Black Fork Mountain Trail (Polk County, northwest of Mena) is a strenuous 11 mile out-and-back hike (5.6 miles each way) on Black Fork Mountain. It is in the Ouachita National Forest in southwest Arkansas, just north of Queen Wilhelmina State Park on Rich Mountain.

The trail offers spectacular views, unique forests, and historic places. Black Fork Mountain Trail is great for a long day hike or an overnight backpack.

My GPS tracked me at 5.6 miles to the summit of Black Fork Mountain. The total elevation gain was 1,705 and elevations loss of 644 feet.

Directions to Black Fork Mountain Trailhead

The trailhead for Black Fork Mountain Trail is off of Highway 59/270 west of Mena, Ark. From Mena you will want to take Highway 71 north to the town of Acorn. At Acorn turn onto Highway 59/270 and drive for about 6 miles. The parking lot for the trailhead will be on your right.

If you come to the intersection of Highway 272 to your left, you have gone too far.

Trailhead to the Ouachita Trail

The Black Fork Mountain Trail follows the Ouachita Trail to the east for a little less than a mile before it splits off and heads to the west.

When you begin your hike, you immediately cross via a footbridge over the Ouachita River. For those of us who live down river, it’s hard for us to see this creek as the Ouachita River.

From the river, you will then cross the railroad tracks. This was a first for me, crossing railroad tracks, and I thought it was neat. Once you cross the railroad tracks, you will need to look for the blue blazes to show you where the trail enters the forest again.

This part of the Ouachita Trail is a steady climb through open forest with lots of boulders. I thought this part was very pretty.

At about mile 0.9, the trail intersects with the Black Fork Mountain Trail. Here you will want to turn to the left, and follow the white blazes. There is also a sign directing hikers which way to go.

Ouachita Trail to False Summit

When the Black Fork Mountain Trail splits from the Ouachita Trail, it follows an old road bed. Shortly past the intersection, there is another intersection with a very short spur trail to a backcountry shelter.

From there the trial climbs semi-steeply through a beautiful pine forest until it gets to the ridge and levels out a little bit at mile 2.15.

At mile 2.47 there is a quick spur to a wonderful vista. You can see Rich Mountain to the south and a long ways to the west. You can also see the highway and how far you have climbed at this point.

From there the trail continues to follow the ridge and at mile 2.77 it passes by a pond.

There is a really short steep part and then the trail levels out along the ridge line. This is where some of the good campsites are.

Along the ridge the oak trees are very short, but very old. This is a unique forest and something that I find amazing.

False Summit to Real Summit

At about mile 3.75 the trail turns and begins to head down hill. This part of the trail is steep. It also takes a little bit of route finding. You will need to watch for the cairns. I saw no white blazes on trees in this part, and because the trail takes you through a rocky part it can be hard to spot the beaten path.

At mile 4.2, another trail comes into the Black Fork Mountain Trail. I did not notice this trail until my return back to the trailhead, where I went the wrong way. On the return, you will want to be sure to stay to the left. In Tim Ernst’s “Arkansas Hiking Trails” book, he calls the other trail a “Mule Trail.”

It was confusing to me on the return because on the way back you are heading downhill until this point. The Mule Trail continues downhill, but the Black Fork Mountain Trail splits off and takes you back uphill. Also on the return this part is very steep.

Continuing toward the summit, about two tenths of a mile down the trial you can see a huge rock glacier above you to your right through the trees.

From there the trail climbs back to the ridge and along an open side of the mountain. There are excellent views here.

At about mile 5, the trail gets back on the ridge and levels out again.

Around mile 5.2, the trail passes an old chimney left from long ago. It then follows an old stone fence. I loved seeing these old structures.

Summit to Trailhead

The trees get really thick and really short near the summit, and the trail sort of ends at a rock outcropping. From the summit, you can see the lodge at Queen Wilhelmina State Park and miles to the east and west.

