Exploring Arkansas through its trails: Arkansas’ Best Trails
Arkansas is known for its blend of both historical and natural attractions. For this adventure guide, Take More Adventures will be exploring the latter through the state’s wildernesses and leisure trails. Extraordinary adventures await with some of the most beautiful sceneries and some very challenging trails. Here are some of our favorite trails to take in Arkansas.
Ouachita National Recreation Trail
Bordering both Arkansas and Oklahoma, Ouachita National Recreation Trails offers the best of both of these worlds. It is the longest of the many trails that can be found in Ouachita National Forest. Overall, the trail is about 192 miles long. Depending on where you are coming from, the trail begins and ends in Talihina, Oklahoma, or Perryville, Arkansas.
This trail passes through some very good landscapes. You will be passing through forested mountains, sweeping valleys, and cool running streams. The elevation throughout the whole trail range from 600 to 2,600 feet. You can also easily expand your trail by 32 more miles by extending to Pinnacle Mountain State Park.
Pinnacle Mountain State Park is another great trailing destination. It is only a little over 15 miles away from Little Rock.
Arkansas River Trail
Once in Little Rock, you may take on the Arkansas River Trail. Of course, the Arkansas River Trail Loop is much shorter and much leisurely than Ouachita National Recreation Trail. It passes through Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle, and then Conway. The loop is expandable though so you can easily add 15.6 miles more to your trip if you wish.
It is an excellent trail for cyclists to get the know the city (and nearby cities) for sure. Some parts of it can also be a great starting point for trail running. See some of the best trail running tips to get you started.
Petit Jean State Park
Petit Jean State Park is Arkansas’ first state park. Its success inspired the state to really develop and nurture its state park system. This is one of the many reasons why this State Park will always be special to the locals.
The state park features Arkansas’ rawest, most rugged beauty. Adding to this charm are the native log and stone facilities that dot the park. They are supposedly constructed in 1933 for the Civilian Conservation Corps. This makes Petit Jean State Park not only of scenic beauty but also of historical interest. Which is always an added bonus.
What we love about Petit Jean State Park is that it offers resort-type accommodations. This makes it perfect for families and for those who are just not ready to go on a hard-core camping trip. There are cabins all over that seem to be strategically placed around the park for the best views.
Within the park, there are several trail options from the Cedar Falls Trail to the Bear Cave Trail to name two.
There are plenty of nearby attractions from here, too. There is the Cherokee park, Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, and Lake Bailey. All of which are fantastic destinations of their own as well.
