These are options for hiking in Arkansas on loop trails that are between 10-15 miles. I consider these long day hikes, though some of the trails also accommodate hike in camping. I will include information about dispersed camping with each trail. Before I jump straight into my list of trails, I would like to talk about why I think longer loop trails are a great option for day hikes and what gear I use and carry for these hikes.
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| ChatGPT's best effort at generating my prompt... close enough. It got weird quickly. SMH |
Why I Like Long Loop Trails
Here are three reasons why you might consider trying a long loop trail.
First, loop trails are nice because they make logistics easy; you end where you began. There is no need to backtrack over the same route nor do you need to work out rides from one end to the other end like with through trails. You get to the trailhead, decide if you're going to hike clockwise or counter-clockwise, hike the trail, and you return to where you began. Get back in your car and drive yourself home.
Second, long day hikes can also serve to condition you for long trail days. If all you have ever done are short day hikes carrying a day pack, backpacking with overnight supplies and food for two or more days is going to be very difficult. Add on bigger miles and you're going to be hurting. Even if you never plan to get into backpacking (where you hike into a campsite carrying a shelter and sleep system plus food for one or more overnights), these long hikes are great exercise and conditioning if you enjoy physical fitness.
Lastly, the length of these trails often allows you to penetrate a bit deeper into the wilderness and away from the noise and trash of civilization. Fewer people visit these trails because they are more challenging. They require more planning and a higher level of fitness.
Prep for 10+ Mile Day Hikes
My first tip is to built up to the higher miles. If you have only ever tackled a 2-3 mile trail, don't try a ten mile trail. Find trails that are four or five miles long. If you do a couple of those and decide you want to challenge yourself, find some longer trails. One of the best things about Arkansas how many hiking trails there are. Some trail systems allow you to link trails to make your hike longer or shorter. Here are a few options in the Central Arkansas area that have trail systems that connect that you can use to marginally increase the length of your hikes to build up your distance and stamina.
- Hot Springs National Park
- Lake Catherine State Park
- Little Blakely Loops
Because these are trail systems that link multiple trails together, you can choose to do some shorter distance, then link those same trails to build up to longer distances.
In addition to those options, you can also hike sections of thru trails
Some day hikes are so short that people don't bring a backpack. You should definitely bring a pack on a ten or more mile day hike. Supplies to bring include water, a stocked first-aid kit, some snacks, electrolyte source, possibly a lunch, a small towel and/or bandana, trekking poles, headlamp, a map of the trail and area (digital or physical), sun, rain, and bug protection, as needed. There are some other items you would want to have with you depending on the specifics of the trail and weather conditions. Some of these trails are remote enough that you might not have mobile service. Having a GPS communications device with an SOS button can be a good idea, but it's not necessarily required. Some of these trails have wet river crossings, so some people like to bring sandals, Crocs, or other water shoes in order to ford the rivers or creeks, but to keep their hiking shoes dry. Though it's probably not necessary, I also carry a water filter and toilet kit with me on these hikes. Another nice thing to have is a camp chair.
Temperatures can vary a lot on these long hikes, so dressing in a layered system is important. You'll likely want warmer clothing in the morning and to strip off layers as you get moving and the temperatures increase during the day. Some days in Arkansas, the high for the day can begin warm and gradually drop as the day progresses, so weather patterns that deviate from the norm are especially important to make note of. Rainy weather can actually be fun to hike in, but it can make river and creek crossings more dangerous or unwise, it can make rugged trail surfaces slick, and if you aren't prepared, being wet can lead to hypothermia and death. Getting overheated is also bad. Hiking in summer months can lead to heat stroke. Getting sweat soaked in cool temperatures can also drop your core temperature and lead to hypothermia. Be smart and learn how to manage your body temperature for this kind of hike.
