The name of Mountain View seems aptly chosen, but you will learn it came rather randomly. Stone County was not formed until 1873. With the county came a need for a county seat, and so a place was chosen. Up until then people had mostly lived in the hills and hollers, but a little town began to grow up around the courthouse — it still only has a population of less than 3,000 — and a name was needed. A group of residents got together, but they could not decide on a name. So the choices were put in a hat, and Mountain View was the one drawn out.

The region is rich in lore as well as lifestyle that has been shaped in large part by the geography and geology of the area.

Another thing that geology has created is interesting underground formations. This is also cave country. Nearby Blanchard Springs Caverns offers a dramatic look at what a little water can do, given enough time. This "living, working" limestone cave was called "one of the most extraordinary finds of the century" by Life Magazine.

A variety of guided tours, by U.S. Forest Service guides, take visitors along paved trails through water-carved passages lined with stalactites and stalagmites, by an underground river, by delicate soda straws and crystalline formations, through the Ghost Room and the Cathedral Room, past the world's largest flowstone. More adventurous spelunkers can do the Wild Cave Tour through undeveloped sections of the cave.

Outside the cave, you can hike or drive to Blanchard Springs, where the water exits from the cavern. It's considered one of "the prettiest spots in the Ozark National Forest."

The area offers campgrounds, swimming holes, fishing, picnic areas, hiking trails and other adventures in nature.

Any way you look at it, Mountain View is a fascinating place. As they like to say, it's a place to "create instant memories that have been years in the making." Any day you drop by, they say, is a great day "to enjoy yesterday." Above all, you can't ask for a better place to "frolicate."

If you go ...

• Mountain View, Ark., is located in the northern part of the state. It's approximately 100 miles north of Little Rock, 160 miles west of Memphis, Tenn., 100 miles southeast of Branson, Mo., and 300 miles south of St. Louis, Mo.

• The 46th annual Arkansas Folk Festival takes place this year from April 18-20. For more information, visit www.ozarkgetaways.com

• The Ozark Folk Center is open from mid-April to the end of October. During the Folk Festival, admission to the Craft Village is free. At other times, it costs $10 for adults and $6 for children, as does admission to the music auditorium. Family passes, combination music and craft passes and multi-day passes also available. For more information about the center or its educational programs, visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com or call 870-269-3851.

• At Blanchard Caverns, the Dripstone Trail is open daily from April through October and Wednesdays through Saturdays from November to March. The Discovery Trail is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The Wild Cave Tour is available only by advance reservation on the same schedule as the Dripstone Trail. For more information, call toll free, 1-888-757-2246 or visit www.ozarkgetaways.com.

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E-mail: carma@desnews.com