The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Mount Ida
Location: From Mount Ida take Hwy. 27 going north for about 18 miles. Look to your left and you will see a parking sign for the Ouachita trail. Turn in at the sign and the parking area is only a few yards on up this drive.
Type: Mostly single track / out and back.
Distance: About 15 miles one way.
Summary: Irons Fork is actually part of the Ouachita Trail and this section gets its name from the very scenic area in which it passes through. This section of the Ouachita Trail is another one of those really nice areas of the Ouachita Trail to ride on. The soil is the same as what you will find on the Womble and other parts of the Ouachita Trail. Some areas are hard packed and others are loose rock. Most of the trail is not to difficult and has some mild rolling hills. The Irons Fork Scenic area is really nice as you travel along the top of Sandlick Mountain. There is a really fun downhill and then some more climbing. The big climbs do not come until after you cross Irons Fork Creek. There are a few steep and long climbs on this section and a few hike-a-bike sections as well. Once you make it to the top of the mountain the trail winds its way across the hood of the mountain with some climbing and some fun downhill. The real fun is coming down off the mountain as you make your way toward Hwy. 298. This section of the O.T. offers some really spectacular views and if you happen to be on the trail in the morning as the sun is just starting to rise the views are tenfold of what they would have been. There are a few tricky areas along this section of trail that require some good handling skills.
Recommended Route: The best route is to start at Hwy. 27 and ride toward Hwy. 298. You will need to setup a shuttle for this but the two trail heads are not that far apart.
When to ride: The Spring and Fall months are the best time of year to ride this trail, Winter is not that bad but we try to avoid this trail during the Summer months as the trail can get over grown in exposed sections.
Rating: This trail would be rated for advanced beginners to advanced riders. Beginners might find the trail a bit tough on some of the climbs and those who have not honed in their handling skills might find themselves walking in places. I would not bring a novice rider or someone who has had very little conditioning out to this trail. There are about four bailouts along the course that will take the rider back to Hwy. 298 but other then that you will be in a very remote section of the Ouachita National Forest. Overall the trail is nice and comparable to other nice sections of the Ouachita Trail when done during the right time of the year. It will give you a good workout, lets you feel that sense of being in the wilderness, it is rugged and untamed in sections but is still a pleasure to ride.
Other recommended trails in the area: Womble, Lake Ouachita Vista Trail