Stats, trail tips and important information regarding this trail are located at the bottom of the blog post. Unless explicitly noted, all pictures in this blog are owned by me and should otherwise not be used without expressed written consent.

This hike was short and sweet and the weather was ideal – a moderate September temperature with few clouds in the sky. That often means some good photo opps.

Parking at the trailhead can be somewhat of a nuisance due to the trail’s popularity. But I’ve seen much worse. The trail is directly adjacent to a dirt road and folks usually park alongside the road. Here is a picture near the trailhead (where my coordinates at the bottom of this blog post point to)…

This is mostly a destination hike. The majority of this hike is a modest but relaxing forest walk. The rest of my pictures are towards the end of the trail near Hawksbill Crag. Some of them are a roughly 1/4-mile stretch that takes you along the edge of the rocky, foliaged cliffs.

I found the Hawksbill Crag to be quite cool, being an aptly-named rock feature…

Why do I have a random family in the pic? Well, because people were taking turns and in a line. All good. If you were doing this hike in September 2020 and this is you, say ‘hi’! 😂

Honestly, I found some of the rock features nearby more interesting.

People didn’t seemed to notice this beautiful collection of boulders nearby. I loved it. I’ve always had a non-conformist streak in me so I’m always looking for the unique and unexpected. Check out this cool rocky perspective…

This looks like a cave but from my recollection, it was not. I enjoy the rock-framed perspective though.

I tell people often that hikers are somewhat of a different breed of people. I find them to be a friendly, kind and thoughtful bunch (👈Shameless note that I am not a fan of the Oxford comma 😂). I also tell people that when you travel alone, people chat you up more. Maybe they’re curious why you’re traveling alone? In this case, a group of people were so kind to offer to take pics for me. Here’s me in my billy goat mode…

And here’s another of me taking a quick break near the cliff…

And to finish things off, here’s a pic overlooking the mountains of Ozark National Forest…

Although this isn’t one of the most dramatic hikes I’ve done, it is a worthy addition to my list and one of the most beautiful trails in Arkansas!

Total Distance/Time: 2.9 miles in 1 hrs 8 min
Calories Burned: 695
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Trail Features: Rocky outcroppings, shaded forest, mountain views
Best Time to Hike: Fall/Spring
Difficulty Rating: 4/10
Trailhead Coordinates: 35.898, -93.458
Trail Tips:

• Popular Hike: This hike appears to be out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s actually quite a popular hike. Getting there early may be wise. From my recollection, parking isn’t too difficult but you’ll need to walk further to the trailhead (along a dirt road) with more people hiking the trail.
• Busy “Money Shot”: You may need to wait to get your photo opp on the Hawksbill Crag. When I visited, people were waiting in line but it wasn’t too bad. (Yes, this is one of my least favorite situations but in the end, it’s a good thing that people are getting out in nature.)