The Trail

The Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT) is one of the premier, long-distance hiking trails in the United States. Located in the middle-South, it is well-known for its winter hiking opportunities when many other trails are impassable. Fall through Spring are the peak seasons for this trail. Featured in National Geographic Magazine, The Guardian, and Backpacker Magazine, the OHT offers 270 miles of hiking and backpacking across the most rugged and scenic terrain in the region.

When complete, the OHT will run about 320 miles across northern Arkansas with the west end at Lake Fort Smith and the east end at the Missouri border north of Lake Norfork where it will someday connect to the Ozark Trail near Tecumseh MO.  About 270 miles of the OHT have been built with 50 miles to do across the Lower Buffalo Wilderness and 3 gaps near Lake Norfork.  The longest continuous piece is 207 miles in the Boston Mountains and Buffalo River areas.

The major segments of the OHT are (from west to east):

  • Boston Mountains: 164 miles, western end at Lake Fort Smith, eastern end at the mouth of Richland Creek (near the Woolum ford).
  • Buffalo River: coexists with 43 miles of the Buffalo River Trail from Richland Creek downstream to AR-14/Dillard’s Ferry.  There are about 15 miles to be built through the Lower Buffalo Wilderness between AR-14 and the Spring Creek trail head in the Sylamore area.  A couple bushwhack routes have been published.
  • Sylamore: 32 miles from the Spring Creek trail head headed east then turning north to the Matney Knob trail head on AR-341.
  • Lake Norfork: there is about an 8-mile gap between the Matney Knob trail head and the Norfork Dam.  Much of this is private property but a road walk is doable.  The Tracy Arm section runs north from the dam about 13 miles to a trail head at CR 1028.  There is an 18-mile gap.  David’s Trail runs north about 17 miles from Robinson Point to the Red Bank Recreation Area.  There is a gap of about 7 miles to the state line.

General Information

Important trail alerts can be viewed on our Trail Alerts page. The alerts and notices page from the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest can also be useful, providing information about controlled burns, campground closures, etc.

The trail is blazed with 2″x6″ white markers oriented vertically and typically nailed to a tree near eye level.  Mile markers are a 12″ piece of carsonite post oriented horizontally and attached to a tree near eye level and facing the trail.

Please report trees across the trail that you cannot step over by describing the situation, the mile marker number of the next marker you come to and the date you saw it.  Likewise for washouts and landslides.  Just e-mail our Maintenance Coordinator.   Accurate and detailed reports save our sawyers time and are much appreciated.

Please sign in (and out) at trail head register boxes on the cards or in the notebook provided. It helps the OHTA and land managers to know the number of people using a section, and it gives search and rescue crews a clue where to find you if the unexpected happens. The more information you provide the better the results.

Dogs, where permitted at all, need to be leashed.

The trail is located almost entirely on public land that is open to seasonal hunting.  Wearing blaze orange visible from front and back is a wise precaution.

With the OHT Guide in the FarOut app, you can see your position, a GPS track of the trail, waypoints along the way (water, camping, road crossings, etc.), an elevation profile, comments from other hikers, and much more. The guide can be downloaded for use offline. Find out more about FarOut and their guides on the FarOut website.

Continue reading below for details on the different segments of the trail and options for paper maps.

BOSTON MOUNTAINS

This 164-mile segment between Lake Fort Smith and the Buffalo River, completed in 1989, was once regarded as the whole trail.  It passes through some of the highest, most rugged, and scenic parts of the Ozarks.

The OHTA recalculated the locations for mile markers and replaced all of them between April ’16 and August ’17.  Most have moved east at least a mile.  Keep that in mind when looking at older maps, books, trail reports, etc.

Major trail heads

  • Lake Ft Smith (mile 0): 35.694624, -94.11849
  • White Rock Mountain (mile 17.4): Parking area at 35.68953, -93.95447
  • Cherry Bend (mile 35.3): Park at 35.743316,-93.811553.
  • Lick Branch (mile 55.1): 35.71000, -93.66157
  • Arbaugh Road (mile 69.9): 35.75765,-93.52795
  • Ozone Campground (mile 84.7):  35.672979,-93.450776
  • Fort Douglas, aka Big Piney Creek (mile 103.8):  35.677945,-93.238073
  • Fairview Campground (mile 123.8): 35.73875, -93.09376
  • Richland Creek Campground (mile 143.2): 35.7964,-92.9303
  • Woolum ford (mile 164): Parking at 35.971941,-92.886213

Maps

Maps for the Boston Mountains section are available from our store.  The West map covers the area from Lake Fort Smith east to the Ozone Campground (miles 0 to 86).  The East map covers Ozone Campground to Woolum ford (miles 86 to 164).  These shaded relief, 1:35,000 scale topographic maps are up to date with correct mile marker labels and locations, scenic area icons, road names and numbers, and feature 50 ft contour intervals, UTM 1,000 meter labeled grid lines, interpretive and map use information and more, all presented on rugged, waterproof stock folded to 4 3/8″ x 9 3/8″.

If you are looking for maps you can use on your mobile device, the maps mentioned above are available for purchase in the Avenza Maps app.

CompulsiveHiker has a set of PDF maps available that you can download and are formatted to print on 11×17 paper.

Other Resources

Tim Ernst’s Ozark Highlands Trail Guide has long been the definitive source of information for this segment.  The 6th edition uses the new mile marker locations.

BUFFALO RIVER

This 43-mile segment follows the Buffalo River from near the mouth of Richland Creek to the Dillard’s Ferry area at AR-14.  It coexists with part of the Buffalo River Trail here so is commonly called the BRT/OHT.  The trail alternates between low creek crossings and bluff tops with some great views and historical artifacts (leave them!) in abundance.

