Ouachita Trail section 9

Section 9 of the Ouachita Trail - mile 187.4 to 202.   The first 5 miles or so of this section are in Ouachita National Forest.   The trail then runs on timber company land and then on Lake Maumelle watershed land.   Section 9 includes the following features:

• the trail leaves the mountains
  
• long stretches of flat river-bottom terrain
  
• jungle-like landscape near Maumelle River
• minimal change in altitude for most of this section (lots of flat trail)
  
• plenty of water (Maumelle River, several reliable creeks) 
  

There are only two access points for day hikes, the highway 9 trailhead and another on highway 10 (at the Lake Maumelle bridge).  The distance between the two highways is about 10 miles (which makes a nice 1 way dayhike with a car shuttle).

This may be the most varied section of the OT in terms of landscape.  It starts in the mountains, drops down to swampy river-bottom terrain, goes through thickets that are 'jungle-like' in places, crosses several rocky bluffs overlooking the Maumelle River and adjacent open farmland, passes huge cypress trees by the river and finally ends up on the banks of Lake Maumelle.   All of this is in one section.  In fact, if you do the 11 mile one-way dayhike from hwy 9 to hwy 10 you'll experience all of these terrain changes and landscapes in one day.

As always, the definitive guide to the OT is the Ouachita Trail Guide by Tim Ernst.  

Section 9 is divided into two segments (see below), FR152 to Hwy 9 (4.4 miles) and Hwy 9 trailhead to Hwy 10 (~ 10 miles).