Included here are trails in the Arkansas Valley ecoregion – between the Ozarks and Ouachitas. Here’s some general info about my maps.
Cove Lake details and map.
Dry Creek Wilderness. At 6300 acres, it is one of the smallest of the wilderness areas. Located south of Blue Mountain Lake with Booneville to the northwest and Havana to the northeast. There are no official trails and I haven’t researched access points. I do have a map – a 1-page PDF (11×17″ at about 1:25000 scale). It appears to be some rugged terrain, with the creek about 800′ below the surrounding ridges at the center of the area. All the creeks are ranked as intermittent.
Hole In The Ground Mountain Trail. 7.3 miles out-and-back. The western trail head is southeast of Booneville Ark in the Jack Creek Recreation Area at about 35.0336°N, 93.8459°W. This is also one of the trail heads for the Sugar Creek trail. The eastern end is on Dry Creek Road at about 35.0338°N, 93.7959°W right across from the Dry Creek Wilderness. There’s no designated parking area there. Last day of this Sep ’13 post.
Huckleberry Mountain Trail System. 35+ miles of multi-use trail stretching from Mt Magazine east to Huckleberry Mountain. It’s often called a horse trail but I suspect once ATVs were allowed in, the equestrians went elsewhere. One trail head is at the horse camp on Mt Magazine. I’m still researching this but it appears the “trails” are really just roads – many of which are still open to vehicle traffic – so this might not be of much interest to a hiker. The area is also pockmarked with gas wells.
Lake Alma Trail. << This description is likely out-of-date >> 3.8 mile loop on the north side of Alma Ark. The trail head is in the parking lot at about 35.4968°N, 94.2174°W. On the far (west) side of the lake, the nice single-track-in-the-woods gives way to old double track and the woods diminish, then disappear entirely on the long walk across the dam and back to the parking lot.
Mount Magazine State Park details and trail map.
Mount Magazine Trail details and trail map.
Mount Nebo State Park details and trail map.
Petit Jean State Park details and trail map.
Poteau Mountain Wilderness. 11,299 acres split into west and east chunks with Ouachita Natl Forest land in between. Located south of Mansfield Ark and west of US-71. I was only in the west part once for a day hike so I don’t have much information. I do have a map though – a 2 page PDF (11×17″ @ 1:24000 scale). Oct ’13 trip.
The Compulsive Hiker 