51 replies to this topic

[Ohmless]

I wasn't impressed with the marginally improved chance at being cloudless in texas or mexico.  I also thought Little Rock or slightly west of there would be less busy than Texas or St. Louis.

 

Anyone living in Arkansas that is going to stay for the event?  I still have yet to join and introduce myself to their local club so I don't yet have "feelers" on where the good viewing locations are there.  I have a best guess but where do you recommend or are thinking of being for the show?

 

GL everyone on your travel plans!

[Etoimos]

My dad's place in AR is on the line of totality, so I'm going to go visit him and chase clear skies only if I have to.  If you don't have any contacts in AR, look around the lakes.  They typically have multiple public areas and since the eclipse is on a Monday, they should not be super busy.  The more remote the lake the better of course.

[hboswell]

I called Petit Jean State Park a few months ago and was told I could not make a reservation until one year ahead, so today, April 7. I called today and was told they were full, that they had opened reservations early for the eclipse.

[bunyon]

Oof. Sorry.

[Etoimos]

I called Petit Jean State Park a few months ago and was told I could not make a reservation until one year ahead, so today, April 7. I called today and was told they were full, that they had opened reservations early for the eclipse.

That's a real bummer.

[Ohmless]

I called Petit Jean State Park a few months ago and was told I could not make a reservation until one year ahead, so today, April 7. I called today and was told they were full, that they had opened reservations early for the eclipse.

ouch.  I hope that doesn't happen to me.  I will be there as long as I can get on any train.  i honestly don't care if i am a month early even.

[Ohmless]

I booked an Amtrak to Little Rock ticket today and should arrive before next year's March 15th so I can try another Messier Marathon with the local club along with seeing Omega Centauri for the first time.  Then I can take a relaxed pace to get to the Lake Dardanelle area so I can get maximum eclipse.

[Ohmless]

Just found a basic article about the eclipse in Arkansas.

 

https://www.arkansas...ng/2024-eclipse

[Phillip Creed]

I live in the path of totality here in Ohio but Arkansas is my backup option.  Too much buzz/hype/price gouging in Texas for my liking.

Clear Skies,

Phil

[Zygmo]

I live near Batesville, Arkansas. Will have a little over 4 minutes of totality. Just a half hour or so drive from here is maximum totality.

It is my understanding most hotels and camping areas are already booked up several miles on either side of the path in Arkansas.

     We had to move 3 years ago due to deteriorating conditions in our neighborhood in Central Arkansas. So one of the requirements for a home to buy that I insisted upon was it had to be well into the '24 eclipse path!  LOL 

     Guess what happened? A year after we moved here a huge chicken farm bought out the 15 acres on the North and East sides of our property!  (deteriorating conditions in our neighborhood!)   So....if and when litigation is over, we hope to be moving again and one of the requirements for a home to buy that I insist upon is it has to be well into the '24 eclipse path!  LOL

[jiblet65]

I'm thinking about getting a place in Little Rock and hoping for the best. Louisville would probably be my next choice.

[Ohmless]

Currently I am not sure yet where I will end up.  The early plan is leaning toward Leslie for doing a Messier marathon attempt prior to the eclipse and then hovering around Russellville due to it having places to camp and available sustenance. 

 

Mena might have better chances with clouds, but there is a very large hill before getting there(I will be bike touring after arriving in Little Rock.) It does have national forest land that I could rough it at along the way for free.

 

Lake Dardanelle/Russellville/Morrilton will likely be packed but easy to access otherwise(truck stops and walmart for camping.) 

 

Leslie is remote and has bortle 3 skies along its road sides, but that means less resources(food and water sources.)

[Zygmo]

Currently I am not sure yet where I will end up.  The early plan is leaning toward Leslie for doing a Messier marathon attempt prior to the eclipse and then hovering around Russellville due to it having places to camp and available sustenance. 

 

Mena might have better chances with clouds, but there is a very large hill before getting there(I will be bike touring after arriving in Little Rock.) It does have national forest land that I could rough it at along the way for free.

 

Lake Dardanelle/Russellville/Morrilton will likely be packed but easy to access otherwise(truck stops and walmart for camping.) 

 

Leslie is remote and has bortle 3 skies along its road sides, but that means less resources(food and water sources.)

As far as getting a motel or hotel room.....that could be a problem. People from all over the world have been making reservations for nearly a year. But if you just want to hop in for the eclipse from surrounding areas and leave, it will be no problem to find a place to just pull over for the view.

     Just naming towns you may recognize, with estimated totality:

     Four minutes or more will be in De Queen, Mena, Morrilton, Atkins, Russellville, Conway, Greenbriar, Clinton, Heber Springs (Greers Ferry Lake), Melbourne, Batesville, and Cherokee Village.

     Clarksville and Mountain Home will have a little over 3 minutes.

     Texarkana, Hope, Arkadelphia, Little Rock, LR AFB in Jacksonville, Cabot and Jonesboro will all have between 2 and 3 minutes of totality.

     Restaurants will be available everywhere. Fast foods, Mexican and TexMex, Chinese, Catfish and BarBQ. Little Rock and Jonesboro has many of the national Steak Houses, Italian, and Bars.

     Have to warn you though. That time of the year, and time of day in Arkansas is iffy. Will probably be at least partly cloudy.

It could be hot, stormy, or even a little cold. Keep an eye on weather reports and be prepared to drive North or South: there  could be thunderstorms in one area and clear in another.

