The Poke Bayou is a creek that begins in Sharp County, meanders through Izard County and ultimately ends as it empties into the White River in Independence County.
Of course, there is always the big debate on the spelling of the Poke Bayou. Is it “Poke” or “Polk” and why?
Most signs over the stream say “Polk”, but if you ask others they only refer to it as “Poke”.
Main Street Batesville Foudation Director Admiral Bob Carius won’t be steered any other direction in this discussion and stated, “POKE is how it is spelled.”
This little gem of a stream is something of a sight to see, but to folks like me, who grew up crossing over the Poke many times, it’s also something that has been taken for granted.
Even those who aren’t from the area come to realize quickly how important the bayou is to the area and with a little hard work a new and exicitng quality of life can be born by utilizing the bayou to it’s fullest extent.
For some, the bayou was more than a stream flowing through parts of the county or the town of Batesville, it was a way of life.
Local business owner, John Clouse doesn’t remember a time that he wasn’t hunting, fishing, trapping or camping in or around the bayou.
“Some of my fondest and craziest memories come from the bayou,” Clouse laughed. “If anyone was ever looking for me when I was younger, they knew I would be somewhere in that direction.”
Clouse has so many stories that it was hard to keep up as he was going down memory lane, but the one constant was the complete joy that he got from the bayou.
“We would stay out there for as long as we were allowed,” he laughed. “That would sometimes be days.”
Clouse and his family and friends aren’t the only ones who have fond and current memories of the bayou and continue to explore it today.
Of course, if you aren’t from the area, the bayou itself could easily be missed, and even those who know the area have issues finding easy access points.
Luckily, over the past few years, with the help of volunteers the bayou is finally getting the attention it deserves.
Carius banded together a group of volunteers last January for his “swan song” to host the Poke Bayou and Maxfield Park’s inauguarel event called “Big Fun on the Bayou”.
“As the Main Street Board met in 2019, I suggested that we plan a fundraising event for the Poke,” Carius stated. “There had never been such an event planned or executed, so I agreed to chair the event.”
With the help of fellow board members, volunteers and local business owners, the team went to work with a proposed event that would include canoe/kayaking, paddle board races, arts, crafts and live music set to kick off in August.
Sadly, as we all know, Covid hit and that plan was put on the back burner, but according to Carius September 2021 this will be back in full force.
On top of this event, local optomatrist Dr. Sam Cooke has put together the Poke Bayou Foundation with the help of Mayor Rick Elumbaugh, Nathan Huffman, Julie Hinkle, Brittany Bennett, Mandi Curtwright, Allyn Dodd, Kyle Christopher, Gene Crawford, Karl Kemp, Chris Magouryk, Jeff Owens and Pete Musgrave.
The foundation hopes to partner with any event that the bayou is a part of, keep the area clean and cleared.
They have also partnered with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in hopes of finding solutions to erosion iss
ues and will also be able to conduct chemisty tests on the stream.
Spring is here, and the bayou truly does have something for everyone. If you like to fish, kayak, explore or swim, it truly is one of the best little places to visit.
Karin Huffman is an Independence County native who graduated from Cushman High School in 1996. Traveling throughout the state is one of her passions, along with writing about her adventures.
Taking over as travel writer for the Ozark Gateway Region is a dream come true for Huffman who lives in the region with her husband Nathan, two daughters, Grace and Stella and son Kaden.
As a family, they enjoy canoeing the Poke Bayou, Salado Creek and the many waterways along the White River in Independence County. Camping and hiking throughout the region is a must for them in the spring and fall as well.
Huffman is an avid nature photographer who will do just about anything to find the perfect waterfall shot, and has visited many in the great state. From Twin Falls and the Richland Creek area in Northwest Arkansas to little known places off the beaten path, waterfalls will be found.
Huffman has been a travel writer for the Eye on Independence Magazine as well as a staff writer for the Batesville Guard, and is looking forward to devoting her time to traveling throughout the eight county region that the Ozark Gateway offers.
If you would like to contact Huffman about an adventure or would like to know how to get more information out about your area, contact her at 870-307-5473 or karinozarkgateway@sbcglobal.net.