OHTA East Fall 2025 Basecamp
2025-10-03 - 2025-10-05 | Richland Creek Campground, Campground Rd, Witts Springs, AR, 72686, United States
The OHTA will be sponsoring four (4) work weekends during the Fall of 2025. This will enable us to take care of some problem areas along the trail in preparation for hiking season and trail runs/events that the OHT will be hosting.
All four Base Camps will be camping events—if you want to camp. Commuting each day is also an option for some. So, if you plan to camp, please bring your camping gear. The OHTA will have several sites reserved at the campgrounds at NO cost to you. Also, OHTA will provide BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER for all participants. Water, soda, and tea will be available. Bring your own adult beverages.
Hard hats, safety gear, and maintenance implements will be provided. Members and nonmembers are welcome. Please remember to bring your lawn chairs because after the workday, base camp becomes a social event filled with conversation, giveaways, and plenty of laughter while sitting around the fire with people who enjoy similar things.
We need individuals to help in many ways both in camp and on the trail. On the trail, volunteers will be needed to serve as loppers, sawyers, trimmers, and swampers (aka, sawyer helpers). Or, if you’d prefer to stay at camp and help out there, you can help with cooking, cleaning, picking up around camp, and/or with shuttling volunteers to various locations on the OHT. Whatever you choose to do, it will be very greatly appreciated!
Each day of trail work will begin with a meeting at 8:30 a.m. so volunteers can be informed of their assigned locations on the trail and what their tasks will entail.
Free camping will be available on the Thursday evening for the West, East, and North basecamps, and on Friday evening for the Norfork Lake basecamp.
OHTA East Basecamp
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – October 3, 4, 5, 2025
Richland Campground in Richland Creek Recreation Area (Located in Richland Creek Wilderness on the east side—accessed by Richland Creek Road)
OHTA’s area is reserved, and camping is open and free to all OHTA Maintenance Basecamp participants starting the afternoon of Thursday, October 2
The campground has vault toilets and no water hookups
One backcountry shower with hot water will be set up for all participants by East Maintenance Director, Sean Prewitt
All food will be free
Participants will be responsible for providing their own adult beverages
Sign-up link: OHTA Basecamp (East) at Richland Creek

OHTA North Fall 2025 Basecamp
2025-10-10 - 2025-10-12 | White Oak Cabins & RV, 1655 Highway 14, Fifty Six, Arkansas, 72533
The OHTA will be sponsoring four (4) work weekends during the Fall of 2025. This will enable us to take care of some problem areas along the trail in preparation for hiking season and trail runs/events that the OHT will be hosting.
All four Base Camps will be camping events—if you want to camp. Commuting each day is also an option for some. So, if you plan to camp, please bring your camping gear. The OHTA will have several sites reserved at the campgrounds at NO cost to you. Also, OHTA will provide BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER for all participants. Water, soda, and tea will be available. Bring your own adult beverages.
Hard hats, safety gear, and maintenance implements will be provided. Members and nonmembers are welcome. Please remember to bring your lawn chairs because after the workday, base camp becomes a social event filled with conversation, giveaways, and plenty of laughter while sitting around the fire with people who enjoy similar things.
We need individuals to help in many ways both in camp and on the trail. On the trail, volunteers will be needed to serve as loppers, sawyers, trimmers, and swampers (aka, sawyer helpers). Or, if you’d prefer to stay at camp and help out there, you can help with cooking, cleaning, picking up around camp, and/or with shuttling volunteers to various locations on the OHT. Whatever you choose to do, it will be very greatly appreciated!
Each day of trail work will begin with a meeting at 8:30 a.m. so volunteers can be informed of their assigned locations on the trail and what their tasks will entail.
Free camping will be available on the Thursday evening for the West, East, and North basecamps, and on Friday evening for the Norfork Lake basecamp.
OHTA North Basecamp
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – October 10, 11, 12, 2025
White Oak Cabins & RV
1655 Highway 14; Fifty Six, Arkansas 72533
5 cabins and 4 RV sites (w/electricity and water) are free and open to all OHTA Maintenance Basecamp participants starting the afternoon of Thursday, October 9
Plenty of space on the grounds for tent camping
NOTE: If you would like to put dibs on one of the cabins or plan to to use one of the sites for your RV or travel trailer, please let us know in advance at: brown.philip9@gmail.com
Separate hot shower facilities for women and men available, and the bathrooms are nice and clean
All food will be free
Participants will be responsible for providing their own adult beverages
Sign-up link: OHTA Basecamp (North) at Fifty Six, AR