Odds and ends that are almost always in my pack, but don't necessarily need to be in yours; a small pocket knife, means of starting a fire, a few small lengths of cordage. You don't need a giant knife. Having a small knife can be useful if you need to cut a package open or cut a bandage or tape. Regarding fire starting gear, it's only useful if you can actually light a fire with it, so if you haven't practiced using it, don't bother. Cordage is only useful if you know of some applications where it can be used. It can be used to make repairs to gear and clothing in a pinch. It can be used for lashing items to your pack. It can be used to construct a temporary shelter. and I have also used cordage to set up a gravity filter system with my water filter. But if you don't know how to do any of that, bringing cordage in your kit is going to be useless weight. It's no good carrying items that you don't know how to use.
It is also far more important to do some research about these trails before you hit the trailhead so you know what you're getting into. Will there be wet creek crossings? Are there areas of the trail with no cellular service? What time is sunset on the day you are hiking? What is the weather forecast for the day while you're on the trail, and also take note of weather for the night and following day. If you know how to survive in those weather conditions and you can deal with it, great. If not, maybe postpone your trip for another time where getting stuck on the trail because of an injury or other unforeseen problem won't mean you have put yourself in danger. Not all of these trail options are so remote that this would be a serious concern, but some definitely are. Look into the trail and the weather and plan accordingly.
Plan to take at least one sit down break (this is why it's nice to have a chair or sit pad at minimum). These hikes will take hours. Pack yourself a lunch of some kind. Find a pretty and safe spot to sit, rest, refuel, rehydrate, and enjoy nature. I sometimes find it hard to stop when I'm on a longer hike, but these breaks have become one of my favorite things about hiking these long loop trails.
The Trails
- Boy Scout Trail - 12 Miles
Location
The Boy Scout Trail is located at Petit Jean State Park, between Russellville and Morrilton in the Arkansas River Valley area.
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| Petit Jean State Park - Wikipedia |
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| Boy Scout Trail - Garmin InReach |
Links
My detailed post about this trail and our recent visit to Petit Jean.
Possible Routes
The 12 mile loop follows Cedar Creek above and below the falls, crossing the creek at a junction with the Canyon trail. It is possible to cut off the big loop on the south end, which is comprised of about 80% of the Seven Hollows loop trail, and take the shorter portion of that trail to reduce mileage. You can also take the Canyon Trail and cut back to the Cedar Falls Trail and up to Mather Lodge.
Camping/Permits
No dispersed camping is permitted along this trail. It's strictly for day hiking. The park asks that if you plan to hike this trail, that you sign in at the Visitor's Center to let them know when you are starting and how many are in your party, then contact them again when you're finished for the day. When we hiked this trail, we stayed the night at Mather Lodge. When we finished the trail, we checked in at Mather and asked them to contact the Visitor Center to let them know we had finished. I think you can call the Visitor's Center as well to let them know you're done.
Have I Hiked it?
Yes. Here is a link to my detailed account. We truly enjoyed this hike. The Boy Scout Trail hits most of the best spots at Petit Jean State Park, and the variety of features, from cascading creeks to expansive overlooks, and a numerous interesting and pretty rock features, some of which I have never seen anywhere else.
Notes
We have visited Petit Jean multiple times, but in the past, we have tended to re-hike trails we hiked in the past; Cedar Falls and Seven Hollows. The Boy Scout Trail links with Bear Cave trail, Rock House Cave trail, and Cedar Creek trail, several trails, we have never hiked before and/or that we had possibly hiked one time more than a decade ago. Hiking the Boy Scout Trail exposed us to very cool areas in the park that we have neglected.
Access to this trail is all easy on paved roads.
- Sunset Trail (unofficial loop) - 13 miles (+-)
Location
The Sunset trail is located in Hot Springs National Park. It is technically a ten mile one way trail that does not connect, end to end, but the trail system in the national park allows you to hike it as a 13 or more mile loop depending on which route you choose. The eastern terminus is located in Gulpha Gorge on the east end of the campground. The western terminus is located at the top of the West Mountain Summit.
