Ouachita Trail (section 09) mile 196.5 to 199
Hike Features:
Date: March 28, 2007
State: Arkansas
County: Pulaski
Location: OT between highway 9 and highway 10.
Length of hike shown: ~ 5 miles
Trail: All on-trail
GPS: none
30 photos in OHJ Photo Gallery
Reaching Trailhead: This was a work trip. As members of FoOT (Friends of the Ouachita Trail) our "adopted" section is from mile 195.5 to mile 199. This is in section 9, between highway 9 and highway 10. On this particular day we were clearing/cleaning from Red Bluff Creek to mile 199. This really can't be done as a quick day hike because section 9 (11 miles long) is only accessible from either end. Trailheads are (west) on highway 9 south of Williams Junction and (east) on highway 10 at the south end of the bridge crossing Lake Maumelle.
Description: This 'hike' is included because this site is a "journal" and mainly to show what the OT looks like between miles 196.5 and 199. I avoided hiking this section for many years because I assumed it wouldn't be very interesting. Like many people, I assumed that the mountains are "better" somehow and sought out trails and hiking areas west of here. One day I had limited time and hiked section 9 from the highway 10 trailhead (mile 202) to mile 199. That hike was during the rainy season, water was flowing everywhere and I was surprised how interesting and varied this section is. I've been coming back here ever since.
The center section of this 11 mile stretch of the OT is the most varied. Parts of it are mixed hardwood upland forest, parts are near pure pine forest and parts are river bottom forest. The scenery ranges from dense forest, to rock outcroppings with views to almost jungle like stretches along the Big Maumelle River. The trail changes the type of landscape many times; just when you think you've left the upland forest for good, you're back in it. There is a bit of "up and down" but no serious climbs. Except for the first mile (heading east from highway 9), most of this section of the OT crosses private land (timber company) and then enters Lake Maumelle watershed land. In the private land sections the trail is still beautiful, but you'll see a lot of marks demarcating timber forest and the trail follows fences for miles. Never-the-less, this section of the OT can be uniquely beautiful and is not to be missed.
The best times to hike section 9 (opinion) are spring and fall. Winter is next. Summer is for hard core "hike in any weather" hikers. It is hot, muggy, buggy and "snakey" in summer. Cottonmouths, copperheads, black snakes and others are easily seen down in here. Another great time to hike in here is after big rains. This is best done when the weather is warm enough to get wet and not mind too much as some of the stream crossings will be 'wet crossings'. After very heavy rains (ie., flooding) the trail might not be passable and stream crossings could be dangerous. I tried to hike this section once after 2-3 solids days of rains and found some of the creeks impassable. However, hiking in from either end you can go miles before encountering a rain-swollen impassable creek.
Notes: The whole hike from highway 9 to highway 10 is 11 miles long.
Cautions: Mainly snakes. This section of the OT crosses through hunting leases as well, so I avoid it during modern gun deer season.
Hikers: jc, Molly C.