OHTA Norfork Lake Fall 2025 Basecamp
2025-10-18 - 2025-10-19 | Three Oaks Resort, 117 Three Oaks Lane, Gamaliel, Arkansas, 72537
The OHTA will be sponsoring four (4) work weekends during the Fall of 2025. This will enable us to take care of some problem areas along the trail in preparation for hiking season and trail runs/events that the OHT will be hosting.
All four Base Camps will be camping events—if you want to camp. Commuting each day is also an option for some. So, if you plan to camp, please bring your camping gear. The OHTA will have several sites reserved at the campgrounds at NO cost to you. Also, OHTA will provide BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER for all participants. Water, soda, and tea will be available. Bring your own adult beverages.
Hard hats, safety gear, and maintenance implements will be provided. Members and nonmembers are welcome. Please remember to bring your lawn chairs because after the workday, base camp becomes a social event filled with conversation, giveaways, and plenty of laughter while sitting around the fire with people who enjoy similar things.
We need individuals to help in many ways both in camp and on the trail. On the trail, volunteers will be needed to serve as loppers, sawyers, trimmers, and swampers (aka, sawyer helpers). Or, if you’d prefer to stay at camp and help out there, you can help with cooking, cleaning, picking up around camp, and/or with shuttling volunteers to various locations on the OHT. Whatever you choose to do, it will be very greatly appreciated!
Each day of trail work will begin with a meeting at 8:30 a.m. so volunteers can be informed of their assigned locations on the trail and what their tasks will entail.
Free camping will be available on the Thursday evening for the West, East, and North basecamps, and on Friday evening for the Norfork Lake basecamp.
OHTA Norfork Lake Basecamp
Saturday, Sunday – October 18,19, 2025
Three Oaks Resort
117 Three Oaks Lane
Gamaliel, Arkansas 72537
Cabins 7, 8, and 9 have been reserved
Plenty of space on the grounds for tent camping
There will be toilet and shower accessibility for everyone
Camping is free and open to all OHTA Maintenance Basecamp participants starting the afternoon of Friday, October 17
All food will be free
Participants will be responsible for providing their own adult beverages
Sign-up link: OHTA Basecamp (Keystone) at Norfork

2025 Hare Mountain Hike-In
2025-11-01 - 2025-11-02 | Hare Mountain
Mark your calendar for Saturday and Sunday, November 1st and 2nd if you’re interested in joining in on the celebration of OHTA’s 44th birthday at the Hare Mountain Hike-In. Access to Hare Mountain is possible by journeying east along the OHT from East Fly Gap trailhead or by heading north from Morgan Fields trailhead. It’s a hike and a celebration you do not want to miss!
Naturally, all are welcome to join the fun, but please remember to bring all of your own camping supplies, stories and tall tales to share, and a dish for the top-of-the-mountain potluck that will be memorable and delicious! Be sure to check future editions of the OHTA Newsletter and OHTA’s social media sites because there will be more info coming as we get closer to the big event!

Matney Camp Restoration Celebration
2025-12-06 | Matney Camp
Several years ago, Matney Camp was decommissioned by the Forest Service, and since then, time, neglect, and the elements have taken their toll on what was left of the camp. As some of you know, the camp itself is accessible by a spur trail and by boat from the White River. On the OHT North map, the camp is designated by only a ‘basic camping’ symbol.

For months, Gordon King and a small group of recruits have devoted time to restoring Matney Camp, but the bulk of the effort devoted to the site came from Gordon. After all this time, the hard work everyone put into the camp has paid off—the camp is restored.
What all Matney Camp will or can be used for is yet to be determined, but three things are for sure: 1) It’s a great place for family activities, 2) it’s a nice site for bringing in the new year, and 3) Matney Camp will be the location of a Restoration Celebration on Saturday, December 6, 2025!!Here are the details:

Those wanting to hike roughly three miles from Matney Knob Trailhead (MKTH) to the camp can meet at MKTH at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
Food, water/soft drinks, and utensils for the celebration will be brought in from the river by Gordon King —byo adult beverages.
Those not wanting to do the three-mile hike can be shuttled to the intersection of Matney Camp Spur Trail and Highway 341—the parking area near the intersection of the two is limited to four vehicles at the most.
If you want to kayak/canoe yourself and/or family/friends to the event, you are encouraged to do so—children and fur babies are certainly welcome.
If you have an instrument and want to play some music, please bring it along!
Want to bring a board game—please do!
The festivities will likely end somewhere between 2 and 3 p.m.
If you want to turn this into an overnight backpacking event, please bring along your camping gear as everyone is welcome to stay through the night.
The camp has picnic tables and an outhouse that are in very nice shape.

