When I was a kid in elementary school, our school had our End of
the Year picnics at Arkabutla Lake. There was one kid in my class
who said we were going to "Arthur Dutler Lake" for our picnic. I
guess he thought the lake was named after that famous
conquistador/explorer Arthur Dutler? To this day, I still remember
him arguing with me about it.
It's amazing how the years have gone by, and for some reason we
still joke about going fishing or camping at "Arthur Dutler." One
comment made by one goofball kid...and we still call it that over
25 years later. Funny how that happens some times.
In case you are wondering, it is believed the name Arkabutla
came from the Choctaw words akka, meaning "bottom of water"
and botoli, meaning "to pulverize" in reference to a stream
with a sandy bed.
Following the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , Arkabutla Lake
became one of four Flood Damage Reduction reservoirs in northern
Mississippi. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will adjust the water
levels at various times during the years to accommodate rain water
to prevent flooding in the delta.
The cache: You will turn off Arkabutla Rd onto a gravel
road. This is called Lake Road on my gps. You will pass several
houses with private property signs on your way north on Lake Road.
You will come to a gate and a large parking area with a Corps.
Public Access entry sign. There may be hunters nearby during
hunting season, but they *shouldn't* be hunting near the road.
Proceed north past the gate. You will see the lake in the distance.
The cache will be a short walk and is located just off the gravel
path. The cache is placed high enough that it should be safe
during any floods. I placed it slightly higher than this
spring's record flood level, which was still evident on the nearby
trees. Water levels may make this cache difficult at times, while
other times you may walk to it in flip-flops, like I did today.
Check the hint if you need it, no one will think any less of you!
You will be looking for a large lock n lock container.