Welcome to the website of the Friends of the Ouachita Trail

Pic of the Ouachita Trail in Oklahoma

"Friends of the Ouachita Trail" (FoOT) is a non-profit organization created by trail users to maintain the Ouachita National Recreation Trail as a healthy and enjoyable outdoor recreational asset. FoOT is organized exclusively to provide assistance for the maintenance, enhancement and use of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail.

The Ouachita National Recreation Trail stretches 223 miles through the beautiful Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The "Ouachita Trail," as it is more commonly known, runs from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, near Little Rock, Arkansas. It is a premier trail asset for hikers, backpackers, and mountain bikers.

We hope this website can be a focal-point for distributing information about maintaining and enjoying this wonderful trail asset. The primary goal of FoOT is maintaining the trail, but we also are trail users.

Weeds Be Gone

Once again the Ouachita National Forest has shown cooperative efforts with FoOT. The Mena/Oden Ranger District recently ran a weedeater on the trail from the AR/OK state line to Queen Wilhelmina State Park on the Ouachita Trail. We are very fortunate to have this partnership with the ONF and FoOT appreciates all maintenance activities on the trail by professionals and volunteers.

USFS to the Rescue

Once again the Choctaw/Kiamichi Ranger District in Oklahoma has come through. They recently completed maintenance on Mile 8 through 13 (Deadman's Gap to Cedar Branch) of the trail. They also removed downed trees and snags on the first few miles of the OT. Thanks to Jared Johnson, Kelly Russell, Bill Durant, Jessie Scott and anyone else at the Ranger District for their cooperative efforts with FoOT.

True Dedication

FoOT Trail Adopters John Cramm and Ned Skoog after clearing their own adopted and still looking for more work were asked to clean up Mile 64 to 66 west of Foran Gap/Hwy 71 Trailhead.

Ned writes: “Left Hot Springs, AR at 5:45am.  We walked in west 2.1 miles before starting maintenance at mile marker 66 - carrying weed eater, tools, gas, etc.  Cleared trail to the west for about a mile or mile and 1/2.  Pretty challenging - all uphill (going in), lots of boulders in trail, cleared 7 downed trees, tons of poison ivy, tons of blackberry and brambles, lots of saplings and branches, etc. However, and as you know, beautiful country.  Lots of blooms also. We were pretty fatigued, but made it out.  Got home at 8pm.”

Before and after photos submitted by Ned Skoog.

Trail before John and Ned's work Trail after John and Ned's work

Ouachita Challenge

The Ouachita Challenge was held April 4 & 5 and was a great success. Mountain bike racers from near and far came to race on a course that includes many miles of Ouachita trail singletrack!

The volunteer effort contributed by FoOT members helped make this year's Ouachita Challenge a success.

Ouachita Challenge organizer (and FoOT Board member) Ed Hawkins emails: "Guys, FoOT did a wonderful job this weekend, all of your preplanning paid off. Many thanks for the hard work and get suggestions for next year ready. We can never be perfect but we can try!"

New Website "Banner Graphic"

FoOT member Randall Joslin has created a new version of the "banner graphic" that appears at the top of each page on our website. Thanks Randall for improving the graphic tremendously! - Webmaster Mike Sims

Spring Has Sprung - Now is the Time for Trail Maintenance

Now is the time for people to remember to go out and do their trail maintenance. Wildflowers are blooming, it's not too hot, lots of pretty water flowing, etc.

There is much growth out there and if left over summer, will become out of control. The pine saplings are having a heyday this year; they are like grass. If they grow over summer, then they cannot be cut with a weedeater or slingblade tool.

We want to encourage everyone with an adoption to please tend to it before summer heat hits the trail.

Also, anyone out there who sees any evidence of illegal ATV use of the Ouachita Trail, please report it to USFS Patrol Captain Jimmy D. Hicks and/or to the District Ranger of whichever District they are on at the time. This problem is escalating on the OT big time. If they see an ATV "in person", try to get a descripton and any other details that can be gotten by simple observation (not confrontation) and report that. It is very important that we stay on top of this problem by reporting what we see.

More news on the News Archive page...