The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Mena
Location: From Mena take Hwy. 71 going north toward Fort Smith. Stay on Hwy 71. until you come to the small town of Y City. In Y City turn right onto Hwy. 270 heading toward Hot Springs. Stay on Hwy. 270 for about 5 miles. Watch to your right for the Fourche Mountain sign. Turn right onto Forest Road 172 there is an area there for you to park.
Type: Double track and old road / loops.
Distance: Distance varies depending on which loops you take. If you take the outer most trails you will do about 20 miles.
Summary: If you are looking for a trail that will beat you up and spit you out then this one will probably do you well. I personally do not care for this trail. It is all old road and ATV trail and it shows it. The trail is very rough and rutted out in many places. There are sometimes large boulders in the middle of the trail on the downhill's that can take you by surprise. The climbs are very steep and littered with loose rocks and washed out places. A few of the climbs like the one that goes up to Buck Knob (number 6 on the F.S. map) is pretty long and relentless, you can tell that this trail was designed for people that ride motorized vehicles. There are places out here where a person could really injure themselves so be careful. This trail is very remote so bring tubes, water and a bite to eat, amazingly my cell phone worked out there. The downhill's can be scary fun, the climbs can be a little daunting, the trail is mostly loose rock, nothing hard packed out there. There are a few sections that are a little tricky but for the most part the trail is so wide that technical stuff is almost non-existent. There are quit a few creek crossings but these are not to bad. The trails that are close to Hwy. 270 are really not bad at all and kind of fun but as you venture up toward the Ouachita Trail the trails get to be a little more rugged. There are some really nice views from the upper trails especially on the section between 4 and 5 on the F.S. map and on top of Buck Knob. There are some old abandoned silver minds out there to find as well as a really neat cave but you have to get off the beaten path to find them. Some of the creek crossings are really nice and shaded especially during the summer months. This is a multi-use trail for bikes, hikers, horses, and motorized vehicles so watch for other trail users. I have never come across anyone out on this trail so it should not be to much of a problem but you can tell the trail gets used.
Recommended Route: Start at Forest Road 172 and ride the outer loop counter clockwise I have found that is the best way I believe. If you do not want a lot of climbing then go to the following markers in this order 11 to 12 to 2 to 3 to 9 to 10 to 1 to 13.
When to ride: Most of the year is pretty good for this trail.
Rating: I would not recommend this trail to anyone but then again you might like it. I would not take a novice or even a beginner out to this trail. I consider myself an intermediate rider and ended up having to push up a couple of the climbs. An advanced rider might enjoy it. The trail really is not all that much fun and the payoff for all the hard work is minimum.
Other recommended trails in the area:
Earthquake Ridge, Briar Creek,
Twin Pines, Rocky Bottoms, Womble,
Big Brushy