Discussion: Maps in Arkansas?

Anyone know if there's ever been any O maps made in Arkansas? Or perhaps what the closest map is from neighboring states? Has any orienteer even ever been to Arkansas? (is it on J-J's visit list...?)

I have inlaws that live in Hot Spring Village. That is definitely an area that would be good for a map. When I have visited, I have never stepped more than a foot into the woods though because of the dreaded chiggers.

I think there was an infamous A-meet in Arkansas in the late 1970s. I suspect the map would have been a photocopied USGS with a few trails added. Some of the old-timers on AP (Peter? MeanGene?) may have been there.

What's a chigger - excuse this British ignorance!

I've done several adventure races in Arkansas. The terrain is quite nice. I haven't seen a true O-map, but I've been given several maps that were certainly better than USGS. In particular, for last year's Raid the Rock (Little Rock), we got a 1:7500 with 2ft contours that was pretty good. You could try contacting Team Traveler for a copy.

The closest neighboring map is probably one of SLOC's more southern maps, such as Hawn, S-F, or St. Francios. There are a couple of ROTC groups from NE Arkansas that come to our meets on a fairly regular basis.

Chiggers are really tiny bugs that would prefer to live under your skin than in the woods. They itch like crazy and once they're in there, there's no getting them out. They usually only last a few days, but depending on how many you get, those days can be pretty miserable.

Remedies include burning them by rubbing bleach on the skin or suffocating them by painting the skin with nail polish.

The ALTOS website mentions a map in far SW Arkansas (DeSoto Boy Scout Ranch).