Hike at Lake Fort Smith a taste of Ozark Highlands Trail

A hike on the Ozark Highlands Trail and Shepherd Springs Loop offers views of Lake Fort Smith and surrounding forest.
A hike on the Ozark Highlands Trail and Shepherd Springs Loop offers views of Lake Fort Smith and surrounding forest.

The Ozark Highlands Trail twists and climbs more than 200 miles across northern Arkansas through the Ozark National Forest.

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The trail passes a small wet-weather waterfall near the Lake Fort Smith State Park visitor center.

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Two chimneys, the remnants of homesteads, are seen along the trail.

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A side hike to Frog Bayou was a scenic lunch stop. Hikers heading east on the Ozark Highlands Trail must cross the bayou to continue.

Hikers can get a taste of the long backpacking path on a walk of five miles or less at Lake Fort Smith State Park. The park is the western end of the Ozark Highlands Trail and the place where through-hikers often start their long journey.

Lake Fort Smith State Park

The park is located 32 miles south of Fayetteville in the Boston Mountain range of the Ozarks. Numerous hiking trails are available at the park, including the Ozark Highlands Trail.

The park has 30 campsites, ten cabins, two group lodges and a dining hall. There is a swimming pool, picnic sites and a marina with boat rentals. The park is adjacent to 1,400-acre Lake Fort Smith. Fishing and boating are allowed, but swimming is not permitted.

Information: (479) 369-2469 or www.arkansasstatepa….

Source: Arkansas State Parks

The trail starts at the visitor center, but the five-mile day hike is no easy stroll. Moderate climbs and slippery descents test the legs and lungs of hikers. A group of 22 from the Hill 'N Dale Hiking Club found that out first -hand when they hit the trail April 27, a sunny Wednesday morning.

Trip leader George Riggin corralled the bunch in front of the visitor center and explained the route. The trek would start on the Ozark Highlands Trail, then veer left on the Shepherd Springs Loop. The loop goes up, up, up to a ridgetop, then back down to rejoin the main Ozark Highlands Trail. From this junction, hikers go right to return to the visitor center.

"We figured we'd get the climbing out of the way first," Riggin said before the group took off.

The first steps of the hike offer nice views of Lake Fort Smith and surrounding forest. The 1,400-acre reservoir seems like a waterway deep in the wilderness, with no homes, cabins or docks in view. It's a water supply for the city of Fort Smith.

Starting the hike, it's easy to imagine the excitement through-hikers feel starting their long backpacking adventure on this first mile. There's a small wet-weather waterfall that warrants a stop near the start of the hike. The trail twists and turns on its way to join Shepherd Springs Loop.

The gang of 22 headed left off the Highlands trail to begin their climb up Shepherd Springs Loop. Springtime was well underway and vegetation was thick. Colorful blossoms of wildflowers spiced up the sea of green sprouting from the forest floor. Poison ivy was everywhere. The mantra, "Leaves of three, let them be," is wise advice.

The uphill isn't severe, but it gets a hiker's attention before the route levels off and follows a ridge. At one point, the trail seems to vanish where it makes a sudden drop into a deep hollow. Hiking staffs are handy navigating this descent over mud and slick rocks to the bottom.

More twists and turns deliver hikers back to the Ozark Highlands Trail. Trail boss Riggin held court at the junction.

"Anyone who wants to go back can go right and it'll take you back to the visitor center," Riggin said. "If we go left and walk about a half mile farther we'll come to a nice spot along the creek."

That creek is Frog Bayou. Backpackers have to cross the stream to continue on the Ozark Highlands Trail. Riggin's bunch decided the creek bank was a fine spot for lunch.

Nancy Gilmore of Bella Vista sat down along the stream with the lunch bunch. It was her first hike at Lake Fort Smith.

"This is fine dining in The Natural State," she said.

Tacking on a hike to the creek adds another mile to the trip for a total of six miles. From Frog Bayou, the group followed the main Ozark Highlands Trail back to the visitor center. Hikers pass a spring and two chimneys along the way, what is left of a couple of homesteads.

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

Sports on 05/17/2016

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