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Best Riverside Hikes in Arkansas

The directory currently contains 8 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Arkansas. Their average mapped distance is 23.4 km and average recorded ascent is 483 m (1,585 ft); the longest route in the set is 67.1 km.

This subset represents 22% of the 36 quality-checked routes in Arkansas. Its average distance is 23.4 km, compared with 31.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 483 m (1,585 ft), versus 429 m (1,407 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 2 routes (25%) are rated easy, 4 (50%) are rated hard or expert, and 3 (38%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

2.8 km

Arkansas River Trail (eastbound)

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

28 m

Arkansas River Trail (eastbound)

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Life on the Buffalo River
Expert

Arkansas · United States

Distance
67.1 km
/ 41.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,443 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Arkansas · United States

Distance
36.1 km
/ 22.4 mi
Elevation gain
658 m
Typical duration
9 hr 8 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Bend in the Buffalo River from an overlook on the Buffalo River Trail near Steel Creek
Expert

Arkansas · United States

Distance
57.4 km
/ 35.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,190 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Arkansas · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
82 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • River
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Hard

Arkansas · United States

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
421 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 min
  • River
Moderate

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • River

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Buffalo River TrailArkansas67.1 km1,443 m17 hrExpertApril to October
North Sylamore Creek TrailArkansas36.1 km658 m9 hr 8 minExpertApril to October
Buffalo River TrailArkansas57.4 km1,190 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Arkansas River Trail (eastbound)Arkansas2.8 km28 m37 minEasyApril to October
Overlook TrailArkansas2.8 km82 m43 minModerateApril to October
River Corridor TrailArkansas19.1 km421 m4 hr 44 minHardApril to October
Big Creek LoopArkansas1.1 km45 m18 minModerateApril to October
Villiage on the Creek LoopArkansas1.1 km0 m14 minEasyApril to October

Buffalo River Trail, North Sylamore Creek Trail, Buffalo River Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

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