East of Dillard’s Ferry to the Spring Creek trail head in the Sylamore area is a 15-mile bushwhack – mostly through the Lower Buffalo Wilderness (LBW).  The Hiker’s Guide, Ozark Highlands Trail Route, Lower Buffalo Wilderness (available at Pack Rat and the OHTA web store) has topo maps and GPS waypoints for this route.

Much of the trail from the Richland Creek crossing to just past the Old Arnold Cemetery is shared with equestrians and blazed both white and yellow.  Hiker-only trail is blazed white, equestrian trail is blazed yellow.  Watch carefully for areas where shared trail splits so you don’t miss a turn (or take one you shouldn’t).

The National Park Service does not permit dogs on trails or in backcountry areas within its borders.

Major trail heads

  • Woolum ford: Parking at 35.97194,-92.88621.  The river level here can be too high to cross after big rains.  If the Carver gauge is much above 6.5 feet then consider an alternate plan.  Be cautious even if the level is lower as the rocks are still very slick.
  • Dave Manes Bluff: 35.95727, -92.85430
  • Tyler Bend (Collier Homestead): 35.9754,-92.7654
  • Grinders Ferry (US-65): 35.9843,-92.7443
  • Zack Ridge Road: 35.9908,-92.6958
  • Red Bluff Road: 36.0162,-92.6571
  • South Maumee Road: 36.0234,-92.6169
  • Spring Creek Road: 36.0286, -92.5798 (don’t confuse with the Spring Creek trail head in the Sylamore area)
  • AR-14 (Dillard’s Ferry): 36.0652, -92.5783
  • Jackson Ridge (LBW) access: approximately 36.0977,-92.5223
  • Log Wagon Gap (LBW) access: approximately 36.0681,-92.4834
  • Spring Creek: 36.05301,-92.44501  (Sylamore area – don’t confuse with Spring Creek Road trail head above).

Maps

The North Map in the OHTA web store covers the Richland Valley east through the Sylamore area (miles 164 to 253).  This shaded relief, 1:37,500 scale topographic map is up to date with scenic area icons, road names and numbers, and features 50 ft contour intervals, UTM 1,000 meter labeled grid lines, interpretive and map use information and more, all presented on rugged, waterproof stock folded to 4 3/8″ x 9 3/8″.

If you are looking for maps you can use on your mobile device, the map mentioned above is available for purchase in the Avenza Maps app.

CompulsiveHiker has a set of PDF maps available that you can download and are formatted to print on 11×17 paper.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated map #233 shows the area from about mile 154 of the Boston Mountains segment east to the Sylamore area but none of the “new” trail – between US-65 and AR-14 – is shown.  There are errors as well: the map depicts part of the OHT crossing and running along the north side of the river.  That is actually an equestrian trail.  Also, the map shows a part of the BRT on the north side of the river from US-65 to Gilbert.  That is not the BRT.  Even the new 2019 edition of this map is incorrect.

Other Resources

Ken Smith’s Buffalo River Handbook is the definitive source of information for the river, trails, and surrounding area.  A second edition was published December ’18.

Tim Ernst’s Ozark Highlands Trail Guide contains some information for the area between the Woolum ford and Tyler Bend.

SYLAMORE

The campground at Blanchard Springs closes if there’s any hint of heavy rain in the forecast.  Call the visitor information center at 870-757-2211 if that might impact your plans.

Major trail heads

  • Spring Creek (mile 0) 36.05301,-92.44501  (don’t confuse with the Spring Creek Rd trail head in the Buffalo River area)
  • Moccasin Springs (mile 9) 36.02983,-92.35291
  • Cripple Turkey (mile 14.4) 36.05655, -92.31844  (this is also the west end of the North Sylamore Creek Trail)
  • Brush Creek (mile 18.1) 36.10046,-92.32681
  • Matney Knob (mile 31.6) 36.21423,-92.30819

Maps

The North Map in the OHTA web store covers the Richland Valley east through the Sylamore area (miles 164 to 253). This shaded relief, 1:37,500 scale topographic map is up to date with scenic area icons, road names and numbers, and features 50 ft contour intervals, UTM 1,000 meter labeled grid lines, interpretive and map use information and more, all presented on rugged, waterproof stock folded to 4 3/8″ x 9 3/8″.

If you are looking for maps you can use on your mobile device, the map mentioned above is available for purchase in the Avenza Maps app.

CompulsiveHiker has a set of PDF maps available that you can download and are formatted to print on 11×17 paper.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated map #233 shows the trail to the point where it crosses AR-341 (about mile marker 23).

Other Resources

Tim Ernst’s Ozark Highlands Trail Guide contains information for this segment.

LAKE NORFORK

Major trail heads

Tracy Arm section (aka Lake Norfork Trail), about 13 miles:

  • Dam: trail head @ 36.25725, -92.24115  with day-use parking @ 36.25645, -92.24052
  • Lake Road / Briarcliff: approximately 36.2739,-92.2638
  • Sycamore Highlands: 36.28182,-92.26063
  • George’s Cove: 36.29270,-92.25532
  • Tracy Park: trail crossing @ 36.29850, -92.27125,  parking @ 36.29910, -92.26894
  • CR 1028: approximately 36.3114, -92.2719

David’s Trail, about 17 miles: 

  • Robinson Point: 36.35703, -92.24673
  • Panther Bay: 36.37832, -92.24935  (there may be a day-use fee here)
  • Bidwell Point Rec Area: approximately 36.3877, -92.2434
  • Red Bank Rec Area: 36.44947, -92.26660

Maps

A proper map of the area is in the works.  In the mean time, here’s a large-scale overview of the lake area so you can at least get some idea of where the trails are.