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| Hot Springs National Park - Wikipedia |
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| Sunset Loop - Garmin InReach App |
Links
Sunset Trail from the National Park website
Gulpha Gorge Campground part of the National Park
My detailed post about this trail
Distance
As stated above, this isn't officially a loop trail, but the official Sunset Trail runs ten miles, end to end. Linking the ends with other connected trails can be done in many ways, but the shortest route runs down the West Mountain on the Oak Trail, then links back to Gulpha Gorge via the Oertel Trail. This ends up being around 13 miles.
Possible Routes
In the links section above, I provide one detailed route. We recently went back to hike this trail again, going clockwise. After the Oertel trail, we took the Canyon Trail, and the West Mountain Trail to connect the ends of the trail. This turned out to add almost two miles to the hike. We finished at just under 15 miles.
Camping/Permits
You can camp for a fee at Gulpha Gorge campground. Dispersed camping is not allowed on this trail. No permits or special sign-in is required for this trail.
Have I hiked it?
Yes. We have hiked the full trail twice now. Refer to my detailed account, linked in the links section above.
Notes
This is the most urban of all the trails in this list. You pass through the city, and if you time yourself, you can easily take your lunch break in one of the many restaurants on Bathhouse Row, in the downtown area. This loop is challenging, but has rewarding scenery and overviews. Steel Bridge Road has a pond with a waterfall and an old mill. There are some amazing bluffs and rock formations in several parts of the trail. One of these days I would like to finish with a soak in one of the spa tubs on Bathhouse Row when we finish the trail, then grab a bite to eat for dinner.
Another nice facet of this trail is the fact that it has many trailheads and points of intersection with roads and civilization. With a little planning and coordination, you can hike portions of it in sections or call an Uber to pick you up and drive you back to your car if you get stuck or run out of time.
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| Desoto Lake waterfall on Sunset Trail |
Access to this trail is easy. All paved roads with multiple points of access.
- Butterfield Trail - 15 miles
Location
The Butterfield Trail is located in Northwest Arkansas at Devil's Den State Park. It begins in the park, but continues beyond the park boundary into the Ozark National Forest.
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| Devils Den State Park - Wikipedia |
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| Trail and elevation profile from AllTrails |
Links
Butterfield Trail from the State Park website
There is some interesting history on the Wikipedia article on Devil's Den.
Distance
The consensus on the distance is 15 miles. I have heard that the mile markers are not placed accurately, so don't necessarily rely on them for your pacing.
Possible Routes
While this trail does intersect with other trails in Devil's Den State Park, I don't know enough about this trail or the connecting trails to say if any of them would makes sense as alternative routes.
Camping/Permits
Overnight camping is permitted in designated campsites along this trail. The State Park requires you to register at the office whether you plan to hike the Butterfield Trail as a day hike or as an overnight trip. They will want to know your day and time of departure and planned return. They also require you to check in when you have completed your hike to let them know you made it back safely.
Have I hiked it?
Not yet. Mrs. Gavagai and I went to Devil's Den with the intention of hiking this trail, but temperatures were frigid the day we were there, so we opted to explore some of the shorter trails. We hope to return sometime soon and hike this trail.
Notes
The Butterfield trail has at least two wet river crossings, so plan accordingly. Those wet crossings are not generally risky deep water crossings from what I can tell, but you will get your feet wet. These wet crossings were the primary reason we revised our plans on the day we were there to hike this trail. Temps that morning were only around 15° F and they were not supposed to rise much above freezing.
Devil's Den State Park is in a beautiful area in the Boston Mountains. They have cabins, a pool in the summer months. If you have time while you are visiting, we highly recommend the 3 mile Yellow Rock Trail.
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| Waterfall at Devil's Den |
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| Yellow Rock Trail Overlook |
Access to the trailhead is easy by way of the state park.
- Cane Creek Lake Trail - 15.6 miles
Location
Cane Creek Lake Trail is located in Cane Creek State Park in South East Arkansas.
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| Cane Creek State Park - Wikipedia |
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| Cane Creek Lake Trail with elevation profile - AllTrails |
Links
Cane Creek Lake Trail From the State Park
Distance
This is a 15.6 mile trail around Cane Creek Lake.
Possible Routes
There aren't alternative routes on this trail.
