This information and more is on pages 88-94 of the December 1998 issue of Backpacker Magazine.
Location: West end at Talimena State Park, 5 miles north of Talihina, OK to East end at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, about 12 miles west of Little Rock, AR. Pinnacle Mountain is about 425 miles from Kansas City and 400 miles from St. Louis. Talihina, OK is about 200 miles from Dallas.
Distance: 223-miles, oneway.
Water: One will need a copy of the comprhensive field guide mentioned below under 'Maps'. The main seasons for this trail run from October through April.
Parking: Consult the Ouachita Trail Guide (see 'Maps' below).
Comments: This trail has a great write up in the issue of Backpacker Magazine mentioned above. An estimate at hiking the entire trail is 21 days to a month. Some highlights mentioned include: (1) Talimena State Park Trailhead to Winding Stair Mountain Campground, 23 miles. Crosses several streams, the Old Military Trail, passes by Horsethief Springs and includes a dramatic vista at Winding Stair point; (2) Winding Stair to Queen Wilhelmina State park Lodge, Arkansas, 27.9 miles. From the crest of Winding Stair Mountain the trail drops down into the Upper River Wilderness, then climbs past boulder rivers and elfin forest to the highest point in the Ouachitas at Queen Wilhelmina Lodge; (3) Arkansas State Highway 7 Trailhead to Flatside Pinnacle Spur, 20 miles. Includes the beautiful Flatside Wilderness and a dramatic vista from the Flatside Pinnacles, a section of the trail that many veteran hikers consider the most beautiful.
Maps: A detailed map of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail is available for a fee of $4.00 by writing the Forest Supervisor, Ouachita National Forest, P.O. Box 1270, Hot Springs, AR 71902 (501-321-5202). The comprehensive Ouachita Trail Guide by Tim Ernst ($19.95, Wilderness Visions Press, 411 patricia Lane, Fayettville, AR 72703 (501-442-2799) lists trailheads, scenic vistas, water sources, seasons, hazards, campsites, shuttles, etc.
Cautions: Heat, humidity, ticks, snakes, poison ivy, and possible lack of water in the summer months. Boulder fields are a challenge on the west end. Harsh winter storms are rare, but could occur in January and February. Faded trail markers and lack of use may make certain sections of the trail more difficult to detect on the Oklahoma end.