There is not a sign or anything that marks the end of the trail. I attempted to go further from this point, but the small oaks choked out the trail and it petered out.

This is a great place to have a picnic too.

Final Notes

As far as backpacking, there are numerous amazing places to camp along the ridge of Black Fork Mountain. However, the Back Fork Mountain Trail mostly follows the ridge of the mountain, so water is scarce and almost non-existent.

If you are going to backpack the trail, you will need to bring all your water with you. I say water is “almost non-existent” because when I hiked the trail in the spring of 2018, I did cross a beautiful cascade. But I wouldn’t count on it to be flowing if I were to backpack it.

It’s apparent that other people think this trail is a great backpacking trail by the number of fire rings I saw. Backcountry camping is permitted.

The majority of the trail is in the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness.

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Map

[A version of this post was originally published on September 13, 2018 in the blog “Right Kind of Lost.”]

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Here are some more pics from my April 2016 Ouachita Trail hike from Eagle Gap to Mile 63. (The trail profile is here.)

This is from 58.5 to 63.0 in Polk County, Arkansas, near Mena.

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Last revised: 9-17-2019.

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The mountains in southwest Arkansas between Glenwood and Mena are my favorite on the entire planet. They are so rugged, remote, and beautiful, you simply cannot look at them without awe.

The Caney Creek/Buckeye Trail loop (Ouachita National Forest in Polk County, near Shady Lake) is my new favorite hike in Arkansas. It has it all—a gorgeous valley, mountain vistas, and a unique waterfall.

This challenging hike is a 9.4-mile loop in the Caney Creek Wilderness that connects the Buckeye Trail, the eastern part of the Caney Creek Trail, and Forest Road 64.

I took the loop clockwise starting at the Caney Creek Trail east trailhead. (The alternative is to start at the Buckeye Trailhead and make the loop counterclockwise.) I chose this route so that at the end of the trail when I was tired, I would be heading downhill on the dirt road.

I am glad I hiked it this way so that I could do the creek crossings in the beginning. The Caney Creek Trail crosses the creek several times. I had to stop and take off my boots several times for the crossings.

Getting to the Trailhead

Because there are 2 trails, there are 2 trailheads. I began at the Caney Creek Trail east trailhead. It is on Forest Road 38, about 3.5 mile from the Shady Lake Recreation Area.

If want to go counterclockwise, the Buckeye Trailhead is about a mile further up Forest Road 38.

East Caney Creek Trail to Buckeye Trail

The Caney Creek Trail is a 9-mile east-west trail that follows the Caney Creek Valley. But for this loop, you will only hike on it for 3.8 miles when it intersects with the Buckeye Trail.

This section of the trail is fairly easy, as there is only one uphill portion. And I say “fairly” loosely depending on your tolerance for stream crossings.

I hiked it in the spring and after a rain. I had to take off my boots to cross Caney Creek two times as well as two tributaries of the creek. I have trekking poles to help keep myself stable on the slick river rocks, and river shoes – both I failed to bring. So by the fourth creek crossing, I was irritable. It didn’t help that on that last creek crossing, I fell in soaking my boots and socks.

Despite my failures in the creek crossings, I love this section of trail. If you are a backpacker, there are so many great spots for a campsite.

Caney Creek is beautiful, and in warm weather it would be a great hike because there are many opportunities to cool off in the water.

Caution: Fording a stream or river can be dangerous. Don’t cross a river or stream where it is more than waist deep. See this post at Section Hiker for more water crossing safety tips.

One really neat thing about this loop is that it runs parallel to Tall Peak. (I hiked the Tall Peak Trail about a month before this hike.) As I was in the Caney Creek Valley, I could look up and see the towers on Tall Peak and see how high up it is.

And then on the ridge line of Buckeye Mountain, I could gauge how far I had come and how high I was by the beacon of the towers on Tall Peak.

Katy Falls

The intersection with Buckeye Trail is at about 3.8 miles. There are no blazes or signs since this is a designated wilderness area. There is a rather large cairn at the junction. It is right after the trail crosses Katy Creek. (This was the fourth crossing where I had to take off my boots.)

