Hike Up The Summit Or Down To The Waterfall At Arkansas' Forked Mountain
By Carol Ann Carson|Published December 21, 2020
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Carol Ann Carson
Author
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
Just about anyone can enjoy a hike around Forked Mountain! The scenic spot offers panoramic vistas and as well as stunning water features. Take your team to tackle both trails or pick one for an afternoon of adventure. We couldn’t choose a favorite so let’s hike up, down, and all around Forked Mountain:
Forked Mountain is a hard to miss (yet still overlooked) scenic adventure in the Ouachita National Forest.
The mountain is about an hour north of Hot Springs and is within the Flatside Wilderness. The mountain is less than 10 miles away from the South Fourche Campground so feel free to turn this daytime trailblazing into a weekend getaway.
There are quite a few ways to enjoy the beauty of the mountain.
The hike is a modest 1.8-mile trip but the path is moderately difficult. The trail is faint towards the top of the mountain and the elevation is well over 700-ft. We've included a trail map link below so be sure to have your GPS with you for this one!
This is more than just a pretty place because it has some lore surrounding it, too. The mountain was formed as a way to deter star-crossed lovers from two different Native American tribes, the Quapaw and Osage. After running away together and reaching a mountain, the lovers were found by the woman's father. The father was determined to keep the lovers apart so he urged the Great Spirit to break the pair. Lightning then struck the mountain, forming two peaks at the top. It's believed the woman's spirit is trapped on one peak while the man's spirit waits on the other peak.
However, if you'd rather not travel to the tippy top of the mountain there's still plenty to explore at ground level.
The Forked Mountain Falls Trail is longer than the trip up the mountain but does not have near the elevation gain (only 200 feet or so). The out-and-back trail is 3.1-miles long and manageable for more young hikers.
There are a number of waterfalls to view here depending on the rains.
The creek has quite a few cascades but the one pictured is the actual Forked Mountain Falls. Plan your hike within a week of decent rain and you'll be able to spot Twist Cascade as well as a plethora of unnamed falls.
Whichever trail you choose, your day at Forked Mountain will be unforgettable!
This is one place where scenic beauty is truly all around. Before you take that first step be sure to research the trails further. You can find GPS-friendly maps of the mountain or waterfall trails here, or choose which one to visit first from the best Arkansas waterfall list. And, as always, follow all of the Leave No Trace principles.
Have you traversed Forked Mountain before? Which trail is your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below! You can also add your hike photos our Facebook group, Arkansas Nature Lovers. You should join for your chance to be featured and to discover why there’s nothing better than Arkansas’ stunning nature.
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