The 6 Best Off-Road Jeep Trails in Arkansas


Arkansas is renowned for its diverse wildlife, beautiful terrain, and magnificent scenery. Thanks to abundant greenery and its pleasant climate, Arkansas is a great destination for Jeep enthusiasts like you.

There may be some restrictions on ORVs and OHVs. However, Arkansas has plenty to offer to Jeep riders and outdoor enthusiasts.

Arkansas is one of the best destinations for thrill-seekers and adventurers. Ozark and Ouachita National Forests are some well-known areas for exploring the Great Outdoors.

*WARNING: Before you go out on any trails, please read through my list of essentials here. I could save your life!

Here are the best Arkansas Jeep Trails.

1. Ouachita National Forest

Ouachita National Forest has several nice Jeep trails, making it a great off-road destination for outdoors enthusiasts. You can enjoy riding your Jeep on several dirt tracks and feel rejuvenated with the fresh air from lush forests. You also can’t miss the gorgeous sight of hills and Forked Mountain.

Cedar Creek Lake is a terrific spot for camping. You can go kayaking, swimming, and fishing while soaking in the fresh atmosphere.

One great place to visit is Angling Creek. If you like driving across water crossings, you are in luck because you will be going through several en route to Angling Creek. There are several trails and forest dirt roads that you can take while exploring the vast wilderness of Ouachita national forest. And don’t forget to visit Saline River, Lake Sylvia, North Fork Pinnacle, and Muse Mountain.

2. Ozark National Forest

Several trails go through Ozark national forest to ride for a memorable trip in the lush green landscape. There is plenty to see here in this vast forest. Trail 93054N goes towards North Fork Road starting from Adams Mountain Road. You will need a spotter to manage washouts here. You can also go on top of the high hill, which is challenging to surmount with your Jeep. Towards the west end is a rock climb with stair steps that you can climb for elevation and great vistas.

It may not have the toughest tracks, but enough to keep you satisfied and enjoy a fine outdoors experience. You may require a spotter at some places here.

Byrd’s Adventure Center is also worth visiting. This is a mighty fine ATV destination in Arkansas that you will want to explore. This park has around 30 miles of trails for ATVs and Jeeps. The Red Trails are the hardest, but many parts are fairly easy. Overall, the trail has a good mix of hard and easy paths that will keep you busy while you are here. For getting through the Red Trails, you will want to make sure that you are driving a 4-wheel drive with plenty of horsepower.

The technical trails here are a joy to ride. You can also take the BlackBerry Loop and the Mill Creek OHV trail. There are several shaded areas here to admire the beautiful scenery and wild berry patches.

A five-and-a-half-mile-long trail goes through Pine Creek towards the southern side of the Ozark Mountains. The creek eventually flows into River Arkansas close to Russellville. Here, you can enjoy the spectacular views and surroundings. There is also a very interesting place that you might like to see, known as Carwash Falls. If you wonder why it’s named this way, then it’s because this is a small stream that emanates from the limestone rocks above, where it spills into the road before joining with Pine Creek.

Ozark National Forest should certainly be on your list of places to explore here in beautiful Arkansas.

3. Hot Springs ORV Park

Here, you can start with the fairly easy G19 trail before going towards more challenging tracks. G3 trail is certainly tougher to ride. And that is why it is among the “Badge of Honor” Jeep trails. In fact, this is among the toughest tracks if you go through the hard routes.

4-wheel enthusiasts will certainly relish the challenging rocky and steep terrain. You will find 3-foot tall boulders along the way.

The good thing about these trails is that they have markings describing difficulty levels. One diamond represents the simplest track to ride. Five-diamond tracks are among the toughest. More diamonds mean more difficulty. Do bear in mind that 5-diamond tracks are indeed tough to get through. Try these only if you are a hard-core off-road enthusiast who relishes tough tracks. Besides having a spotter, you will need 36-inch tires at the very least to make it through. These are really rough tracks, so you should be prepared for some mechanical damage like dents and scrapes owing to the myriad boulders along the way.

It would be best for you to get hold of the park map that has all the routes well-marked. The map shows the difficulty level as well. So you will be better off with this map in your hands as you ride this place. You can also read about the different rules and regulations that apply. You can find tracks allotted to UTVs, ATVs, and SxS with the map.

4. Carter Off-Road Park

Carter Off-Road Park was built fairly recently in 2014. This is an adventure park that happens to be both thrilling and safe at the same time. It is one of the best outdoor locations in Central Arkansas that you should definitely come and see when you are exploring the countryside. Here, you can ride through thousands of acres of long tracks.

You can indulge in various fun-filled outdoor activities ranging from climbing hills to going through mud bogs with your Jeep. And if you are feeling competitive, you are in luck for each year, a number of competitions are held where you can test your off-road skills against other drivers.

For a small price of just $10 per person for one night, you can go camping if you like. The cost climbs to $20 if you go RV camping or a special event. If camping is not for you, try out the premium accommodation that includes treehouse cabins that you can rent for $150 each night. A maximum of 6 people can sleep comfortably inside this space. The pavilion rooms are more like the rooms you will find in conventional high-end hotels, and they cost $150 for each night. A maximum of 4 people can sleep comfortably inside this space.

5. Mack’s Pines

This is private property that is owned by a family. It offers full service, so if you are looking for a full range of amenities while on your outdoor trip, then you can think of spending the night here. The compound is located between Illinois Bay and Moccasin Gap. This is the perfect spot where your off-road abilities are on trails will take you through all kinds of terrains.

Here you will find water crossings, mud, dirt, and loose sand. If you want to head out of Mack’s Pine towards Moccasin Gap, you will have to make sure that you have the forest service permit in your hands. You can obtain permits on the campground before you go out of the compound.

There is a range of cabin sizes with different capacities that can host around 2 to 6 people. There is plenty of lush greenery where you can go on primitive camping or even RV camping. And if you fancy riding a horse in these parts, you can do that too. This will prove to be a very different kind of off-road experience.

The recreation area has the most fabulous tasting burgers and homemade delights that you can find in Arkansas.

6. Hillarosa ATV Park

This is an off-road park that sprawls over 2,000 acres. This is among the best mud parks towards the south. Hence, it is perfect if you are intent on taking your Jeep through lots of dirt and mud. During the weekends, the park remains open. It also holds concerts as well drag races.

Dirt bikes, Jeep,s UTVs and ATVs are all permitted. You will have to obtain permits for camping and fishing. The admission fees are worth it since you and your whole family will have a lot of fun in this park.

Bottom Line

We hope the list mentioned above helped you identify the best Arkansas jeep trials.

Mark Anders

I love my Jeep and will share my years of knowledge with you here! Stay with me and read on!

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