Views of woods, water unfold on Buffalo River hike

Karen Mowry (left) and Thao Nguyen enjoy a vista along the Goat Trail high above the Buffalo National River. The outing was Thao’s rst hike.
Karen Mowry (left) and Thao Nguyen enjoy a vista along the Goat Trail high above the Buffalo National River. The outing was Thao’s rst hike.

It's a good idea to be sure footed like a mountain goat during a hike along the Goat Trail, high above the Buffalo National River.

The six-mile Goat Trail is one of Arkansas' most scenic treks. The hike is out and back route, about three miles in and three miles out. The whole trail is scenic, but the main attraction is the narrow path that meanders along the face of Big Bluff, about 300 feet above the river.

More trails to see

There are other trails in the Ponca area near the Buffalo National River.

The Buffalo River Trail is accessed at the low-water bridge at Ponca, or at the start of the trail along Arkansas 21 in Boxley. The trail runs for several miles along the river.

Lost Valley Trail is west of Ponca on Arkansas 43. It’s a two-mile out and back hike with high bluffs, forest, a stream and waterfalls. It’s scenic any time but best visited after ample rain.

— Staff report

The Goat Trail is well worn. Who know how many pairs of feet shuffle along the rocky path each year. The hike starts at the Center Point trail head on Arkansas 43 north of Ponca. It's three miles, mostly downhill, to the vistas along Big Bluff. Hikers can linger, rest and enjoy the view before the three miles of uphill back to the trail head.

The uphill walk and lofty heights mean the Goat Trail isn't for everyone. Hikers ready for a climb, and who don't mind heights, are treated to a spectacular day on the trail.

It's less than two hour's drive to the Goat Trail from most of Northwest Arkansas. Some hikers travel hundreds of miles to see it.

"We live in St. Louis and got on the road at 4 o'clock this morning to get here," said a couple recently encountered on the trail. "We've floated the Buffalo, but hadn't heard about the Goat Trail, so this is our first time. We had no idea anything like this was here."

A trek along the Goat Trail on Nov. 18 revealed autumn color still on display, with splotches of red and yellow all along the three mile hike in. Tom and Karen Mowry of Nob Hill brought their daughter-in-law, Thao Nguyen of Fayetteville, to the Goat Trail for her first hiking trip. Thao recently moved to the United States from her native Vietnam.

A cold and howling northwest wind swirled around the trail head to chill ears and cheeks. The scenery starts right off the bat, with views of the river valley framed by bare hardwood trees.

The route starts off level the first mile, then takes a steep drop down a bumpy road trace. Loose rock makes for dicey footing.

At the bottom, the trail turns left and curves downhill over dirt and rock that's muddy and slick after a rain. Easy does it is good advice.

Peak fall color is usually the first week of November, but gorgeous yellows in the hickory trees and reds in the maples and dogwoods were amazing in the middle of the month.

The trail rises and falls gently toward the "Stegosaurus," what some hikers call a row of boulders on the left side of the trail. The rocks are in a straight row and look like the back of a stegosaurus.

It isn't far from there to the views out on Big Bluff.

Hikers know they've arrived when they come to a sort of clearing in the forest and a big rock campfire ring. A spur trail that heads off to the right is the path to the Goat Trail's views.

Hikers scramble down, over a couple of boulders, then enter a cedar thicket that hugs the rock wall of Big Bluff. A little peek of the river valley is seen, then more views until all of the river valley is visible from the narrow bluff trail.

This is where hikers get the willies if they don't like heights. It's a long way to the bottom, 340 feet to be exact.

The Goat Trail was Thao's first hike, but she walked confidently along like a mountain goat sure of foot with a constant smile.

A good time to start a Goat Trail hike is about 10 a.m., with a camera and lunch in a day pack. This puts hikers at the good stuff along the bluff about lunch time. Talk about a room with a view.

Buffalo River lore has it that the Goat Trail is named for goats that used to roam along Big Bluff years ago. That makes sense to Mary Ann Hicks, who runs the Ponca Elk Education Center near the trail.

People who used to live on the road that is now the Goat Trail route had goats, she said.

"Goats don't like bad weather and it's their nature when it rains to go get under a bluff."

Now it's people, not goats, who explore the Goat Trail along Big Bluff. A hiker from Hindsville stopped to chat.

"I've been floating the river for 30 years, and I've seen people up on the bluff, so I came over to see it for myself," he said.

Thao had two observations on her first hike. First, how beautiful the Buffalo River country is. Second, how friendly everyone is on the trail.

"Is this a common thing?" she asked.

Indeed it is, the Mowrys told her. People in Northwest Arkansas are generally pretty friendly, Karen explained. A love of trails and hiking adds to the kinship.

Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAFlip

Sports on 12/06/2016

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