Paris to Big Sandy - 16 Miles (25 Minutes)
From Paris court square, take Market Street / Veterans Drive / Mineral Wells to 69A toward Big Sandy. Once in Big Sandy, turn left
on Main Street (there is a Citgo Gas station on the Northwest corner), bear right on Front Street, turn left on Second Street, then
right on Fifth Street (where a sign points to the right and reads "All Resorts"). Fifth Street takes a hard turn to the left and
then right, and is now considered Lick Creek Road. A fork comes up pretty quick with Faxon Road, so bear to the left to stay on
Lick Creek Road.
It is another 10 miles and between 25 to 30 minutes from Big Sandy to the Henry/Benton County line and the wildlife refuge boundary.
You will pass an old storefront on your left and then turn left on Bennett's Creek Road to enter the refuge and cross the county
line. While inside the refuge, you are on gravel roads at best and dirt roads at worst. You are best to double and triple
check that your vehicle is prepared for some rough terrain. Also of note, Cellular phones do not work while in the old 23rd
district, so emergency assistance may not be as easy to get.
Once inside the Old 23rd, follow Bennett's Creek Road for 3 miles, where you will turn left. I am not sure what the name of this
road is or if it still has a commonly known name. Take it slow - potholes plague the gravel on this road. After two miles, the
road will bed sharply to the right. About 500 feet West from this bend, on the South side of the road, the cemetery sits inside the
woods. Thomas Culpepper's stone is about three feet tall.
Travel time from Paris Court Square is approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, allowing for slow speeds. |
