Hiking in Arkansas: 7 Top-Rated Trails to Kick-Start Your Adventure
Arkansas has long been known as The Natural State, a phrase that was added to highway welcome signs nearly 40 years ago. But only a small part of the state’s beauty can be seen while driving along the road. Park your vehicle and set out on foot, because hiking in Arkansas is one of the best ways to experience the great outdoors here.
“You’re going to see so much natural beauty if you go hiking in Arkansas,” says Scott Hallmark, an Arkansas native and outdoor enthusiast whose website, AR Own Backyard, showcases the state’s various outdoor activities. “There’s such a diverse landscape here that it provides a wide range of difficulty, from short, easy hikes to multiday backpacking hikes over some really challenging terrain and everything in between.”
The options are what really make hiking in Arkansas great.
“I’ve been hiking around here for more than 30 years, and I still have a long to-do list,” Hallmark says.
As a result of his many treks, Hallmark says it is nearly impossible to narrow the list down to a handful of the best hikes in Arkansas. However, here are seven great Arkansas hikes that he says provide choices for those of all skill levels.
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Big Bluff Goat Trail — Ponca
If you’re looking for a bit of a challenge, the Big Bluff Goat hiking trail in Arkansas is for you. This is a trail of extremes, combining a large bluff (at 550 feet tall, it is the tallest sheer bluff face between the Rockies and the Appalachian Mountains) with a narrow ledge trail fit for a sure-footed goat (or hiker).
The 3-mile trek from Centerpoint Trailhead to the bluffs provides panoramic views of the Buffalo National River and surrounding wilderness area. But one note of caution from Hallmark: “Hiking out to the bluffs is pretty much downhill all the way, making the hike back completely uphill.”
Cecil Cove Loop — Erbie
Another waterfall trail is not far from Big Bluff, but this one is a little different. The 3.5-mile Cecil Cove Loop takes hikers to Thunder Canyon Falls, a 70-foot waterfall that cascades down the side of a narrow, gorge-like canyon, creating a “thundering” sound that gives the falls its name.
“It looks like a place where you’d see elves or hobbits running around,” Hallmark says.
While not necessarily overly strenuous, the trail crosses Cecil Creek five times, then climbs over 500 feet to the falls area.
Petit Jean State Park — Morrilton
Arkansas’ first state park, which opened in 1923, remains one of the best when it comes to natural beauty. Located barely an hour’s drive northwest of Little Rock, this 3,471-acre park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails.
A highlight is the 1-mile trail that begins at Mather Lodge and leads to the approximately 90-foot-high Cedar Falls, one of the tallest continuously flowing waterfalls in the state. Other trails offer elevated views of the surrounding Arkansas River Valley, while the quarter-mile Bear Cave Trail passes several large rock formations.
Eagle Rock Loop — Umpire
This challenging 26.8-mile hike near the Albert Pike Recreation Area in the Ouachita Mountains is the longest loop trail in Arkansas, crossing nine mountains and many rivers/streams along the way. But there are multiple trailheads, allowing options for hikes of various lengths.
Hallmark says one of his favorite day hikes is the 4.5-mile (out and back) Winding Stairs section of Eagle Rock Loop, which runs alongside the rocky bluffs of the picturesque Little Missouri River.
“It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful landscapes in Arkansas,” Hallmark says.
Twin Falls Trail — Witts Springs
It’s a two-for-one deal on this trail in the Richland Creek Wilderness near Witts Springs. A 2.5-mile hike will take you to Richland Falls, which is relatively short (8 feet) but spans nearly the entire 100-foot width of Richland Creek.
Travel an additional mile on Long Devil’s Fork to the appropriately named Twin Falls, with two waterfalls between 16 and 20 feet tall that cascade into a pool area. Hallmark calls it a “high-effort, high-reward hike,” with numerous elevation changes and a few narrow ledges to cross.
Devil’s Den State Park — West Fork
With numerous scenic trails winding through the Ozarks, this 2,500-acre park is a favorite for hikers, backpackers and mountain bikers. The namesake 1.5-mile Devil’s Den Trail passes springs and wet-weather waterfalls, the easy half-mile Lake Trail leads to the dam that creates Lake Devil, and the 15-mile Butterfield Trail is one of the state’s few looped backpacking routes.
Surrounded by the Ozark National Forest, Devil’s Den is also home to the first designated mountain bike trail in the Arkansas State Parks system, Fossil Flats. In other words, don’t pass up the chance to get in a great hike and ride while visiting this Arkansas park.
North Sylamore Creek Trail — Mountain View
This is one of the many trails that remains on Hallmark’s hiking in Arkansas to-do list, but he says, “Everyone I’ve talked to who has hiked it has said how great that one is.”
Located within the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, the 23-mile trail starts at Blanchard Springs Recreation area and runs along North Sylamore Creek, through Gunner Pool Campground and on to Barkshed Campground. There are several scenic overlooks along the way, with beautiful sandstone bluffs as well as open fields managed for area wildlife.
This article was sponsored by Arkansas Tourism.