So we can make food and beverage plans, please send an email to OHTA@ozarkhighlandstrail.com. Be sure to include your name and the number of folks who are coming with you—their names are optional, but including them would be appreciated.

Jan. 2026 Board of Directors Meeting
2026-01-11 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Fossil Cove Brewing, 1946 N. Birch Ave., Fayetteville, AR, 72703, United States
Sunday, January 11, 2026, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Fossil Cove Brewing Company
1946 North Birch Avenue
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703
Old Tap Room (entrance is the first door on the street side of the building)
Everyone is welcome to attend, so we hope to see you there!

Spring 2026 Ozone Workday
2026-02-28
This Spring, along with the trail adopters annual maintenance on their sections, we will have a few days dedicated to taking care of a few areas along the trail. The first work day this Spring will be on Saturday February 28, 2026. The location will be around the Highway 21 area, both East and West of Ozone TH. Treadwork, building steps, getting water off of the trail, and taking care of an unadopted section are on the agenda.
There will be free camping at Bill & Donna Hignite’s cabin, located near Ozone TH. Showers, bathrooms available. Volunteers will be able to camp Friday night and Saturday night, but we will only work on the trail Saturday Feb 28. Dinner will be provided to all volunteers on Saturday evening. Bring your own breakfast and lunch on the trail. The OHTA will provide all equipment and tools needed to work on the trail. Due to the amount of work and space at the Hignite’s, this workday will be limited to 30 volunteers.
Sign Up Here
Chris Adams will be sending more specific information to everyone that signed up when we get closer to Feb 28.

2026 OHTA Rendezvous
2026-04-24 - 2026-04-26 | Tyler Bend Campground, 170 Ranger Road, St. Joe, AR, 72675
Location: Tyler Bend Campground
Friday through Sunday, April 24 thru 26, 2026
No fee for tent only camping in the following group sites: G1, G2, G3 (no electricity)
Check in time on Friday, April 24: 1 p.m.
Check out time on Sunday, April 26: 12 p.m.
Pavilion reserved for Saturday, April 25 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (group shelter has electricity)
Saturday evening meal and the OHTA annual meeting will be held in the Pavilion
Evening meal served at or around 5:30 p.m.
Annual meeting starts at or around 7 p.m.
OHTA members and their families and friends of all ages are welcome to join the fun and festivities! Our furry friends are welcome, as well, but remember, Buffalo National River (BNR) regulations are that they must be on a leash that is no longer than 6 feet—sorry fur babes and fur parents!
OHTA’s annual meeting will be held after Saturday evening’s meal, and the winners of the 2026 election of Board candidates will be announced.
There is no charge to attend the Rendezvous, and pitching your tent in any one of the three group camping areas reserved by OHTA is free!
Tyler Bend Campground amenities

Hiking trails galore
Buffalo River Trail/Ozark Highlands Trail (BRT/OHT)
Tyler Bend Trail System
Old River Trail (ORT)
RV sites (non-electric) – some sites are currently available for reservation – others available on a first-come basis
Shower and toilet facilities onsite

Lodging options nearby

Sky Hawk Ridge, St. Joe, AR
Anna’s Guest House, Gilbert, AR
Buffalo River Outfitters, St. Joe, AR
Triple D Cabin Rental, St. Joe, AR (it’s right on Hwy 65 at the intersection of Hwy 65 and Hwy 333–the road that takes you down to Sky Hawk Ridge and Anna’s Guest House)
Gilbertstore.com

Dining options nearby

Ferguson’s Store and Restaurant
Big Springs Trading Co.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If your intentions are to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so plans can be made in regard to purchasing necessary food and supplies. You can email us at: OHTA@ozarkhighlandstrail.com
