Best Hiking Trails Near Little Rock
Little Rock sits at the exact seam where the Mississippi delta meets the Ouachita Mountains. Drive twenty minutes west and the ground starts to climb. That geography is why a city this size has this much hiking within an hour.
Here are nine trails, sorted by how hard they are.
Easy
Two Rivers Park Loop - Little Rock
Distance: 3.5 miles | Elevation: Flat | Drive time: 20 minutes
Paved, level, and open. Runs along the confluence of the Little Maumelle and the Arkansas River. Stroller friendly, good for running, and the pedestrian bridge is a destination in itself. Almost no shade, so go early or late.
Arkansas Arboretum - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Distance: 0.6 miles | Elevation: Negligible | Drive time: 25 minutes
A paved interpretive loop near the Visitor Center with plantings representing each of Arkansas's six natural divisions. Fully accessible. The right first hike for small children or anyone easing back in.
Allsopp Park Trails - Hillcrest
Distance: 2 to 3 miles of interconnected trails | Elevation: Rolling | Drive time: 10 minutes
Shaded urban singletrack in a ravine inside the city. Not a wilderness experience, but it is real dirt trail five minutes from a coffee shop, and the tree canopy makes it hikeable in August.
Moderate
Kingfisher and Rocky Valley Trails - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Distance: 2 miles combined | Elevation: Mild | Drive time: 25 minutes
Follows the Little Maumelle River through bottomland forest. Shaded, quiet, and the best wildlife viewing in the park. Herons, kingfishers, and turtles are near-guaranteed.
Base Trail - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Distance: 3.1 miles | Elevation: 300 feet | Drive time: 25 minutes
Circles the mountain without climbing it. Rocky in places, shaded for most of its length, and a real hike without the boulder scramble. Pairs well with a summit trail if you want a bigger day.
Lake Sylvia Loop - Perryville
Distance: 2.5 miles | Elevation: 250 feet | Drive time: 45 minutes
A quiet loop around a spring-fed lake inside the Ouachita National Forest. The campground here is one of the best small tent-only sites in the state. Cell service is unreliable; download your map.
Hard
West Summit Trail - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Distance: 1.4 miles round trip | Elevation: 700 feet | Drive time: 25 minutes
Short and steep, ending in a genuine boulder scramble where you will use your hands. The 360-degree summit view runs from Lake Maumelle to downtown. No shade on top. Start at sunrise in summer, both for the heat and for the quiet - by mid-morning the summit is a competition of Bluetooth speakers.
East Summit Trail - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip | Elevation: 700 feet | Drive time: 25 minutes
Longer and rockier than the west side, with a steeper upper section. Quieter, better as a workout, and the preferred route for locals who hike the mountain regularly.
Seven Hollows Trail - Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton
Distance: 4.5 miles | Elevation: 400 feet | Drive time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Outside the one-hour radius but worth breaking the rule. Sandstone canyons, a natural bridge, a grotto, and turtle rock formations. Combine it with the 95-foot Cedar Falls Trail for a full day and one of the best hikes in Arkansas.
Going Further: The Ouachita Trail
The 223-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail has its eastern terminus at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. The first ten miles west make an excellent long day hike or an easy overnight, and you can start it from a trailhead twenty-five minutes from downtown Little Rock.
Seasonal Notes
- June through September: hike before 9 a.m. Heat index in Central Arkansas regularly exceeds 100 by early afternoon.
• October and November: peak foliage in the Ouachitas runs late October to mid-November. Parking lots fill by 8 a.m. on those weekends.
• Winter: the best hiking season here. Cool, clear, and the leaf-off views from Pinnacle are the best of the year.
• Spring: wildflowers, waterfalls running, and ticks. Treat your clothing.
What to Bring
- One liter of water per person minimum, two in summer. No trail on this list has water.
• Shoes with grip. The Ouachita rock is slick when damp.
• A downloaded offline map. Service drops in the Ouachita National Forest.
• Tick and chigger protection from April through October. This is not optional in Arkansas.
Ranger-led hikes at Pinnacle Mountain and Petit Jean post to the Arkansas State Parks calendar, which feeds our Current Events listings automatically.
