The Ozark Highlands Trail roams through parts of seven counties in northwest

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

. It stretches from Lake Fort Smith State Park, across the

Ozark National Forest The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

, to the

Buffalo National River The Buffalo River, located in Northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is long. The lower flow within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where the str ...

. The trail passes through some of the most remote and scenic portions of the

Ozark Mountains The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

, like the Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area. It also crosses White Rock Mountain, Hare Mountain, the Marinoni Scenic Area, and many other scenic spots. There are long-term plans to connect the similarly named Ozark Trail in

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

to the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas, resulting in over of continuous trails through the

Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

. The proposed route initially passed through 14 miles of wilderness area in the

park, and the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

initially supported this route. However, they have since vetoed this proposed route.

References

External links

Ozark Highlands Trail Hiking Information

Ozarks Highland Trail Association
Highlands Trail Hiking trails in Arkansas Long-distance trails in the United States Natural history of Arkansas Ozark–St. Francis National Forest National Recreation Trails in Arkansas {{US-trail-stub