Ouachita (or Ozark) NF Suggestions for Newbie

[Tundracamper]

I’ve overlanded in AL, north GA, west NC, and east TN. With a little time off for the winter break, I’d like to venture a little farther out. Arkansas looks like an interesting option. Any suggestions for a good place to start in Ouachita National Forest? I’m going by myself, as usual, and not looking for anything super challenging. Mainly looking for scenic areas and quiet/remote places to camp away from people. It is hard to tell from the Gaia NF/MVUM maps if most of the roads are open in late Dec and early Jan. I need to make sure I don’t end up running into a bunch of locked gates. Thanks!

Update: Below is a trip report of what I did:
Ouachita (or Ozark) NF Suggestions for Newbie

 

[Offroadnutz]

I’ve explored the Ouachita for years and have never seen any gates except on private land.

 

[Clrussell]

Anywhere in ozark national forest, or ouachita is scenic.

look up haw creek Rec area, Richland Rec area, jasper Arkansas. Etc.

Plenty of options, from pavement to more extreme trails

 

[Tundracamper]

Anywhere in ozark national forest, or ouachita is scenic.

look up haw creek Rec area, Richland Rec area, jasper Arkansas. Etc.

Plenty of options, from pavement to more extreme trails

Thx for suggestions. It seems Haw Creek closes next week, but Richland is open year round.

 

[Clrussell]

Thx for suggestions. It seems Haw Creek closes next week, but Richland is open year round.

those are just official camp grounds, there’s tons of national forest you can camp in dispersed

 

[Clrussell]

Long pool campground is another in that area.

Tons of options around here

 

[Boostpowered]

You can do dispersed camping on any of the Forrest roads in the ouachita nf boundary as long as you stay on the road or within like 100 yards or so and don't start a fire unless there is an established fire pit. Most won't give you an exact spot due to people messing things up for everyone else also things change from season to season on the trails so the best thing would be go explore for yourself a trail may not be closed (yet) but may be impassable for you if your not well equipped due to downed trees and washouts. There may be closed areas too that aren't advertised due to controlled burns.

I'd suggest starting in broken bow and working your way north east towards mena

 

[Tundracamper]

I'd suggest starting in broken bow and working your way north east towards mena

I looked up both of those towns and they are both west of Ouachita NF. Not sure how that route would work. I will be coming from the east.

 

[Tundracamper]

I think I’m hitting several of the major spots. Just hope things don’t get too technical or muddy... I’m wondering if I can do this in 3 days.

Lake Sylvia
Lake Winona Dam
Overlooks on 132 and Crystal Mountain
Forked Mountain via 793
Buffalo Gap
FS 11 over to Hwy 27
27 down to Mt. Ida (may try to find a more scenic alternate)
Rocky Shoals area
FS 20 over to FS 23 down to Big Fork
Loop to Sugar Creek Hilltop, Bard Springs, Albert Pike, Little Missouri Falls
Crystal Recreation Area
Crystal Vista
Meander over to the dam and finish up in Hot Springs

 

[Downs]

I looked up both of those towns and they are both west of Ouachita NF. Not sure how that route would work. I will be coming from the east.

No they're not. The Ouchita NF extends out of Arkansas into Oklahoma and down around Broken Bow Lake. Plenty of NF around the lake and north of it to explore. But as @Boostpowered mentioned watch out for posted off limts area and what not. While there is a ton of NF around there it butts up against a lot of private, state, and county land that is not NF.

There's certainly more of it in Arkansas than Oklahoma but don't completely discount it.

 

[Tundracamper]

There's certainly more of it in Arkansas than Oklahoma but don't completely discount it.

My point was that I am not planning to go that far west on this trip. Thx, though.

 

[Clrussell]

When are you coming?

 

[MOVE.OVERland]

Just use the MVUM map. There are some awesome places to explore within Arkansas. There are almost 400 waterfalls in Arkansas. while most are in the Ozarks, there are some gorgeous falls in the Ouachita. As far as camping, there are tons of spots throughout the national forests, I have started to try to tag most spots to remember the good ones lol. Here's a few waterfall pics in the Ouachita

 

[Tundracamper]

When are you coming?

Hopefully in the next week or two.

 

[Clrussell]

Hopefully in the next week or two.

let me know if you want a day trip tag along. I’m in a full size too. But I’m out of town until after the 4th

 

[Tundracamper]

Update: Ouachita NF Trip Report

Here’s what I ended up doing on my trip to Ouachita National Forest, approaching from Little Rock side...

