huckepack

Ozark Highlands Trail

Length

Stated
333 km, the stated length (Ozark Highlands Trail Association)
Map line
319.6 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
Used for
The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search

333km

Ascent · descent

This trail
Estimated from the terrain model (≈): no source states them
How
Every main stage's climbs and drops between samples 100 m apart
Keep in mind
In forests the model reads the treetops, so it reads high there

estimated: 10,410m ↑10,500m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: DemandingClimbing: ≈ 31 m per km
  • Climate: Moderate in Oct–NovHeat: 22 °C by day (October)
  • Effort: HardLongest day: ≈ 11 h 15 (stage 7)

All measures

Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Moderate in Oct–Nov; Effort: Hard

Days

This trail
17 days, one per main stage
Why
No source suggests a number of days

17days

Per stage

How
The 17 main stages' totals over their number
Source
Ozark Highlands Trail Association, so the averages come from one source
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs

19.5km· about 610 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Forest: 100%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 0%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons by miketnorton; each photo's licence in the gallery

Location

Country
United States
Regions
Arkansas
Start
Lake Fort Smith State Park
Finish
Dillard's Ferry (AR-14)
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA)98.8 km by road · 77 min
  • Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Little Rock (LIT)273 km by road · 186 min
Protected areas
Lake Fort Smith State Park; Hurricane Creek Wilderness; Buffalo National River
Managed by
Ozark Highlands Trail Association, USDA Forest Service, Ozark–St. Francis National ForestsOfficial website
Waymarking
Blazed with 2″×6″ white markers, vertical and nailed to a tree near eye level; mile markers are 12″ carsonite posts fixed horizontally to a tree. On the Buffalo River's shared stretch, hiker-only trail is blazed white and the equestrian trail yellow.
GPX
GPX trackOur tracing from OpenStreetMap
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
ascent of the main stages over their length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Demanding

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T2 (our estimate)
    Basis
    The association calls it the "most rugged and scenic terrain in the region": a built single-track footpath over the Boston Mountains' ridges and hollows, with many creek crossings, bluff tops and a ford of the Buffalo River at Woolum that "can be too high to cross after big rains", without exposed passages. Hiking in hilly terrain on a maintained trail (T2).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T2
  • Climbingestimated 31 m per km
  • Steep stretches6 % of the way
  • Natural ground95 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Moderate in Oct–Nov

  • Heat · October22 °C by day
  • Cold · November4 °C at night
  • Wet days · October9 days
  • Snow · November1 day
  • Wind · November16 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Hard

  • Longest day · stage 7estimated 11 h 15

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
9–26°C
Nights in season · highest point
−3 to 13°C
Wet days a month
9–14
Daylight
9.7–14.1h
SeasonSeasonDay high and night low−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °C40 °CWet days, at the highest point51015Daylight10.0 h10.8 h11.9 h13.1 h14.1 h14.6 h14.4 h13.5 h12.4 h11.2 h10.2 h9.7 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January8.9 / 06.1 / -2.68.8322.810
February11.3 / 1.68.5 / -0.98.72.517.110.8
March16.3 / 5.913.3 / 3.311.41.27.911.9
April21.1 / 10.817.7 / 7.911.40.21.113.1
May25.7 / 16.222.1 / 13.214.20.1014.1
June30.7 / 20.826.9 / 17.810.70014.6
July32.9 / 2329.1 / 2012.10014.4
August32.5 / 22.529 / 19.710.40013.5
September28.6 / 18.625.4 / 15.97.20012.4
October22.4 / 12.619.2 / 9.9900.411.2
November15.5 / 6.612.4 / 3.88.70.76.610.2
December10.3 / 27.3 / -0.89.2218.59.7

