Ouachita Trail (section 09) mile 188.7 to 191.8

Hike Features:

Date:  November 25, 2000
State: Arkansas
County: Perry
Location: Highway 9 OT trailhead
Date of hike:  Nov 25, 2000
Length of hike shown:  ~ 6.2 miles round trip
Trail: Ouachita Trail, section 9 (Hwy 9 to Chinquapin shelter and back)

 12 photos + topo map in photo gallery
Reaching Starting point:     From Little Rock, drove out Hwy 10 to Williams Junction, turn south on Hwy 9 for a few miles, parked at OT trailhead on left (east side of road).

Description:    This is a section of the Ouachita Trail.   On this day the starting point was the trailhead on Hwy 9, where the OT crosses the highway.   Its a nice hike any time of year but is especially nice in fall and spring.   On this autumn hike, it had been raining the night before and water was flowing in every stream, even the smallest ones.  This always makes the whole forest seem more 'alive'; certainly alive with the sounds of the water.  It was also overcast, so the light was diffused, which gave a strange glow to the yellow autumn leaves.   The combination of the light and the wet leaves from the overnight rain made the yellow and few red trees appear luminescent.  

The trail is easy to follow.  After crossing the highway, the trail slips into the woods heading west along a stream.  There is an OT sign-in box.   The trail goes up a ravine called "Hilary Hollow" according to Tim Ernst's guidebook.  I have no idea why it's called "Hilary Hollow".  Tim says it has nothing to do with Hilary Clinton.  Anyway...   hiking in this way is uphill all the way, climbing over about 2.5 miles up to the Chinquapin Gap shelter.   I went on past the shelter to the point where the OT intersects with the Chinquapin Mountain spur trail at about 3.1 miles from the start.   So...  it was 3.1 miles back, for a total of 6.2 miles.   I rated this hike as moderate, only because of the 6.2 mile length and the fact that half of it is uphill.  It is really easy walking, on-trail, with no difficulties to speak of.  The excitement of the day was seeing a flock of wild turkeys.  As photo models, they were too fast and vanished before I could ready the camera.  However, I still remember those turkeys like a picture in my memory; wild turkeys are a sight you don't forget.

Cautions/comments:  none

Hiker:  jc