October 2005

Hot Springs, AR  -  Looking for easy access to the rugged Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas? County and Forest Service roads will get you so far, but the Ouachita National Recreation Trail leads to places most people never see.

The Ouachita Trail cuts and climbs about 225 miles from Oklahoma’s Talimena State Park to Pinnacle Mountain State Park just west of Little Rock. Hikers, backpackers, hunters, mountain bikers, bird watchers and fishermen share this path through some of the most remote areas in Arkansas. Most of the trail lies within the Ouachita National Forest, but a few miles on the eastern end are on private property. The trail offers many loops and easily accessed sections that are perfect for day hikes and weekend trips.

Friends of the Ouachita Trail is one of the volunteer groups that helps the USDA Forest Service maintain the trail. The group also works with state parks departments in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

FOOT organizes individuals who adopt 1- to 3-mile sections of trail and other volunteer groups that adopt up to 20 miles of trail. If you would like to adopt part of the trail or help in any other way, contact Friends of the Ouachita Trail, P.O. Box 8630, Hot Springs, AR 71910, www.friendsot.org.

For maps and more information about planning a trip on the Ouachita Trail, check http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/ouachita_tr.htm or call (501) 321-5202.