• Day 1
• Started at the Hwy 9 Trailhead
• Drove up to Lake Sylvia area
• Went down to Lake Winona and drove across spillway
• Headed north up to Flatside Pinnacle (one of prettiest and steepest parts of entire trip)
• Came back south and west to Lake Winona Vista, Flatisde Pinnacle Vista, and the short but very rugged road up to Crystal Mountain Vista ( two campsites I marked up there with spectacular views).
• Drove west and then north up to Forked Mountain and the neat campsite at the trailhead (FS 793)
• Camped near Oak Mtn Vista on FS 124 south of 135 (pretty windy!)

• Day 2
• Started next morning by having breakfast at Iron Springs pavilion
• Drove west on FS 11 over to Hwy 27.
• Headed south for lunch at Mt. Ida.
• Drove northwest to Oden area
• Headed south to Big Fork
• Started loop to Sugar Creek, East Caney, and setup at a real pretty campsite near a creek. Once I saw the rain forecast and though about the area possibly flooding, I went back and camped at the Upper Athens Big Fork TH.

• Day 3
• Started rainy/foggy day with a drive to Little Missouri Falls from north end (very scenic, even in fog and rain)
• Went thru Albert Pike and out thru south on 369
• Drove major roads up to Norman
• Headed east thru Crystal and had lunch at Collier Springs pavilion (neat area)
• Did a little more exploring on south side of Lake Ouachita at Tompkins Bend, Hickory Nut Mountain, and Lake Ouachita Vista (to see the fog:)
• Went into Hot Springs, drove thru National Park
• Headed back to Lake Sylvia area for one last night camping in Forest

Sure wish I coulda completed the loop between Bard Springs and Albert Pike. With all the water crossings and imminent rain, I was too worried about getting trapped. So, I guess I’ll have to go back! I definitely want to go back and explore some more of the Flatside Wilderness and the Caney area, plus a lot in the northwest part I didn’t even get to touch.


Lake Winona Spillway


Road to Flatside Pinnacle


Lunch at Flatside Punnacle


Crystal Mountain Vista (nice campsite)



Forked Pinnacle TH


Oak Mtn Campsite


Collier Springs

 

[Dagwood_55]

Nice trip. Next time you're between Hwy 27 & 71, take a visit to "Old Forrester". Google it for directions. A little east of 71 just off 28. Its an old sawmill town with a very interesting history.

 

[grubworm]

very cool....the wife and i statrted going to arkansas a couple yrs ago and camped on the mulberry near cass and then around jasper. (Ozark Cafe in Jasper has the BEST hamburgers!) we wanted to find more off roads to take and find some boondocking areas. we didnt have much luck finding boondocking. we did take our kayaks to steel creek camp area on the bufffalo and enjoyed that...only problem was that it only allowed tent camping or camping with a horse trailer, so my teardrop was not allowed at steel creek camp area and we had to get a room in jasper.

does anyone have a good area for boondocking that is close to the water for kayaking?

 

[Tundracamper]

very cool....the wife and i statrted going to arkansas a couple yrs ago and camped on the mulberry near cass and then around jasper. (Ozark Cafe in Jasper has the BEST hamburgers!) we wanted to find more off roads to take and find some boondocking areas. we didnt have much luck finding boondocking. we did take our kayaks to steel creek camp area on the bufffalo and enjoyed that...only problem was that it only allowed tent camping or camping with a horse trailer, so my teardrop was not allowed at steel creek camp area and we had to get a room in jasper.

does anyone have a good area for boondocking that is close to the water for kayaking?

I did notice the Albert Pike Recreation Area had tons of open camping right along the stream (north side). Based on the road signs, I assume this area gets quite busy during kayak season.

 

[runswithscissors]

very cool....the wife and i statrted going to arkansas a couple yrs ago and camped on the mulberry near cass and then around jasper. (Ozark Cafe in Jasper has the BEST hamburgers!) we wanted to find more off roads to take and find some boondocking areas. we didnt have much luck finding boondocking. we did take our kayaks to steel creek camp area on the bufffalo and enjoyed that...only problem was that it only allowed tent camping or camping with a horse trailer, so my teardrop was not allowed at steel creek camp area and we had to get a room in jasper.

does anyone have a good area for boondocking that is close to the water for kayaking?

next time you are up by jasper. try eating at Low Gap. if you are disappointed i'll be shocked! as to boondocking in that area. your best bet is probably going to just past the erbie campground.