Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 – MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3)

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
North-facing vista view.

This stretch of Section 3 of the Ouachita Trail (Ouachita National Forest) goes from Mile Marker 63 to the Foran Gap Trailhead (68.1) on Highway 71, just north of Mena (Polk County).

The section of the Ouachita Trail between Eagle Gap (around Mile Marker 58) and Foran Gap is about 10 miles long and has no access points in between. This hike covers about the eastern half of that stretch. (See here for the profile of the part from Eagle Gap to Mile Point 58.)

To do it as an out-and-back, you’ll be heading west to Mile 58 and then back, about 10 miles.

The elevation change is about 1,000 feet (from 1,413 elevation to 2,432), but the total elevation gain is about 2,000 feet when you do it as an out and back.

Although there are likely to be some rough patches, there are a lot of scenic areas on this hike including a small seasonal waterfall and some pretty views from western Fourche Mountain.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
This cascade is about a half mile from the Foran Gap Trailhead.

Getting to Foran Gap Trailhead

The Foran Gap Trailhead is on Highway 71 in Polk County. It’s about 10 miles south of Y City (about 25 miles south of Waldron) and about 11 miles north of Mena.

The trailhead parking is on the west side of the highway.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Mile Marker 68 on the Ouachita Trail, near the Foran Gap Trailhead.

The Hike

The Ouachita Trail is a west-to-east trail that runs through LeFlore County, Oklahoma and the western half of Arkansas. On this stretch, the first two miles (about MM 68 to MM 66) makes a few large winding curves along the hillside but then stays in a mostly direct west-east direction.

Start the trail by the parking area. Mile Marker 68 is about .1 miles in.

The first .3 miles or so is fairly level, but there is quite a bit of climbing over the rest of this segment. It is pretty much uphill climbing for the next 2 miles.

At about a half-mile (mile point 67.5), the trail crosses a stream with a very pretty cascade during the wet season.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
This waterfall (probably 8 feet tall) is about 1 mile west of Foran Gap.

The elevation is about 1,400 feet at the trailhead. It eventually gets up as high as 2,431 feet in this segment.

Once you get in about 1.5 miles on this segment (around 66.5), you start to have some nice views, mostly to the north. Even during leaf-on, there are quite a few pretty views through the trees and a few wide open views. Of course, during leaf-off there would be many more open vista views.

At around 3 miles in (around MM 65), there were some places where I also had nice views to the south.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail, on Section 3 around Mile Marker 66.

One of my favorite spots on this stretch is the waterfall at about 1 mile in, around MM 67. It is about 8 feet high and is really cool when the water is flowing.

After the first half-mile, there are two others parts where the elevation is relatively level. (It is not flat in these parts; it is just not the same continuous climb.) One is between 2.5 and 3 miles (65.5 and 65). The other is in the highest elevation stretch between 3.5 and 4.5 miles (64.5 and 63.5).

That highest elevation part is around 2,400 feet high. This is one of those cool high areas where the trees are shorter and it is often breezy.

For the last half-mile of this stretch, the trail starts heading back downhill.

When I was last there (spring 2016), there was just a handwritten note on a tree for Mile Marker 63. So if you are doing this as an out-and-back, that is your turnaround point.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail, Section 03 between MM 63.0 and 68.1

I think rocky trails are cool. They are pretty and visually interesting.  As you would expect, generally the trail and terrain are rockier as you get into the higher elevation areas.

One of the highlights of the trail is a rock glacier (boulder field) at about 4 miles in (MM 64). This is not only a pretty and interesting area to cross; it has a nice open north facing vista.

There also is an unofficial campsite area around MM 64.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail, Section 03 between MM 63.0 and 68.1

Final Notes

The trail was in pretty good condition overall. There were a few places where there was some overgrowth, particularly in the higher areas, but it was not too difficult to get through.

I had AT&T cell signal about 70% of the time on this hike, primarily in the higher elevation areas.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail.

These photos are all from my hike on April 23, 2016.

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail, Section 03 between MM 63.0 and 68.1
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail.
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Boulder field around Mile Marker 64.
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Boulder field.
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
North-facing vista from the boulder field (rock glacier).
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail, Section 03 between MM 63.0 and 68.1
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
In the high elevation area around Mile Marker 62.
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
This is Mile Marker 63. It was a hand written marker when I was there.

Photo Gallery

Click below for full-screen photo gallery.

Map

Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail 03: MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (63.0 to 68.1) – Contour Map – Click to Enlarge.
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail 03 – MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (63.0 to 68.1) – West to East – Elevation Profile
Ouachita Trail: 63.0-68.1 - MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (Section 3) photo
Ouachita Trail 03 – MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (63.0 to 68.1) – East to West – Elevation Profile

Ouachita Trail 03: MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (63.0 to 68.1)

LocationPolk County, Arkansas
Hike Length/Type4.9 miles each way. (9.8 miles out and back.) Blue blazes.
DifficultyVery Strenuous (5 of 5)
Other Permitted UsageMountain bikes.
Gpx file by MikeLink
Date HikedApril 23, 2016 and earlier
DirectionsGoogle Maps Directions to Foran Gap Trailhead
Official Info(479) 394-2382 (Mena/Oden Ranger Dist.) USFS Website FoOT Website

Last revised: 8-15-2021.

By Mike Newman

Mike Newman, editor and creator of Arklahoma Hiker, likes to day hike and walk outdoors in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

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