Take a right to proceed onto the Buckeye Trail.

Shortly afterward, there is another intersection. You should take a right for the short spur to the Katy Falls.

Katy Falls is amazing. The water cascades about 12 feet through a very narrow shoot, for a pretty unique waterfall. (For backpackers, there is an amazing unofficial campsite right above the falls.)

Katy Falls to the First Vista on Buckeye Mountain

After the spur to Katy Falls, the Buckeye Trail climbs steeply to a saddle below East Hanna Mountain. I loved this part of the trail as it takes you up a narrow valley between East Hanna Mountain and Katy Mountain. There you hike over massive novaculite rock glades and see broken bluffs on the opposite side.

During leaf-off, you have amazing views. And once you get to the top, you can see down the funnel of the valley looking toward the Caney Creek Valley.

Buckeye Mountain Ridge Line

At around mile 5.2, the trail turns toward the east as you hike along the ridge line. You are still climbing in this part, but not as steeply.

Along this ridge line are some of the best mountain views in Arkansas. Toward the west, you have an endless panorama of blue mountain ridges piled on top of each other.

As you hike, to the south and your right, you look down on the Caney Creek Valley—the valley you just hiked. And to the east, you look through another valley toward endless mountains of the Little Missouri River area.

The hillside to the north has balding peaks with mountain glade, one of my favorite features of this area.

There are several vistas along this section of trail. You’ll want to stop and look behind you as you hike because they are all around you.

Buckeye Mountain Back to the Trailhead

At about 7.6 miles, you get to the Buckeye Mountain summit. The rest of the trail is downhill.

After the summit, you hike steeply down for about a mile before coming to the Buckeye Trailhead.

From there you will hang a right on the road (Forest Road 38) to get back to the Caney Creek Trailhead.

Final Notes

This trail really has it all—beautiful Ouachita Mountain valleys, a unique waterfall, and epic vistas. It’s no surprise to me that my new favorite trail is in this area of the state though. This is truly a unique and beautiful area.

Be prepared for some climbing though. The net elevation change is about 1,100 feet. The cumulative elevation gain on the hike is about 1,970 feet. I rate the difficulty as “very strenuous” (5 of 5).

Check out these links for trail profiles of the west Caney Creek Trail and Tall Peak Trail. 

I took these photos on my March 30, 2018 hike.

Photo Gallery

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Map

Buckeye Trail/East Caney Creek Trail Loop (Ouachita Forest)
Location	Caney Creek Wilderness, Ouachita National Forest, Polk County, Arkansas
Hike Length/Type	9.4 mile loop, including the 1.1 mile walk on the forest road from one trailhead to the other. No blazes (wilderness).
Difficulty	Very Strenuous (5 of 5).
Other Permitted Usage	--
Gpx file by Mike	Link
Date Hiked	March 30, 2018
Directions	Google Maps Directions to East Caney Creek Trailhead Google Maps Directions to Buckeye Trailhead
Official Info	(479) 394-2382 (Mena/Oden Ranger Dist.) Website USFS trail map (pdf)

[A version of this post was originally published on May 3, 2018 in the blog “Right Kind of Lost.”]

Last revised: 9-17-2019.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Photo Gallery

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Map

Ouachita Trail 03: MM63 on W. Fourche Mtn. to Foran Gap (63.0 to 68.1)
Location	Polk County, Arkansas
Hike Length/Type	4.9 miles each way. (9.8 miles out and back.) Blue blazes.
Difficulty	Very Strenuous (5 of 5)
Other Permitted Usage	Mountain bikes.
Gpx file by Mike	Link
Date Hiked	April 23, 2016 and earlier
Directions	Google Maps Directions to Foran Gap Trailhead
Official Info	(479) 394-2382 (Mena/Oden Ranger Dist.) USFS Website FoOT Website

Last revised: 8-15-2021.

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