The eastern boundary is south of Perryville, Arkansas on Highway 9. The Trail The Ouachita National Recreation Trail spans 192 miles of the Ouachita National Forest between Talimena State Park on U.S. Hwy. Please consider joining and supporting FOOT. Lori will also accept hiker resupply boxes. We’d also recommend treating clothing with Permethrin prior to the trip to help prevent ticks. Ouachita National Recreation Trail: 223 359: Arkansas and Oklahoma: longest trail in Ouachita National Forest: Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail: 214 344: Southeastern United States: Abingdon, Virginia & Elkin, North Carolina: Kings Mountain National Military Park: Y-shaped trail commemorating the historic route of the Overmountain Men. Naomi loves her Sea to Summit Ultralight Sleeping Pad. See our Shoulder Season Backpacking Gear article for ideas. We took one day off in Mt. Start Location: Trip Miles: 0. Blue blazes are painted on trees and every mile is marked both on a tree and on the ground with a survey marker. Within driving distance 4. The Guthook app offers an Ouachita Trail guide with detailed maps, elevation profiles, water reports, and campsites and shelters, as well as campground and trailhead locations. Photo by Naomi Hudetz. We carried Patagonia R1 fleece tops and capilene tights as an insulating layer. Hot Springs, AR 71902 The eastern boundary is south of Perryville, Arkansas on Highway 9. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Naomi carried the Westcomb Shift LT men’s jacket. We’re ad-free and have no sponsored content. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know when we release new gear reviews! State Park near Little Rock, Arkansas. We’re 100% reader-supported publication. Fort Smith, Arkansas, approximately 1 hour from Talimena State Park, has commercial air service. It traverses the only East-West Mountain Range in the lower 48. Get ready for scenic, rocky, single-track as you tour Pinnacle Mountain State Park and the eastern part of the 222 mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail. In the west, the trail begins at Talimena State Park on Highway 271 near Talihina, Oklahoma. Finally, we carried Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Carbon trekking umbrellas. Phone: (580) 494-6402. Junctions are generally signed and easy to identify. The Ouachita Trail Guide by Tim Ernest provides a nice overview of the trail and a detailed description of trail sections. In the mid-afternoon, Lori offered to drive us to Mt. Photo by Mike Unger. Jessieville, AR Applying bug spray to my socks in an effort to thwart ticks and chiggers. Warm enough to h… In addition, the Atlas Guides Ouachita Trail app identifies water sources. Stretches for 233 miles across the Ouachita National Forest from near Talihina, Oklahoma, to Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock. They do tear very easily, though, so I only use them on trails that are well-maintained and will not require any bushwacking. Our strategy is to layer with lightweight fleece and tights under our rain gear. The trail had to satisfy a few conditions for me to choose it: 1. The USFS has produced maps of the Ouachita Trail and has given us permission to use them here. The easternmost 30 miles are outside the Ouachita National Forest. Pinnacle Mountain State Park is a 30-minute drive from Little Rock, Arkansas. We used trash compactor bags as pack liners to protect our gear from the expected rain. The trail meanders through the Ouachita National Forest with spurs providing lake vistas. Ouachita National Recreation Trail is a 210.9 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Talihina, Oklahoma that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. District In addition to providing emergency rescue notification, I like that I can use it to send text messages. The key is to avoid hypothermia even when wet. Expect a lower-than-average daily mileage over much of the route. Please do yourself a favor and visit the Bluebell when hiking the Ouachita and eat heartily. Ouachita National Recreation Trail: Sunshine-- View Entry --Ouachita National Recreation Trail: High Loon: Stealth Campsite: Foothills Trail: JERMS: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter: Appalachian Trail: Star: Clark Mountain Road: Appalachian Trail: Speedy: Two Lads and the Pike : Other Trails: Maj.D.Saster: Just when you think you're there! We only saw six other backpackers and very few day hikers until Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Below is a list of the clothes Naomi and I wore: A good headlamp is especially important for shoulder season hikes, as hte days are short. Mena, AR Naomi added the Gossamer Gear feedbag for easy access to snacks, while I added the Gossamer Gear shoulder strap pocket to hold my camera. The trail is lightly used and avoids towns and major roads. Elevations range from 600 to 2,600 feet as the trail passes through forested mountains, across sweeping valleys and near clear-running streams. We both carried the BioLite 330 headlamp. The eastern boundary is south of Perryville, Arkansas on Highway 9. The