Ouachita Trail: West

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The classic guidebook to the Ouachita Trail is Arkansas Hiking Trails by Tim Ernst. Now in its fourth edition, this guidebook tells you exactly what to expect along the trail. Most importantly, he identifies trailheads and sources of water, distinguishing those that are seasonal from those that are reliable all year round. Once on the trail, up to the minute information is available from those traveling in the other direction.

Because the Ouachita Trail mostly follows the higher elevations of the mountains, water is often unavailable in the drier summer season for more than ten miles at a time. Any itinerary here in June should therefore be built around planning out when each next source of water will become available. Trailheads likewise determine where it is possible to begin and end.

Since there is no water at all available during the driest part of the year for more than 25 miles between Miles 68-95, the Foran Gap Trailhead at Mile 68 is a logical maximum travel point for a group of Scouts who are relying for their information on third parties rather than their own experience with the trail.

Trailheads at

Water at

Mile 68 - Foran Gap Trailhead

Mile 58.5 - Eagle Gap

Mile 56.7 - Highway 270 Crossing (1.3 miles from Rich Country Store that runs a shuttle service and has hot showers).

Mile 56 - Ouachita River crossing

Mile 51.6 - Queen Wilhelmina State Park

Mile 51.6 - Queen Wilhemina State Park
Mile 46.0 - Water in a pool (probably)

Mile 46.3 - State Line Trailhead

Mile 43.1-40.9 - Numerous Crossings of Kiamichi River

Mile 39.2 - Kiamichi River Trailhead

Mile 34.3 - Pashubbe Trailhead

Mile 34.x-30.2 - Constant access to water

Mile 23.7 - Winding Stair Trailhead

Mile 20.0 - Horsethief Springs
Mile 14.0 - Headwaters of Cedar branch (probably)

Mile 8.0 - Camp Tom Hale



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