East 0 to 3

East Arkansas Trails-0 to 3 Miles

Bear Creek Loop, St. Francis National Forest

• Miles: 1.0 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Hiking Trails guidebook by Tim Ernst

• Contact: St. Francis Ranger District Phone 870-295-5278

This is a wonderful, wonderful trail that winds around past huge trees and lots of giant grape vines. It’s out of the way, but worth the effort. In fact this trail is full of special scenic spots!

Post Bayou Nature Trail, Arkansas Post National Memorial

• Miles: 1.0 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: No Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Park Superintendent, Arkansas Post, 1741 Old Post Road, Gillette, AR 72055

• Contact: www. nps.gov/arpo or Phone 870-548-2207

This woodland trail begins near the visitor center and extends through the forested peninsula between the Arkansas River and the Post Bayou. It travels along the bayou and connects to the picnic area. It also links up with other trails which lead through the historic Arkansas Post village area and the Civil War rifle pits.

Merrisach Lake Trail, Merrisach Lake Area , Corps of Engineers

• Miles: 2.0 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: None

• Contact: Corp of Engineer Phone 870-534-0451

This trail features great wildlife sight-seeing. Fall is a fine time to view the color of the bottomland hardwoods and to see deer, many varieties of ducks and other small game. An observation blind is available for wildlife photographers.

Lake Dunn Trail, Village Creek State Park

• Miles: 2.75 miles • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: villagecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-238-9406

The trail starts at Lake Dunn boat dock. It travels along wooded ridgetops and winds around to the swinging bridge where the Old Military Road once passed.

Delta View Trail, Cane Creek State Park

• Miles: 2.4 • Rating: Easy to Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: canecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-628-4714

This loop trail extends throughout beautiful Cane Creek State Park. The trail can be entered from the area adjacent to the picnic area. This trail provides an excellent opportunity for interpretive programs, exercise and wildlife viewing.

Military Road Trail, Village Creek State Park

• Miles: 2.25 mile • Rating: Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: villagecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-238-9406

This trail provides scenic vistas of Lake Austell, and a portion of the trail follows the historic Old Military Road, the first improved travel route between Memphis and Little Rock, completed more than 150 years ago. Give a shout at Echo Point, a scenic overlook above Village Creek.

Spring Branch Trail, Logoly State Park

• Miles: 2.0 • Rating: Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: logoly@arkansas.com or Phone 870-695-3561

This trail leads you through two food plots, by the Spring Branch Creek and over the rolling hills of the West Gulf Coastal Plain.

Dancing Rabbit Trail, Crowley’s Ridge State Park

• Miles: 1.75 • Rating: Easy to Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: crowleysridge@arkansas.com or Phone 870-573-6751

This trail is hilly and winds through the hardwood forest typically found on the Crowley’s Ridge anomaly. It begins at the southern end of the picnic area, crosses two swinging bridges, and has many interconnecting loops allowing you to lengthen or shorten your hike. The trail terminates near the visitor center.

The Plum Bayou Trail, Toltec Mounds State Park

• Miles: 1.6 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: toltecmounds@arkansas.com or Phone 501-961-9422

Grassy trail that leads to several of the historic sites in the park.

Black River Trail, Old Davidsonville State Park

• Miles: 1.5 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: olddavidsonville@arkansas.com or Phone 870-892-4708

Meandering along the Black River and through the hardwoods this trail offers the hiker a view of the natural areas of Davidsonville. Speacial features along the trail include a cypress on the river edge, and the Phillips-Reeves cemetery which holds the link to Davidsonville.

White Oak Lake Trail, Lake Charles State Park

• Miles: 1.5 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: lakecharles@arkansas.com or Phone 870-878-6595

This linear trail follows the lake shore through the park, offering access to most camping areas. It is also an excellent trail for anglers wishing to try their luck in Lake Charles. This leisurely walk wanders under a canopy of hardwoods, and wildflowers are abundant in the spring and fall.

Cedar Trail, Lake Charles State Park

• Miles: 1.25 • Rating: Easy to Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: lakecharles@arkansas.com or Phone 870-878-6595

Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, this paved trail provides an excellent opportunity for exercise, wildlife viewing and fishing.

Lake Austell Trail, Village Creek State Park

• Miles: 1.12 • Rating: Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: villagecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-238-9406

This trail meanders along hogback ridges and through a wooded stream valley to Lake Austell and then ends at the picnic area.

Blue Heron Trail, Lake Poinsett State Park

• Miles: 1.1 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: None

• Contact: lakepoinsett@arkansas.com or Phone 870-578-2064

The trail begins at the 2nd picnic area. It winds near the lake through the hardwood and pine forest typically found on Crowley’s Ridge. It crosses one bridge. For a closer view of the lake follow the destination trail.

Delta Woodlands Trail, Lake Chicot State Park

• Miles: 1.0 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: lakechicot@arkansas.com or Phone 870-265-5480

A variety of bottomland hardwoods encompass the trail at Lake Chicot State Park. Birds and wildflowers flourish in this rich area. Groves of mature pecan trees provide a safe haven for playful squirrels. A diversity of man’s influence and nature is visible on this trail.

Trappers Lake Trail, Old Davidsonville State Park

• Miles: 1.0 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: olddavidsonville@arkansas.com or Phone 870-892-4708

The trail leads you around our 11 acre fishing lake, known for it’s catfish and largemouth bass. Birdwatchers enjoy exploring this trail early in the morning. In the evenings look closely and you may get a glimpse of our resident beavers.

