This Extraordinary Trail in Arkansas Will Make You Feel Like You Can Take On Anything

Any true blue Arkansas nature fans out there? I know some of y'all are, and I am too. But I’ll be honest, I’m not about to forgo the comfort of my house and take to a trail I can’t hike in a day or less. I would imagine most of us are not quite in fighting shape when it comes to hiking the entirety of the Ozarks Highlands Trail, a 218-mile trail that leads through the most remote sections of the Ozarks in northwest Arkansas. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy the smaller segments of this trail. A few things are pretty much guaranteed whether you’re completing the whole of the Ozark Highlands Trail or just a portion of it: you’re going to find some truly stunning natural beauty and you’re going to walk away with a monumental sense of accomplishment.

To find access points and directions, you’ll want to visit this website.

The trail begins at Lake Fort Smith State Park.

White Rock Mountain is another good spot for embarkation.

No matter which leg of the trail you choose, or which season you choose to do it in, the entirety of the trail is a nature lover’s dream.

But there’s no time like the present, and fall is an ideal season to spend your time in the woods.

The scenic vistas you’ll find along the trail just can’t be missed...

...and the truth is you never quite know what wonders await in the forest itself until you see them with your own eyes.

The Ozark Highlands Trail mostly crosses through the Ozark National Forest, and it runs alongside a number of creeks, ponds, and pools.

Hikers near Haw Creek can expect to find gems like Hobo Falls.

Of course, there are a number of unnamed falls you may discover along the way.

Whether you want to have a ball on a fall day...

...or test your chops and conquer the whole thing...

...you won’t find a more beautiful trail in the Natural State.

For more trails you absolutely MUST conquer, click here. If you're looking for easy hikes almost everyone can do, try these.