Ouachita Trail (section 10) mile 212.2 to 219.2

Hike Features:

Date:  June 23, 2007
State: Arkansas
County: Pulaski
Location: OT between highway 300 at Lundsford Corner  and highway 300 near PMSP. 
Length of hike:  ~ 7 miles (OT miles 212.2 to 219.2)
Trail: All on-trail
GPS: none

No photos
Reaching Trailhead:    Parking area at Lundsford  corner (highway 300)  (N34 54.455  W092 32.981,  DMM WGS84; 541138.78E  3862886.91N 15S UTM WGS84)           There is a parking area just at the 90 degree bend in the road (hwy 300) here, complete with trash can.    From the parking area, we walked north/east on hwy 300 about 50-100 feet and found the Ouachita Trail road crossing.  

Description:     This started out as a planned 5-6 mile hike.  We intended to hike east on the OT from Lundsford Corner about 3 miles and then turn around and come back.    It was a muggy morning and the forecast was for 30% chance of showers, mainly after 11:00am.    Started hiking at 9:30 am.

The trail is in great condition and quite clean except for small deadfall here and there.   It goes up and down through hickory/pine forest along the north side of Lake Maumelle.   There's nothing spectacular in this section but the forest is very 'open' and its a nice walk in the woods.    There were a lot of mushrooms of many different varieties.      About a mile in, there is a spur trail to a designated campsite area.

Just past the designated campsite area (mile 213.2) we started hearing thunder but decided to try to reach mile 215.    By the time we reached 215, it was pouring rain and we were in the middle of a strong thunderstorm, with lightning but not much wind.  At that point, the storms appeared to be mainly west, so we made a decision to keep hiking east.    There was, in fact, a lull in the storms but within about half an hour more storms came up from the south and we spent the rest of the hike in pouring rain and lightning.   This is why there are no photos.    On the east end we called home for a ride and shuttle back to the truck at Lundsford Corner; exiting the trail on Spillway Road (the place is obvious) at about OT mile 219.5 (marked "END" on the map).    The trail continues on to hwy 300, where a car can be parked just south of the bridge over Maumelle spillway (marked "car" on map).  

Overall, this is a great little hike, especially if it can be done one way (with a car shuttle).     It's basically a bunch of "up-and-downing" as Tim Ernst says in the guidebook, but its a pleasant walk and its great for exercise close to Little Rock.

Notes:   On the above map, the trail route from Lundsford Corner to mile 216 is approximate.  From 216 to hwy 300, its an accurate route from a GPS.

Wildlife sightings:   Turtles, squirrel, crows...    not much was out in the pouring rain.

Cautions:     None.   Snakes maybe.

Hikers:   jc, Steve B.