Ouachita National Recreation Trail, an approximately 225-mile back country trail, runs east and west the length of the Ouachita Mountains.More commonly referred to as the “Ouachita Trail,” it lies primarily within the Ouachita National Forest.. But fear not, we don't allow our judgment to be influenced by these arrangements! In the west, the trail begins at Talimena State Park on Highway 271 near Talihina, Oklahoma. It was one of the most pleasant town stops we’ve had over 25,000[TK] miles of thru-hiking. The Ouachita Trail is subject to weather extremes: strong thunderstorms, sub-freezing temperatures, ice- and snowstorms, and hot and muggy conditions. Lori arranged to have a friend pick us up at 8 am, and we stayed at the Bluebell for breakfast and lunch. Naomi and I would thru-hike it again, perhaps linking it via shuttles with the Ozark Mountain Trail. Monday, November 16, 2020 Destination: Today's Miles: 0. The hiking trail avoids towns and heavily traveled roads, which can complicate resupply but results in a true sense of solitude. I have replaced the tips five times, and I typically replace my tips every 1,500 miles or so. Buggy. We started at Talimena State Park on February 26 and finished at Pinnacle Mountain State Park on March 8 for a total of 12 days on trail. Much of the route follows the ridges and crest lines of the Ouachita Mountains, providing outstanding views and a wilderness experience. Highlights of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail available here. We had to be prepared for cold and wet conditions. I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to have the time to do any of the truly large thruhikes, but I wanted so desperately to be able to call myself a thruhiker. The 223-mile Ouachita (pronounced “Wash-i-tah”) Trail is a National Recreation Trail that runs through the Ouachita Mountains from Talimena State Park in eastern Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock, Arkansas. While there were no people out that early, the ticks and chiggers came out early this year. Uber and Lyft serve the Little Rock metropolitan area. This is a hiking trail which allows mountain biking through remote sections of the Ouachita Mountains. The rooms were beautiful and the restaurant was good-there’s a hiker-friendly breakfast buffet. Photo by Mike Unger. Ouachita National Recreation Trail is a 223-mile (359 km) long, continuous hiking trail through the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. There are even mileage markers along the entire route. These maps do not include the eastern-most 30 miles of trail not on USFS land. We should have carried bug spray and a tick key. A note regarding COVID-19: Our Ouachita Trail thru-hike occurred just prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions. Ida to do laundry and get a room for the night. The temperatures dropped into the teens on our first night on trail, but we were sweating in our shelter a few nights later. Below are the resources we used for our thru-hike: We purchased the Ouachita Trail Guide to get an overview of the trail and trail descriptions. My buff is one of my favorite pieces of gear. The Ouachita Trail is well-maintained and blazed. I think the Aftershokz Aeropex bone-conducting headphones are perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities. We did order a pizza from the restaurant for the hike out. There was plenty of water, and we had the trail to ourselves-mostly. Because that section is not on national forest land, the only legal camping spot is the Penney Campsite, approximately 15 miles from the eastern terminus at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Where to Go, Trip Ideas, Rafting Trip Ideas, Route Description, Trip Ideas, rafting trips, water sports. Distance: 223 miles (375km) from Talimena State Park, Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Arkansas, Elevation gain/loss: 34,300’ (10,455m) ascent; 34,900’ (10,648m) descent. The boulder fields are fairly technical and will require walking the bike for most people. We discuss the jackets in our Best Rain Jackets article. Phone: (479) 637-4174, Oklahoma Ranger District In the west, the trail begins at Talimena State Park on Highway 271 near Talihina, Oklahoma. At Treeline, we want you to buy right the first time. Photo by Mike Unger. Ida, thanks to a shuttle from Lori at the Bluebell Cafe. The eastern boundary is south of Perryville, Arkansas on Highway 9. Ouachita trail maps and GPX data are available for free. The Ouachita Trail Guidebook and trail mileage markers are oriented for a start at the western terminus in Talimena State Park in Oklahoma and a finish at the eastern terminus in Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock, Arkansas. The Ouachita Mountain range has a similar steepness and rugged feeling as the Appalachian Mountain range. The Ouachita Trail is traditionally a west-to-east hike, though it can be hiked in either direction. Naomi carried the Leki Jannu poles, which are no longer in production. This is the longest trail in the Ouachita National Forest spanning 192 miles across its entire length. Below