[Zygmo]

I called Petit Jean State Park a few months ago and was told I could not make a reservation until one year ahead, so today, April 7. I called today and was told they were full, that they had opened reservations early for the eclipse.

Petit Jean Park would have been a major problem anyway. Crowded. Back in the day when I had '57 Chevys I would go to the big annual Car Show and Swap Meets in July. I finally had to give that up due to having to park and walk so far to get to the site. I have a feeling visitors will be flocking to the major parks. Estimates are that up to 370,000 people will come to Arkansas for the eclipse. IMHO, I think that is a conservative estimate.

[Ohmless]

As far as getting a motel or hotel room.....that could be a problem. People from all over the world have been making reservations for nearly a year. But if you just want to hop in for the eclipse from surrounding areas and leave, it will be no problem to find a place to just pull over for the view.

     Just naming towns you may recognize, with estimated totality:

     Four minutes or more will be in De Queen, Mena, Morrilton, Atkins, Russellville, Conway, Greenbriar, Clinton, Heber Springs (Greers Ferry Lake), Melbourne, Batesville, and Cherokee Village.

     Clarksville and Mountain Home will have a little over 3 minutes.

     Texarkana, Hope, Arkadelphia, Little Rock, LR AFB in Jacksonville, Cabot and Jonesboro will all have between 2 and 3 minutes of totality.

just going there with a bicycle, my scope, a few clothes and a tent.  I don't have accomodations in my budget.

Edited by Ohmless, 24 July 2023 - 08:35 PM.

[jiblet65]

I've picked up some eclipse glasses, plane tickets and hotel for Little Rock. I'll keep an eye on the weather forecasts to decide if it's a go or not but my plan is to just roll into town, do some sightseeing, watch the show from the best spot we can find and then fly back home.

[RonH47]

I rented through VRBO travel website a little lake cabin just off Greers Ferry Lake in the northern half of Arkansas. I did some research on cloud cover over the last several years and the northern half of AR looks best for the date. There were several places already booked up but I was able to find one, about a month ago, in the price range I could afford. I suggest you start booking quickly. It looked like several places already had higher prices for that week, but my cabin was normal price. Hurry, if you want to go. Also, in the 2017 total eclipse I read that sometimes lakes or water bodies sometimes have less clouds than the surrounding areas. i was in South Carolina for that one with my family and it turned out to be true for us that time.

 

Although I didn't check, I am thinking it is harder to book places near urban areas, you might need to find a cabin out in the boonies.

 

Of course, we all know that the chances for clear enough skies is about 50/50 all the way from mid Texas to Arkansas, but we will pray and take our chances. 

 

One benefit of the northern half of AR is slightly more dark skies areas, if you want to do some telescope observing at night if you are there. I plan to.

[brionl]

Well, it looks like Toad Suck, AR only has 2 1/2 minutes of totality.

 

https://www.timeandd...usa/little-rock

[tturtle]

We are driving to Arkansas from north Florida (Tallahassee) as it’s really the shortest direct route to the path. Pulling a 17 ft casita camper and have reserved a campsite with a lot of amenities at a lakefront camping resort  north of Little Rock.  I ruled out Texas early on just too crowded and really only slightly better in terms of potential clouds. 

Edited by tturtle, 23 January 2024 - 05:06 PM.

[Ohmless]

I have my expedition roughly planned and downsized.  I will be going to Little Rock on amtrak 3 weeks early.  I was going to stay in a friend's backyard for a few days upon arrival to get everything on the bike+trailer prepared for a ride into the mountains.  I saw an amazing video of a totality from an airplane with the shadow moving over the landscape.  My goal is to try to replicate this type of view from a peak or promontory vista.  I am going to scout Pinnacle mountain, Nancy mountain, and the North Fork pinnacle in the Ouachita national forest.  I plan on tent camping in one of the shelters for a couple weeks(might need dibs if busy).  I also checked wunderground and see that I most likely won't experience having to camp in a freeze but i am prepared for that possibility. 

 

Now that my plan is in stone, I hope my anxiety turns into eagerness.

 

https://youtu.be/YBo...A337uYh1Ja8IWbl

[RonH47]

I hope your mountaintop sites work out. In the 2017 eclipse, I saw some videos and pictures of the moving shadow from a mountaintop or two that were incredible. I am sure it really added another dimension to the experience. 

 

Best of luck. I won't be very far from you, let's hope for clear skies.

[Astro Sky]

Lake O the pine park,by the dam. Huge open field. 99.93% totally. Free

Daingerfield State Park. 100% about 30 miles NW from Lake O the pine dam.

I plan do Outreach solar eclipse at church parking lot. Enough parking 200 cars

 

Good luck find spot State Park.

[bobo071553]

I'm headed to Little Rock for the eclipse.  Currently have reservations at a hotel in West Little Rock.  I'm thinking about heading to Hot Springs to view the eclipse.

[BOSS3128]

Targeting Kelso, MO.  Got motel in Dyersburg TN

Edited by BOSS3128, 29 January 2024 - 05:43 PM.

[Hotel Price Gouge Victim]

I was headed to Ark until my hotel called and said they were going to triple my rate and make me stay and extra night even though they took a deposit on the room. Now my trip is ruined. The hotel is the yellow diamond hotel in Mufreesboro Ark. I haven't cancelled yet but the hotel is trying to force me to be careful with the hotels you choose!