The easiest hikes in Arkansas, by the numbers
Of the 40 trails in Arkansas in our dataset, 14 (35 percent) rate easiest on the gain-and-distance scale we use, run 1 to 6 miles and climb 500 ft or less; all 14 are listed here, lowest rating first.
Oak Trail has the lowest rating: 171 ft of gain over 1 mile, 171 ft per mile.
Across the 14, gain runs from 142 to 375 ft and distance from 1 mile to 5.6 miles; the median gain is 204 ft and the median distance 1.6 miles.
10 of the 14 are point-to-point routes; the rest are loop (4).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak TrailHot Springs NP | 1 | 171 | 171 | 9% | 633 to 804 | 18.5 | |
| 2 | Upper Dogwood TrailHot Springs NP | 1.2 | 179 | 149 | 6% | 887 to 1,050 | 20.7 | |
| 3 | Tanyard Creek LoopGreater Bentonville and Fayetteville | 1.6 | 142 | 89 | 13% | 982 to 1,041 | 21.3 | |
| 4 | ValkyrieHot Springs NP | 1 | 237 | 237 | 14% | 606 to 843 | 21.8 | |
| 5 | Trash ZombinoHot Springs NP | 1.1 | 220 | 200 | 12% | 507 to 672 | 22 | |
| 6 | Tanyard Creek Nature TrailGreater Bentonville and Fayetteville | 1.7 | 171 | 101 | 13% | 982 to 1,051 | 24.1 | |
| 7 | Hot Springs Mountain TrailHot Springs NP | 1.5 | 201 | 134 | 23% | 831 to 971 | 24.6 | |
| 8 | West Mountain TrailHot Springs NP | 1.3 | 236 | 182 | 15% | 773 to 956 | 24.8 | |
| 9 | Hot Springs Mountain LoopHot Springs NP | 1.7 | 205 | 121 | 24% | 833 to 966 | 26.4 | |
| 10 | Cove Lake TrailNorthwest AR | 3.2 | 142 | 44 | 7% | 998 to 1,058 | 30.1 | |
| 11 | Mountain Top TrailHot Springs NP | 1.3 | 353 | 272 | 27% | 680 to 1,075 | 30.3 | |
| 12 | Dead Chief TrailHot Springs NP | 1.6 | 375 | 234 | 25% | 536 to 799 | 34.6 | |
| 13 | FreemanHot Springs NP | 3.7 | 241 | 65 | 10% | 636 to 793 | 42.2 | |
| 14 | Lake Fayetteville SingletrackGreater Bentonville and Fayetteville | 5.6 | 202 | 36 | 9% | 1,233 to 1,304 | 47.6 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band easiest (under 50), 1 to 6 miles, no more than 500 ft of gain, ordered by rating asc, miles asc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Arkansas" here means the 40 trails in Arkansas in our dataset, not every trail in Arkansas.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Oak Trail.
Easiest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other states in our dataset.