are other resupply options, with mileage assuming west-to-east travel: The lodge, located on Rich Mountain at the high point of the Ouachita Trail (2,610’), accepts hiker resupply boxes. The 50 mile and 50 km runs feature a picturesque climb over Pinnacle Mountain followed by an out-and-back traversing the rolling hills along the north shore of beautiful Lake Maumelle. Summers in Arkansas are too hot, muggy, and buggy. To maintain the natural character of the trail, no horses or motorized vehicles, including trail cycles, are allowed. We were fortunate to have dry conditions, as this section could be treacherous when wet or icy. Length 213.9 miElevation gain 32276 ftRoute type Point to point Below are some of the biggest challenges we faced: Like the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Ouachita Trail can feel like an endless series of 500’-1,000’ ascents and descents. We should have sent a resupply box to the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge at mile 51 in addition to the Bluebell Cafe in Story. Though she couldn’t find a women’s version, it’s lightweight and made with Polartec Neoshell. Low Point: 300' (90m) near Lake Maumelle close to the eastern terminus. Unsurfaced. There are also rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. The TOAKS 550 ml is reviewed in our Best Backpacking Cooking pots story and the TOAKS spoon is in our Backpacking Essential Accessories story. I carried Frogg Toggs rain jackets and pants, as I have found them to be as good as other lightweight rain gear. The eastern boundary is south of Perryville, Arkansas on Highway 9. This is the longest trail in the Ouachita National Forest spanning 192 miles across its entire length. The trail is very rocky, and stepping safely requires focus. Friends of the Ouachita Trail (FoOT) is a non-profit organization (IRS 501c3) created by trail users to maintain the Ouachita National Recreation Trail as a healthy and enjoyable outdoor recreational asset. 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road Little Rock, AR 72223 The OT is an east-west corridor which extends from Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock to Talimena State Park near Talihina, Oklahoma. A thru-hiker on trail a week after us had to quit early after a week of strong storms. Hochatown, OK Lori, the Bluebell’s proprietor, will shuttle hikers to and from the trail for a delicious meal. Without exception, these shelters were meticulously clean and uncrowded. I used a Montbell Plasma Down jacket and Naomi used the Patagonia Micro Puff. It can also be purchased as part of the Arkansas Hiker package, which highlights other longer backpacking trails in the Arkansas trail system. Please respect these boundaries. The Ouachita Trail is a shoulder season hike, meaning it’s best to hike in the spring or fall. The map at right is an overview map. I prefer an umbrella to a wearing drenched jacket hood when hiking through long hours of rain. Destination: Start Location: Today's Miles: 0. I am notoriously tough on my poles (and all my gear), and I have yet to break these poles over over 6,000 miles miles of use. Potentially dangerous river fords, especially after storms. It is the longest backpacking trail in the Ouachita National Forest, spanning 192 miles across its length. US Forest Service Ouachita National Recreation Trail Page. This is the only section of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail currently open to mountain biking. Our gear list was complicated by our early start. For updates on trail conditions as well as information on this group, check out their website. Long dry stretches. Fax: (501) 321-5305, Caddo/Womble Ranger While navigation is not difficult, the Ouachita Trail is not an easy thru-hike. The Ouachita National Recreation Trail is maintained by a non-profit group, Friends of the Ouachita Trail (FoOT). The Ouachita National Scenic Trail is a 223 mile (359 km) pathway that winds its way through the Ouachita (pronounced wa-she-ta) mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. FOOT is a non-profit organization supporting, maintaining, and providing resources for the Ouachita Trail. The Ouachita National Recreation Trail is 223 miles stretching from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park on the outskirts of Little Rock, Arkansas. FOOT provides a list of trail shuttles. Civilization rarely encroached on the trail. 100 Reserve Street Our favorite two-person tent since 2019 has been the Six Moon Designs Haven Tarp with a NetTent. The Soto is the Windproof Winner in the Best Backpacking Stoves story. The Bluebell Cafe is a highlight of the Ouachita Trail. We did miss the mosquitoes, but a mild winter brought ticks out early. Shuttles are available from Fort Smith to Talimena State Park (see below for information on shuttles). (As this may change from year to year, you’ll want to call to confirm and get details.) FOOT provides a detailed trail overview, a listing of trail shuttle services, current trail conditions, and information on how to support the Ouachita Trail. 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