin more than 150 years old and where you can buy souvenirs for the whole family. Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. Sunday 12:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. 14290 N Highway 59 Sulphur Springs, AR 479-787-6508 Wild Wilderness Drive rough Safari e Wild Wilderness Drive rough Safari is one of the most popular attractions in the area and offers viewers access to an impressive array of animals. e Gentry Safari is a family-owned business that began in the 1960s when Ross Wilmoth, founder of the park, started out with just three buffalo. e collection of animals slowly grew over the years and the family started charging admission in 1975. Even aer Wilmoth's death in 2005, the family maintained the park and it remains a favorite for both locals and visitors alike. e family-friendly destination is more than 400 acres of land and features a wide variety of exotic animals. e park has a four-mile drive through where visitors can see bears, lions, buffalo, hippos, zebras, ostriches, tigers, giraffes, antelope, kangaroos, and many, many more animals. Aer the drive, there are walk-through areas where people can interact with and feed the animals. Pony and camel rides are also offered on a seasonal basis. With the picnic tables and snack bar, families will want to spend a full day learning about different animals and exploring all the safari has to offer. Open Daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 20923 Safari Road Gentry, AR 479-736-8383 Spring valley rod and Gun Club e Spring Valley Rod and Gun Club is the place to go for a premium outdoor excursion with world-class amenities you won't find anywhere else. ey have two campuses, one in Northwest Arkansas and one in Central Oklahoma both of which "offer the finest hunting, shooting, fly- fishing and travel opportunities." e Club was founded in 2006 and the headquarters are right here in Arkansas, along with an eight-mile trout stream for fishing, competitive sporting clay course, hunting of all kinds of game including deer, turkey, waterfowl, and upland game birds, main lodge with dining area, outdoor deck, and conference room, several cabins available to accommodate any group size, chef-prepared meals, and a fully guided experience for you and your group. Spring Valley offers private fly fishing in not only Arkansas, but they have properties in Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, and if you're new to fly fishing don't worry because there are experienced anglers who will give you everything you need to have a successful fishing trip. ere's no better place to be during hunting season than Spring Valley which offers over 20,000 acres of diverse terrain such as wetlands, row crop fields, flooded timber, and river bottoms along with premier extras like guide dogs, stocked pro shop, and guided and solo hunting options for their members. 23525 Lin Z Way Gravette, AR 918-760-9142 Explore, engage and exprience: adventures on the Westside

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