Camping/Permits
Camping is allowed with permit in two designated campsites. The campsites have simple trail shelters with picnic tables and fire rings. No dispersed camping is allowed outside those designated campsites. The state park also requires you to register when you start and end this long trail.
Have I hiked it?
Not yet. We have been to this state park and paddled around the lake in our kayaks once.
Notes
This is a man made lake with stands of dead trees and lily pads. You can find waterfowl and other birds here.
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| Cane Creek Lake from a kayak |
Access to the trailhead is easy on paved roads.
- Little Blakely Loops (Outer Loop) - 15.4 miles
Location
The Little Blakely Loop Trails are located in the Ouachita National Forest on a Lake Ouachita Peninsula.
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| Little Blakely Loops Northwest of Hot Springs |
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| All the outer loop trail segments sum to around 15.4 miles |
Links
Distance
The outer loop segments that I have outlined above are approximately 15.4 miles total.
Possible Routes
There are five interconnected loops in this trail system; North Loop, Morgan Hollow Loop, Glades Loop, Rocky Ridge Loop, and South Loop. The route I outlined above links the outer edge of all of those loops for the 15.4 miles, but this trail system can truly be made as long or short as you want it to be by either leaving off or connecting the various trails. According to the documentation from the Forestry Service, the total length of every segment of trail combined is 17.6 miles. I don't believe there is any way to hike all of that distance without backtracking on some parts. However, you could easily plan a variety of routes on these trails that did not overlap and either increase or decrease your mileage. This is truly a "choose your own adventure" trail system.
Camping/Permits
Dispersed camping is allowed on these trails. It is in the National Forest. It is best to use established campsites, but if you do not, do not make a new fire ring and always practice Leave No Trace ethics.
Have I hiked it?
I have only hiked the south loop on this trail as a day hike.
Notes
Access to this trail is by way of dirt and gravel roads. I have accessed it in the past with my Prius, but the conditions of these roads can change after heavy rains, so roads that were passable with a low clearance vehicle at one time may develop deep ruts that are not safe for that same vehicle at another time.
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| Viewing the partial eclipse on the bank of the lake on the south loop. |
- Shores Lake to White Rock Mountain - 13.4 miles
Location
The Shores Lake to White Rock Mountain Loop trail is located in Northwest Arkansas just northeast of Fort Smith. The loop has two primary trailheads on opposite ends, Shores Lake in the south, and White Rock Mountain Recreation Area in the north. The trail is located within the bounds of the
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| Shores Lake and White Rock Mountain |
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| The loop with elevation profile courtesy of AllTrails |
Links
Distance
AllTrails says this loop is 12.1 miles long. The Tim Ernst Ozark Highlands trail guidebook says it's 13.4. Ernst uses a wheel to measure the distance while he hikes these trails for his guidebook. I suspect the AllTrails distance comes from GPS which may not take into account the vertical climbing distance. BTW, you can apparently now get Ernst's trail guide books as ebooks. That's pretty cool.
Possible Routes
I don't believe there are many alternative routes for this trail. You could opt to hike up to White Rock Mountain and hike the rim loop at the top, which would add a couple of miles to the trip, but wouldn't alter the essential trail loop apart from doing a side quest.
Camping/Permits
There are forestry campgrounds at Shores Lake and White Rock Mountain with restrooms, but there are fees. Given the current status of our federal government, I would also confirm that these areas are open if you plan to stay there. Dispersed camping is permitted on other parts of the trail, but you need to be 1/2 a mile or more away from the boundaries of the campgrounds. Try to camp at established campsites. Leave No Trace.
Have I hiked it?
I have not hiked this yet and, unlike some of the other trails listed here, I have not even visited this specific area. I hope to visit the area soon.
Notes
From what I have heard and seen from others, this is an exceptional trail in a scenic area. Here is a glimpse at the trail through someone else's camera.
That about does it for this post. If you enjoy my content, think I got something wrong, or if you have questions, you can find me on BlueSky or shoot an email to rungavagairun@gmail.com.
Thanks for stopping by,
Gavagai
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