Great Hikes in Arkansas

I was so excited when I got to come to Arkansas this summer for work. I know, I know. Anyone not from the middle of the country would be thinking, why in the heck Arkansas?!?! Well, Arkansas (especially northwest Arkansas) is some of the most pretty, hilly terrain in the middle of the country. I am so use to being in the midwest where it is primarily flat af.

I made a pack with myself to get out and explore as much as possible, and I think I have done a relatively good job of it. I have been in the “not as pretty” are in northeast Arkansas, but have gone and explored almost every weekend. So here are some great trails and what I liked about each!

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

A great short, but steep hike to view the Buffalo River near Little Rock. This was such a fun hike with great views. Don’t underestimate the shortness of the hike for easy and bring snacks and water!

Jean Petit State Park

A really great state park northwest of Little Rock. We hiked to the Cedar Falls which was a really great hike and really incredible views of the falls. We also hiked Bear Cave Trail. This was a really short one, but we explored a lot. We got some epic pictures with the towering rock and it really looked like we were moon walking for awhile. Taking some time to explore was amazing. Rock House trail was easy. The cave was huge and it was fairly interesting. If I had to skip one here it would be Rock House

Hobbs State Park

I loved the Bashore Ridge Loop Trail! It was a recommendation from a park ranger and it was great. The 4.5 mile loop was nice and shaded. It was on a ridgeline, but you couldnt see anything because of the dense trees, until I popped out at the lake. It was a gorgeous view at the lake. I rested here for a bit and it was fantastic. During the BOTP retreat we did Pigeon Roost Trail. Again, heavily wooded, but some excellent views of a beautiful lake with impressively blue water.

Buffalo National River

Centerpoint to Goat Trail was a fun 5.9 mile hike. It was basically straight downhill to the epic cliff viewpoint, but the uphill was actually easier than expected. Truly beautiful views.

Devils Den State Park

This is the one park I wish I had more time at. I hit it on a roadtrip and the one hike I did (Devils Den Trail) was epic. The caves were super deep and had cold air seeping out of them. Such cool geology and a fun place to wander.

Mount Nebo State Park

We did the Mount Nebo Rim loop. There were some epic views and really great rock structures. Great place for some picture taking too. However, there isn’t as much shade, so go early and bring plenty of water.

Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area

We did this hike for sunset and oh man were the views worth it! The sun setting over the Buffalo River was gorgeous. However, the trail is very steep and very rocky when you get to the top. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the top (we didnt and I bonked HARD). Bring water and snacks. The only thing that you need to be aware of here is that the trailhead (gated) closes at dark. So from sunset to dark, we had to jog down.

Craighead Park

I may be bias, but this little lake is soooo fun! I have been running around it 2-3 times a week since the beginning of summer. There is a 2 mi loop around the lake, a paved 3 mi trail, and a bunch of bike parks. It so fun to see this multiuse area.

Have you do any hikes in Arkansas? Let us know your favorite below!

Remember:
- leave no trace!
- bring more water and food than you think you’ll need
- tell someone where you are going