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Hiking Trails Under 10 km in Arkansas

The directory currently contains 24 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Arkansas. Their average mapped distance is 2.7 km and average recorded ascent is 55 m (180 ft); the longest route in the set is 8.7 km.

This subset represents 67% of the 36 quality-checked routes in Arkansas. Its average distance is 2.7 km, compared with 31.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 55 m (180 ft), versus 429 m (1,407 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set has a mapped distance of 10 km or less; no fixed completion time is implied. Within this set, 11 routes (46%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 9 (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

1.1 km

Lake Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Craighead Forest Lake Loop

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

Return logistics

2 recorded loops

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

By Mike Norton
Moderate

Mirror Lake Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
244 m
Typical duration
1 hr 3 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
On the Gulpha Gorge Trail in Hot Springs National Park , Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States.
Moderate

Gulpha Gorge Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Canyon and gorge
A Limenitis arthemis astyanax in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, United States.
Moderate

Hot Springs Mountain Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
126 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Lake Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Goat Rock Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
30 min
Moderate

Oertel Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
37 min
Moderate

Summit Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Waymarked route
Lee Creek Bridge At Devil's Den State Park: The Autumn colors surround the Lee Creek Bridge at Devil's Den State Park near Winslow, AR. (from flickr)
Moderate

Devil's Den Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
55 m
Typical duration
23 min
Easy

Habitats Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
Moderate

Overlook Trail

Arkansas · United States

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

Wildlife Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
15 min
  • Wildlife watching
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Old Railroad Grade

Arkansas · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
39 min
Moderate

Tonawanda Base Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
74 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Holloway Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Big Creek Loop

Arkansas · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • River
Overlooking the peninsula that is home to Lake Ouachita State Park. Photo taken from the outer edge of the Caddo Bend Trail.
Moderate

Caddo Bend Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
1 hr 39 min

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
Mirror Lake TrailArkansas3.3 km244 m1 hr 3 minModerateApril to October
Gulpha Gorge TrailArkansas1.2 km35 m18 minModerateApril to October
Hot Springs Mountain TrailArkansas2.6 km126 m44 minModerateApril to October
Craighead Forest Lake LoopArkansas3.8 km0 m48 minEasyApril to October
Lake TrailArkansas1.1 km24 m16 minEasyApril to October
Goat Rock TrailArkansas1.5 km117 m30 minModerateApril to October
Oertel TrailArkansas2.3 km97 m37 minModerateApril to October
Ducks Unlimited Park LoopArkansas8.7 km0 m1 hr 49 minModerateApril to October
Summit TrailArkansas0.7 km62 m15 minModerateApril to October
Arkansas River Trail (eastbound)Arkansas2.8 km28 m37 minEasyApril to October

Mirror Lake Trail, Gulpha Gorge Trail, Hot Springs Mountain 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.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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