If you have more time to spend in this region, here are some ideas of things to do before or after your hike. The Buffalo National River and Ozark Mountains are incredibly scenic and reminded us a bit of driving around West Virginia. We live in Tulsa and cant wait to check it out. However, the trail was pretty rocky at times, so make sure you have good shoes and keep an eye on where youre stepping so you dont trip!After about 45 minutes to 1 hour of hiking on the Centerpoint Trail, youll reach an open area with a fire ring to the left and trails straight ahead (which we hear goes to the river) and to the right. hike out is a bit steep in places. Again, avoid is a strong word. And , Many people love mushrooms. It was so beautiful! While the Goat Trail to Big Bluff, as well as the Buffalo National River, is accessible year round, specific times of the year and certain weather will make the trail more enjoyable.Because the trail has drop offs and exposed areas, which we will discuss more in a second, we would not recommend hiking this trail if it has rained a lot or if there is any ice, as the rocky ledges may be slick and you could accidentally slip and injure yourself.Visiting the Buffalo National River in the late spring or early summer will be your best bet to see lots of waterfalls. Where were the goats though?? Techno-Tainment Combo in Branson, Dublin's Irish Tenors and The Celtic Ladies, Great Woodsman Zipline Canopy Tour Branson. Steep 2.5 mile hike out- but the trail is beautiful and worth the effort. Make sure you go past the hole in the rock for the best part of the whole trail. When the waters are higher, you can notice how beautifully turquoise the water is. Woo! No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Located just 6 minutes from the trailhead, JB Trading Co is a great spot to call home in the Buffalo National River. Will definitely hike it again. Some random moments from our two weeks in Mrida! Buffalo Outdoor Center Very muddy but the views at the end are worth it! To arrive at the Goat Trail you must first start at the Centerpoint trailhead. The trail in doesn't really feel like it is as steep as it is hiking back out. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. On paper it might seem that way, but in action it's just a gorgeo. This is where the trail corridor opens up into a large, rounded flat area with a fire ring that directionally is at about one oclock on your right. . I love hoking & camping. Big Bluff is part of the Buffalo River Trail, so don't think the trail will simply end. The view from the bluffs in breathtaking as you stand right at the edge and overlook the buffalo. Taking in a panoramic view while gettingsome shade! Designed & Developed by SoloPine.com, The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. This is a very popular area for backpacking, camping, and fishing, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Very rocky getting down but doable. All the rain that we get in springtime makes for beautiful, lush trees, wildflowers are beginning to bloom and the river is higher. These cabins range in size and cost, but feature kitchens and amenities to make you feel right at home! I loved the Goat Trail part of the hike, but not as enthused over the first mile or so from the trailhead. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The trail's destination is the Big Bluff overlooking the Buffalo River. living on the road in our. One should not jump off of cliffs. Check out our article with FREE apps we use to plan outdoor adventures hiking, camping, and road tripping all the time! Yes, but a leash is recommended, especially on Big Bluff which has some narrow sections with steep drops to one side. The surgery would leave him unable to walk for two months and unable to hike for even longer. The hardest part of the trail looks like an old gravel bed with a lot of loose rocks. The spur trail (Goat Trail) to Big Bluff is off to the right of the fire ring. I have to add this to my list of my must-do hikes so I dont forget. Check out our other articles related to hiking and camping in Arkansas: Feel free to leave us a comment below if you have any questions. Finally I found two people who were riding a horse and were heading towards the place and I followed them. Its great to see something you can do with the whole family too even if your mum was scared stiff! Take caution if crossing it. You will have a BLAST hiking in the Ozarks. Being from St. Louis, where the weathermen are always predicting rain that never comes, we simply packed our raincoats and hoped to finish the hike before the storm came in. Dont avoid these gorgeous places. This, ladies + gentlemen, is my favorite view in Arkansas. big bluff goat trail deaths. Based on reviews, I was nervous about the height and narrowness of the bluffs and the hike on the way out. The trail is an old logging trail and can be rocky at times. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Located 30 miles west of downtown St. Louis, Babler State Park is home to an impressive 2,400-acre old-growth forest ecosystem. Its funny how the world replicates its landscapes over on the other sides of the world!! What a beautiful hike!! If you turn left, you continue on the trail that will take you all the way to Hemmed-in-Hollow. The majority of this trail strolls through the forest. As of last count, Beaver Lake had claimed 120 lives. THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. Required fields are marked *. So, if you see any of the following, youre in the right place: The hike from Centerpoint to Big Bluff starts from the Centerpoint Trailhead outside of Ponca, AR. Hiking out to the bluffs is pretty much downhill all the way, making the hike back completely uphill. If camping during the winter, there are vault toilets. Is Goat Trail over the Buffalo National River the most dangerous hike in the United States? The Goat Trail is the narrow ledge trail that spurs off of the Centerpoint Trail and takes you out onto Big Bluff. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. This was one of my top five hikes ever!! 2015 - Solo Pine. Its a downhill trek until you get to the Goat Trail, but it never felt super steep. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. forms: { Just dont fall off. We only recommend products we truly love, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too! It was so foggy you could not see the river or the mountains, we waited an hour and the fog had lifted. The Bluffs along Buffalo National River Flickr/Buffalo Outdoor Center Good grief, don't try to jump off a cliff into the river. Park at the Center Point trailhead. Will travel for tacos, BBQ, & ice cream The views of the Buffalo River were great. We hope to get to hike Goat Trail again sometime when the weather is better, and we have more time to enjoy the view. There is little to no cellphone reception in the area except at the top of the hill near the trailhead. Before headingback up to the top, Matt, my dad and I joined my mom with her awesome view, ate a granola bar and soaked it all in. While the official distance is 5.9 miles on All Trails, our GPS tracked us at just shy of 7 miles. The views are definitely worth the hike. Matt took this photo and thats me walking along the narrow trail. Snow melting but not muddy. Big Bluff demands we all be on our best behavior in exchange for enjoying one of the most lofty views of the Buffalo National River accessible by hiking trail. Ponca, AR 72670, 1 (870) 861-5514 Learn how your comment data is processed. Our response to COVID-19: Our team is committed to providing a safe and memorable experience for guests and staff. Looking for more things to do in Arkansas? OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Big Bluff is actually the tallest sheer bluff face between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains and once you reach it, youll understand why this hike is so popular. Name, age Date Location, comments Jesse Sky Bergman, 9: May 16, 1988: Stalked and killed by a four-year-old male cougar at Catface Mountain in British Columbia near Tofino. We are so happy Arkansas / Campgrounds. It almost looks like a beehive. Goat Bluff Trail Moderate 4 (84) Buffalo National River Photos (88) Directions Print/PDF map Length 3.0 miElevation gain 275 ftRoute type Out & back Try this 3.0-mile out-and-back trail near Compton, Arkansas. Hotels near Fort Smith Municipal Airport (FSM), Motels near Fort Smith Municipal Airport (FSM), Things to do near Big Bluff & The Goat Trail, Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch & Adventure Park, Budapest Small-Group Day Trip from Vienna, Half Day Zanzibar Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve Snorkeling Tour, Small-Group Dallas and Fort Worth City Sightseeing Tour, Venice City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour, 3 Days Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga, Make Your Own Pizza in Rome - Pizza Making with a local Chef, Amber Cove & Taino Bay Shore Excursion, Private Charter on Blue Sky Catamaran, *NEW* BUFFALO RIVER VALLEY VIEWS-5MIN FROM PONCA! While youre in the area, there are other great hikes. Truly awesome place for hiking. Hi yall! Trail is wide enough where you wont ever be too terribly close to the ledge. Excellent trail. This allows us to continue publishing free travel and gear guides. How cool is that?! The view is spectacular and I did not find it as dangerous as the web says. - Stock Photos provided by our partner Depositphotos, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Hi yall! The first summer visit we made here, Matt and I got up early, picked up my parents and set off for a day trip. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. I had to strip down when I got to the rocky ledge at 2.5mi or so & stayed that way the whole time. Be sure to continue on past the rock formation with the eyehole to access the Goat Trail. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Taking on a good hike is a great way to do that and would definitely consider this one when I am in the Arkansas area. Just avoid the risky behaviors that could endanger your life, health, and safety. The Goat trail EASILY provides one of the BEST scenic views of the Buffalo River. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. We heard that the trail is very popular and can get busy, so we wanted to experience it on a weekday and arrived early to hopefully avoid crowds.After parking and waiting a bit for it to get lighter out, we hit the trail! Technically this route is the Centerpoint Trail to the Goat Trail to Big Bluff, but we have seen it called the Big Bluff Trail, Goat Trail, Centerpoint to Goat Trail, and other names, which made it a bit confusing to understand if they were the same or not.In this guide well call it the Goat Trail to Big Bluff to keep things shorter, but we wanted to mention its various name combinations so youre not confused. It was our first hike in the area and we started later in the day than we should have. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 8 min to complete. It is considered the tallest along the Buffalo at over 500 ft. tall. Note: this guide contains affiliate links, which means that if you use the links provided and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. The parking lot for the Centerpoint Trailhead fills up quickly. These views show, not only how narrow the ledge gets, but also how tall that bluff is above you. The ledge at the end is wide enough for two people to walk side by side without being too close to the edge. AllTrails rates this trail as hard; however, I would argue that it is more of a moderate hike. Your email address will not be published. Stay warm up there! living on the road in ourself-converted sprinter van! We were there in the fall and the river was almost dry. Users of the outdoors website All Trails rated Cougar Crest 4.5 out of 5 stars and listed it as "moderate." Related Articles { You should go forth and explore the Natural States breathtaking beauty. Some of these trees have been dated to over 800 years old by the National Park Service, so take a few moments to pause and wonder at these tenacious, gnarled sentinels as they watch over the bluff and the river. Average hiking time is 4 to 6 hours. The Big Bluff, otherwise known as the Goat Trail, sits 550' above the Buffalo National River and the trail is only about 4 feet wide. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. I like to do Easy/moderate hikes admist stunning natural beauty, ozarks looks just ideal! I bet going in the summer or fall is just as beautiful as each other. This looks like an amazing place to hike. You don't have to spend a lot of money or use a ton of vacation time to explore close to home. The summer will also be a great time to see the trees with their lush green color!We hiked the trail in the fall, specifically in early November, and got the last glimpses of fall colors before the leaves fell. Great view. It is downhill almost the whole way, and we ran into plenty of other hikers already headed back from the cliff. It was muddy but oh so worth it! It is open year-round. The river water has a clear, blue color, which contrasted super nicely with the yellow and orange leaves we witnessed. The mountains that surround the area are also very beautiful! This section of the hike follows a narrow path along the edge of Big Bluff, with a very steep and long drop-off to the Buffalo River below. However, the Goat Trail runs along this cliff face at around 340 feet above the river. Spring is just magic. 90 minute drive got us to the Centerpoint trailhead. From here, its about a 1/4-mile hike out to the start of Big Bluff. We recommend hiking with comfortable hiking shoes, wool socks, a sun hat, sunglasses, a daypack, and sweat-wicking clothes you can layer. As long as you are mindful of the ledge, most hikers will have no trouble enjoying this view safely. To get to the Goat Trail, start the hike from Centerpoint Trailhead. After soaking in the views for a bit and snapping tons of photos, we headed back on the Goat Trail to the Centerpoint Trail. Your email address will not be published. As we mentioned above, there are some ledges, some of which are somewhat narrow, especially at Big Bluff. The differences between your fall and summer pics are so stunning! This hiking seems fun in Arkansas. Speaking of trees, one of the great privileges of being out on Big Bluff is the chance to see the large, aged junipers that somehow manage to grow along the trails edge, clinging to what seems like nothing but sheer rock and very little soil. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Her goal is to help inspire people to build a life they love by sharing how simple and fun it is to travel locally, connect with nature, and explore off-the-beaten-path. A slip could break your leg or neck. We left our little hikers at home for this one as its definitely more of a challenge and a bit treacherous at spots. We arrived at the Centerpoint Trailhead bright and early on a Monday morning in November. Twenty campers died in a flash flood in 2010. Keep your footing. The Centerpoint Trailhead is located approximately 3 miles north of Ponca, AR, directly across Hwy. These trees growing along the bluff are junipers and some of them have been dated back to over 800 years! Those views are incredible and definitely (I would assume) worth the hike! Spring is my favorite time of year to go anywhere in the Ozarks for multiple reasons. Well worth it, but don't underestimate the hike out. (Recommended) It's quite a hike from the Camp Grounds but doable. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. It is an out and back trail, approximately 3 miles each way. We had our hearts set on the well-known Centerpoint to Goat Trail, a 5.9 mile out and back trail whose destination is a famously breathtaking view of the Buffalo River. Nice views. Nor is it the place for a beer fest or the intake of any other substance that can alter your balance and/or judgement, even if its a Dramamine. Every year residents of Northwest Arkansas and the river valley hear about Beaver Lake tragedies on the local news. We got there later in the morning and luckily saw a couple, but from quite a distance. Hiking to Big Bluff: The hike takes from 4 to 5 hours to complete round trip if you're in decent shape. TRAIL LENGTH: The trail to Big Bluff is about 6.5 miles roundtrip, but you can also continue on to some other scenic sites, so know where you're going and when to turn around. there is a shorter hike alternative that is only 3 miles instead if 6 if you want less hiking. Karen you will make it to the Ozarks! This 1 2/3-mile hike offers a twist on the Bluff Trail, going along and just above the coast of Montaa de Oro State Park. Relatively easy hike for this 6 mile round trip trek. The trail map claims 3 miles to the start of Big Bluff from the Center-point Trail Head. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Check out our blog for more close by . ), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. Service animals permitted.