Ouachita National Recreation Trail — Winona to Iron Fork
Arkansas ridge-and-creek backcountry, no crowds.
The Ouachita National Recreation Trail corridor between Winona and the Iron Fork drainage in the Fourche Mountain District is one of the least-driven segments of forest road in Arkansas. Forest Roads 177 and 507 thread through second-growth hardwood and pine stands above the Fourche LaFave River watershed, climbing and dropping across a half-dozen named ridges with expansive eastern views toward Petit Jean Mountain. The creek crossings at Iron Fork itself can run knee-deep in spring, and the clay-over-shale surface turns to a slip-and-slide after any real rain. This is Ouachita backcountry at its most honest — no crowds, no pavement for hours.
Moderate to difficult depending on conditions. High-clearance 4WD is the floor; when wet, lockers are genuinely useful on the steep clay ridge cuts. The route is manageable in summer and fall dry conditions but can close entirely after heavy rain — check with Fourche Mountain Ranger District before leaving. Dispersed camping is permitted throughout the Ouachita NF along these corridors. Fuel in Mena or Danville; water from creeks needs treatment. No permit required. Cell service drops to nothing past Winona and doesn’t return until you’re back near US-270.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 24 mi / 38.6 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 2380 ft |
| Best season | April-June, September-November |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Mena, AR |
| Land manager | USDA Forest Service — Ouachita National Forest, Fourche Mountain Ranger District |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | USFS Ouachita NRT page Ouachita National Forest homepage |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or do I need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD will get through, but low-hanging skid plates will take hits on the rougher rocky sections. A 2-3 inch lift with all-terrain tires gives you meaningful margin on the creek crossings and shelf road ledges.
What time of year should I avoid this trail?
Winter (December–February) brings ice on the ridgelines and swollen creek crossings that can make the route genuinely impassable. Late July and August are brutally hot and humid with poor visibility from vegetation overgrowth — doable, but miserable.
Do I need a permit to run this trail or camp along it?
No permit required for the trail itself or dispersed camping within Ouachita National Forest. Campfire restrictions may apply during dry stretches — check current conditions with the Fourche Mountain Ranger District before you go.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
The creek crossings mid-route are the crux — after rain they can run knee-deep or higher with slick rocky bottoms that will slide a tire sideways fast. The ridge road sections aren't technically hard but are loose, eroded, and punishing on gear if you push speed.
There's no cell service on this trail — how far is it to the nearest gas and how should I plan for that?
Mena is your last reliable fuel stop, roughly 20-30 minutes from the Winona trailhead — fill up there, full tank, no exceptions. With 24 miles of slow backcountry driving and no bail-out options once you're in, you don't want to be doing fuel math in the middle of the Ouachita.
Trail track
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