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Lake Fort Smith State Park White Rock Mountain28.0 km950 m ↑650 m ↓300 → 600 m
2White Rock Mountain Cherry Bend28.8 km1,210 m ↑1,220 m ↓610 → 600 m
3Cherry Bend Lick Branch31.9 km790 m ↑1,050 m ↓580 → 320 m
4Lick Branch Arbaugh Road23.8 km810 m ↑490 m ↓310 → 640 m
5Arbaugh Road Ozone Campground23.8 km770 m ↑850 m ↓650 → 570 m
6Ozone Campground Fort Douglas (Big Piney Creek)30.7 km870 m ↑1,200 m ↓570 → 240 m
7Fort Douglas (Big Piney Creek) Fairview Campground32.2 km1,320 m ↑880 m ↓230 → 670 m
8Fairview Campground Richland Creek Campground31.2 km750 m ↑1,090 m ↓670 → 330 m
9Richland Creek Campground Woolum ford33.5 km730 m ↑850 m ↓320 → 200 m
10Woolum ford Dave Manes Bluff6.4 km260 m ↑180 m ↓200 → 280 m
11Dave Manes Bluff Tyler Bend (Collier Homestead)13.8 km450 m ↑440 m ↓270 → 270 m
12Tyler Bend (Collier Homestead) Grinders Ferry (US-65)3.2 km30 m ↑120 m ↓280 → 190 m
13Grinders Ferry (US-65) Zack Ridge Road9.8 km360 m ↑290 m ↓200 → 270 m
14Zack Ridge Road Red Bluff Road7.2 km230 m ↑230 m ↓270 → 260 m
15Red Bluff Road South Maumee Road9.7 km380 m ↑330 m ↓250 → 300 m
16South Maumee Road Spring Creek Road8.5 km210 m ↑250 m ↓310 → 260 m
17Spring Creek Road Dillard's Ferry (AR-14)9.5 km290 m ↑380 m ↓260 → 170 m

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
721m high167m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
19 % (11°), 93 m up over 500 m, stage 17
Steepest descent
−20 % (11°), 99 m down over 500 m, stage 1
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

19% ↑−20% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
9.2 km up, 9.8 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

19km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 95%, 299.2 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 5%, 14.3 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 0%, 0.3 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

95% natural5% gravel<1% paved
200 m400 m600 m721 mStage 1Stage 2Stage 34Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 8Stage 910111213141516170 km313.8 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 5% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest100%Grassland and shrubs0%12345678Stage 910111213141516170 km313.8 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is allowed. Camping is generally allowed anywhere along the trail at least 200 feet from and out of sight of the trail and any water source; no permits are needed. Campfires are allowed, but no new fire rings.

98.9 km without a bedCamping24Huts0Hostels0Rooms012345678Stage 910111213141516170 km313.8 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 24 campsites, 0 huts, 0 hostels, 0 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 28.8–127.7
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
98.9 km without clean water, km 28.8–127.7, stages 2–6
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 4 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 11 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

98.9kmScarce

Any water

This trail
98.9 km without any water, km 28.8–127.7
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 4 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

98.9kmScarce

Shops

This trail
161.6 km without a shop, km 24.2–185.8
Counted
2 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

161.6km
Water · 98.9 km withoutPublic drinking water · 161.9 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 263.7 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 98.9 km withoutShops · 161.6 km withoutStage 1Stage 2Stage 345Stage 6Stage 7Stage 8Stage 910111213141516170 km313.8 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official source: USDA Forest Service, Ozark–St. Francis National Forests
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Black bear Low

Black bear

Low danger

The national forests in Arkansas are bear country; the association reports an expanding population of mostly small, shy black bears and about a dozen sightings a year, most around White Rock Mountain and Horn Mountain.

If you meet one

  • Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return
  • Stay alert, do not wear headphones, and cautiously approach any blind corners on trails
  • Remain calm. Group together and pick up small children
  • Continue to face the bear and back away slowly, speaking calmly
  • If the bear continues to approach, try to scare it away by making yourself as large and imposing as possible by stretching your arms overhead and making loud noises

Don't

  • If you see a bear, DO NOT RUN

Advice: USDA Forest Service, Ozark–St. Francis National Forests. Level: ours. Silhouette: Abby Weber (Ursus americanus), PhyloPic, public domain.