Knapp Trial, Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park

• Miles: eight-tenths of a mile (0.8) • Rating: Easy **Wheelchair Accessible** • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: toltecmounds@arkansas.com or Phone 501-961-9442

This fully-accessible trail and boardwalk leads visitors through this prehistoric Indian site. See three of the 18 mounds which once stood within the site’s earthen embankment. A guided tour discusses the prehistoric mound-building Native Americans who inhabited the area over a thousand years ago.

Dog Wood Lane Trail, Lake Frierson State Park

• Miles: three-quarters of a mile (.75) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: lakefrierson@arkansas.com of Phone 870-932-2615

An easy trail with 44 stations with interesting facts about plants, trees, and wildlife located on the trail. The trail is divided into two sections, the main trail is blazed white and the spur trail blazed in blue.

Cemetery Trail, Old Davidsonville State Park

• Miles: three-quarters of a mile (.75) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: None

• Contact: olddavidsonville@arkansas.com or Phone 870-892-4708

The Cemetery Trail is a small gate in time and focuses on memories of times past. Headstones bearing unusual inscriptions recall Arkansas’s early settlers. Other features include a profusion of wildflowers, flowering dogwoods and large, majestic oaks.

Spring Lake Trail, Mammoth Spring State Park

• Miles: two-thirds of a mile (.66) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: mammothspring@arkansas.com or Phone 870-625-7364

This loop trail is accessible from most of the park’s facilities. The park’s feature attraction is Mammoth Spring, the largest spring in Arkansas. Other attractions include a train depot museum, a walkway across the dam and an out-of-service hydroelectric station.

Village Trail, Parkin State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: No Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: parkin@arkansas.com or Phone 870-755-2500

This is a short trail around the park. With archeological digs for Native American artifacts.

Historic Site Trail, Old Davidsonville State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy **Wheelchair accessible** • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: None

• Contact: olddavidsonville@arkansas.com or Phone 870-892-4708

The park preserves the site of historic Davidsonville. Established in 1815, the town included the Arkansas Territory’s first post office, courthouse, federal land office, and cotton gin. This trail is fully accessible. Wayside exibits point out known locations of businesses and residences and provide interpretive information about the historic town.

Tunstall River Walk Trail, Jacksonport State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: jacksonport@arkansas.com or Phone 870-523-2143

The trail starts near the Mary Woods #2 steamboat and ends at the campground. It follows the White River on one side and the opposite side is our wildflower conservation area. The wildflowers bloom spring and summer. The trail is noted for it’s red Corn Poppies, purple to pink Rocket Lakespurs, burnt orange Mexican Hats and yellow Black-Eyed Susan. The trail is home to a variety of species of birds.

Walcott Lake Trail, Crowley’s Ridge State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: crowleysridge@arkansas.com or Phone 870-573-6751

This easy trail begins atop the fishing lake levee offers a chance to view shorebirds as well as the best vantage point to view the park’s bat condo. A wildlife observation platform is located nearby.

Big Ben Nature Trail, Village Creek State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: villagecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-238-9406

A self-guided trail booklet that will guide you through this unique area of Crowley’s Ridge can be obtained at the visitor center. The trail begins near the visitor center and loops back to its beginning.

Lake Ponder Trail, Crowley’s Ridge State Park

• Miles: one-half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Easy **Wheelchair Accessible** • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: crowleysridge@arkansas.com or Phone 870-573-6751

View the plants of Crowley’s Ridge from a rustic-style boardwalk and stone overlook in the unique construction style of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Many CCC structures are visible along the trail and are highlighted by wayside exhibits outlining the park’s rich history.

Spider Creek Trail, Crowley’s Ridge State Park

• Miles: one half of a mile (.5) • Rating: Moderate • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: crowleysridge@arkansas.com or Phone 870-573-6751

The trail begins at the southern end of the picnic area and features a diversity of plant and animal life. Wildflowers are particularly numerous in the spring.

Louisiana Purchase Boardwalk, Louisiana Purchase State Park

• Miles: three-eighths of a mile round trip (.38) • Rating: Easy **Wheelchair Accessible** • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: State Trails Coordinator, One Capital Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201 or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: State Trails Coordinator Phone 501-682-1301

A 950-foot boardwalk leads to the beginning point from which the Louisiana Purchase was surveyed. The headwater cypress swamp is interpreted by signs and plaques erected along the way. This scenic walk is accessible to wheelchairs and is an excellent area for photographing scenery and wildlife. No other facilities are located at this park.

Delta Discovery Trail, Lake Chicot State Park

• Miles: one-third of a mile (.33) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: lakechicot@arkansas.com or Phone 870-265-5480

An interpretive trail with way side panels and partially barrier free.

Butterflies and Blooms, Lake Charles State Park

• Miles: one-third of a mile (.33) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center or Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families by Pam Ernst

• Contact: lakecharles@arkansas.com of Phone 870-878-6595

Features wildflowers and plenty of wildlife including birds and butterflies.

Arboretum Trail, Village Creek State Park

• Miles: one-quarter of a mile (.25) • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Visitor Center

• Contact: villagecreek@arkansas.com or Phone 870-238-9406

The shortest and easiest of the parks trails, this path features signs that identify some of the more common trees on the park.

Big Creek Loop, Big Creek Natural Area, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

• Miles: 2.6 • Rating: Easy • Allowed: Dogs

• Map and Trail description available: Arkansas Hiking Trails guidebook by Tim Ernst

• Contact: Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Phone 501-324-9150

This out-of-the-way loop trail is located in the Big Creek Natural Area, one of 52 such special areas that have been designated and are managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. This trail has some spectacular views of Big Creek, and visits numerous ecological neat spots.