[brattpowered]

I'm planning on a trip from Texas to Arkansas this October to take a look at the leaves and go hiking with my dog. I am looking for a good place to camp. Ideally, I am looking for seclusion, good views, hiking trails and water (rivers, lakes, etc). A place to rent a canoe and go fishing would be great too. I heard that Camp Albert Pike is lovely, but that it can get crowded. Is this the case in the fall? If anyone has suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

And if anyone does not want to post their favorite place on a public forum, you could always PM me.

[Luvvarkansas]

Petit Jean would be good for all that except maybe the seclusion.

Mt. Nebo has hike-in camp sites on the Rim trail, and there are no amenities on those, so I would imagine not many people use them. There is Lake Dardanelle at the base, and you an always drive over to Petit Jean for more hiking...lots of water on the Cedar Falls trail, and the Seven Hollows trail is just outstanding. So is the Cedar Falls trail, for that matter, but the SH trail has lots of bluffs, small creeks, and a nice grotto at the end. I've never been when the water is running well, but I can imagine it would be out of this world if it was.

The campground at the Lost Valley trail is primitive and can get pretty full at times, but you could probably find a spot off to yourself there. When the water is running at Lost Valley, it is out of this world also. Toilets but no showers. There is a well for water. The Buffalo River and Ponca are nearby for renting canoes. Hawksbill Crag hiking trail is also nearby.

Of course, all these are further north that Albert Pike, and it may be closer to where you're coming from, I don't know. But Petit Jean, Mt. Nebo, and Mt. Magazine are not much further and they're all sort of "in a wad" together so that you can easily drive from one to the other for a day trip.

Just google all these places and you will find all sorts of information.

[HotSpringsLiving]

I second Albert Pike Recreation Area. Go during the week and you will avoid the majority of the crowds. We went the week before Memorial Day. We were at the Little Missouri Falls on a Tuesday and we were the ONLY ones there; went back on Saturday and there was a crowd. We toured the area on an ATV. However, I saw several hikers. It is a beautiful area.

Another big positive for you would be that they apparantly allow you to set up camp in areas off of the trails. LOTS of seclusion if there during the week. You can actually camp directly beside one of MANY creeks. You can hike back to the camp for showers/bathrooms.

[brattpowered]

Thanks to both of you! I'd also like to add that I am looking for a place that I can make a fire in a fire ring at night....

[Capt. Dan]

Lake Greeson/Daisy State Park

[HotSpringsLiving]

Oh yes, Daisy State Park is nice. We actually stayed there and made the short drive over to Albert Pike Recreation Area recently. You have the benefit of making reservations at Daisy SP, while Albert Pike is first-come, first-serve. You also have the pretty lake to look at from many sites.

[ArkansasSlim]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

I'm planning on a trip from Texas to Arkansas this October to take a look at the leaves and go hiking with my dog. I am looking for a good place to camp. Ideally, I am looking for seclusion, good views, hiking trails and water (rivers, lakes, etc). A place to rent a canoe and go fishing would be great too. I heard that Camp Albert Pike is lovely, but that it can get crowded. Is this the case in the fall? If anyone has suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

And if anyone does not want to post their favorite place on a public forum, you could always PM me.

All the replies to your post are good and correct. Albert Pike, Shady Lake, and Little MO Falls are the "official" recreation spots on the Ouachita National Fforest, but west of Albert Pike is the Winding Stair Trail with a parking lot at the trail head and fantastic views along the trail. People park there and spend days hiking and camping along the trail. Farther north and east is the Ouachita Trail which has a little of everything. If you are an experienced (wilderness) hiker you may consider just taking off into the mountains, but it is easy to get lost in the Ouachitas. Then there is the Caney Creek Wilderness Area north of Shady Lake. I worked in the logs woods in that country a very long time ago and now do contract and volunteer archeology work in there for the Ouachita National Forest. That is my favorite part of the universe! I suggest you Google Ouachita National Forest to get more detail info. Have fun! Oh! Important!!!! There are rattlers, copperheads, and water moccasins in there so you must watch your dog if it is not "woods savy".

[ArkansasSlim]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

Thanks to both of you! I'd also like to add that I am looking for a place that I can make a fire in a fire ring at night....

I have seen evidence of fire rings on the Ouachita National Forest but don't know if there is an "official policy". You may get that info if you Google ONF.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by ArkansasSlim

Important!!!! There are rattlers, copperheads, and water moccasins in there so you must watch your dog if it is not "woods savy".

Mountain lions, bobcats, bears....................

This is a great state.


http://www.agfc.com/pdfs/nuisance/nuisance_bears.pdf

[ArkansasSlim]

Originally Posted by RogMar

Mountain lions, bobcats, bears....................

This is a great state.


http://www.agfc.com/pdfs/nuisance/nuisance_bears.pdf

Yep, those too, but they will avoid you if given a chance. The AGFC says there are no cougar in there and when I told two of their Wildlife Officers I had seen one (a black one no less) they said it was a feral black cat. They did not believe me when I told them it was at least eight feet from nose to tip of tail. I really want to see a black bear but never have. I find fresh sign where they are avoiding me, but no bear.