UofA Fayetteville Underground Creek Tunnel

[Wedge]

There are some creek tunnels that go at least 3/4 the way across the UA campus,underground, before the creek surfaces again.

The main tunnel is apox. 4.5'Hx12'W. The tunnel gets increasingly smaller until it divides into two older rock and mortar tunnels, where those eventualy go I can only guess at this point. Earlier in the tunnel there is a Y that leads under Razorback Rd. and exits via two aprox. 4.5' culverts into a surface water runoff pit that has a fence around it.

The main tunnel has several large culverts runing into it, one or two of which are definatley large enough to at the least crawl through. I have a feeling one of them runs into a basement or steam tunnel.

The only places to stand erect are under drainage grates and man hole entrances, one of which has a ladder set into the wall.

There are a few sections that are walled with natural rock and mortar, the rest is more recent concrete.

Just some low quality cell phone pics at the moment. I may post them later. At the least waterproof hiking boots will work; some parts of the main floor are slightly convex so unless the creek is really running there are some dry spots in the center, the rest is not over ankle deep typically.

The two older rock tunnels will require some crawling and therfore getting wet regardless. As of now, one entrance is very accessable and somewhat secluded.

All of this is on one side of the campus; there is another drainage system entrance on the east side that I have'nt info for yet. Maybe one of these will enter a section of the steam tunnels. These are all surface water drainage that empty into the creek.

If any of this has been covered before, excuse me, but I have'nt seen anything in relation to the creek tunnels here.

[Wedge]

The pictures did'nt turn out, not enough light for the cell phone camera.

Does anyone else know about this? There was a little graffiti near the end with the double large culverts, so someone has obviously been down there, but how many know about it.

There were coon tracks in a lot of it, so I know they use it as a underground highway:)

[GlassCurtain]

This may be the same drain system you're talking about? If not, it might be a place to check out.

http://www.undergroundozarks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5289&highlight=tunnels

[Wedge]

Thanks GlassCurtain for that link, but the place I was talking about is different.

However, the place in that link was checked out today.
The tunnel is approx 6' high until near Dickson st.
The entrance to that tunnel is completly open.
It is 5-6' below the surface, and a couple of the street drainage grates have ledges near the tunnel ceiling.

It seems to split in two at one point, but it is just doubling in width and a extra support collum seprates it. At one point there is large window between the two sides.

It does at least go as far as Dickson, then the cronological growth of the city is evident as the tunnel goes from the larger size and concrete construction to much smaller and stone and mortar. It also diverges in 2-3 directions at that point. The floor also goes from smooth to resembling a creek bottom.

Both of the tunnels described are later extensions of earlier tunnels, in one direction, but very possible the tunnels grew at both ends and the older sections are connecting. Thinking a person could enter the upstream part of the tunnel is unlikely, because the entrances are 99% likely to have fixed/heavy grates to keep large material from entering the tunnels and possibly clogging them,(the first tunnel spoke of has hinged vertical gates on the exit)so crawling thru the older tunnels is most likely the only way to see if they open back up.

There is one more known underground creek tunnel that has yet to be documented. Streesing "creek" because the two so far spoke of have a continuous creek and not just surface water drainage.


No pics have been taken yet. No decent camera. Both of these together are quite extensive, are good for about 4-5 hours of exploring, easy to gain entrance, and both are within 30 minutes walking distance of each other. The third one is between these two, but may not turn out to be as interesting.

Anyone interested that has a good camera?

[TooMuchCoffee]

The part you're talking about under Dickson is Tanglewood Branch. It runs parallel to West St. (more or less). It starts somewhere north of Dickson St. (although I don't know where), but not too far.
Stay safe.

[Wedge]

I have some pics, but I've got to shrink them a little. Maybe later today.

[Wedge]

Pics, took a while to shrink them in the dryer.

[TooMuchCoffee]

According to the water and sewer director in a newspaper article, the rock wall section are nearly 100 years old. The creek was walled up to control it and later capped. A big section nearly collasped under Center Street and had to be repaired. He talked like they were going to go in and re-morter the older sections.

[itscaramel]

this may be a dumb question, but is anyone else concerned with snakes in these tunnels? this is arkansas...

[RXGT]

I know that tunnle if you stay to the right it takes you in to the storm drian system my and a couple of my buddys whent down there it is rely cool we took our bike in it as far as we could then we started to crow through it becouse the tunnles got to small we came out through a man hole cover near the union its a realy cool tunnle very fun it right next to the high school next to Bud walten arena just follow the creek that gose through the park

[Wedge]

There is a parking deck being built over this now. Construction has cut down the ground next to the creek, but I don't know if it has cut into the tunnel. For anyone who is looking at exploring this, keep in mind the constuction above.

[wlhyatt]

Is that what they are building where the old football practice field is?

I've seen the tunnel where it ends further down near lot 56, but always wondered which direction it went.