You're very welcome!! So many people ask about how to get to that trailhead. I was happy to be able to show it. That trailhead and Little Missouri Falls are my two favorite places to start. Little Missouri Falls is super easy to find cause it comes up on Google Maps.
Great Video. I did the ERL in March and started at the Lower Athens Big Fork. It was brutal with rain the entire time. I had checked the water levels before I left, but the Little Missouri River was no joke. Hardley saw anyone on the trail and half of the people were smarter than I was and had abandoned due to the high water. Thank you again for your video, I got turned around a couple times and had to backtrack and bushwhack a couple times along the eastern side of the loop.
It never fails, seems about every other time I hike that loop we end up getting rained out and can't cross the river. The day we filmed this video, we heard some guy tried to cross and got swept off his feet. Another hiker further downstream was able to grab him. Craziness!! So glad you liked the video and thank you for checking out my channel!
I was watching your video, and when you pointed out the girl asleep at the parking lot,-I realized me and my family were there the same day!!! My blue Toyota Tundra is in your video at 1:18. We day hiked to Winding Stairs and back. Eagle rock loop is a great trail. Thanks for the video!
Trip out! What are the odds? And what was the deal with that chick sleeping at the trailhead?? I had asked her if she was ok and she just grunted and rolled over. Seemed like she didn't want to be bothered. Thanks for checking out my channel, and hopefully we'll see you and your Tundra out there on the loop sometime.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful, I went back up there and made a video covering the other half of the trail. It went up on my channel around a month ago, if you're interested. Thanks for checking out my little channel!
Oh my!! A whole raft?? Thank you so much for packing that out and helping take care of the trail. I'm always amazed at the stuff people leave behind. The good news is that FoOT (Friends of the Ouachita Trail) has recently adopted the loop, so things will start getting better with more organized clean up and Trail Maintenance. Thank you again for what you did with that raft, it really means a lot to all of us. ❤
Thanks for the great information about having safe River Crossings. It was really surprising about how fast the water level can rise, even when the rain was Miles Away.
You're exactly correct......heavy rains further north can really surprise people further downstream. The night that the campers tragically perished, the Langley gauge peaked at 23.39 feet! So scary. Here's a link to the timeline of what happened that night. www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/nov/21/albert-pike-flood-timeline/ Love you mom!! ❤
Hope you found the video helpful. June/July is a pretty hot time of year. Don't know if you're located in/familiar with Arkansas, but prep for ticks and definitely watch for snakes. There's several nice swimming holes along the loop where you can cool off. Also, don't know if you saw it, but there's a 2nd video covering the other half of the loop (the part we had to skip). Thank you for checking out my channel, happy trails, and good luck with your hike!
Thank you for this video. I recently moved to Dallas, from CT. I had no clue how to get to the trail head from here, you gave every detail for my GPS. I saved this video in my favorites.
I'm so glad to hear that you found the video helpful. That was my whole intention. I had added in the directions to get there based on my own experience. I also live in the Dallas area and after moving here, trying to find the trailhead in the completely unfamiliar Arkansas, with no cell service proved frustrating. Hope you're able to get up there and enjoy that beautiful trail. Welcome to Texas!!
Very informative, I watched several other ERL videos, and yours was the best. As I told you on messenger, we are headed there Sunday October 15th. Supposedly it’s going to take us about 7 hours to get there. We plan on hiking in a little bit and then set up camp. Thanks for everything….
Thank you for the compliment! I do my best to try and get all the information I can packed into the videos without making them too long. I'm sorry the rain messed up your plans, but hope your alternate hike goes well.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 the trail is in great shape, someone has done a lot of weed clearing and such on a lot of it, and 3/4’s of the blazes have been recently re painted….
Great info, thanks so much! ERL was my first backpacking trip about a year and a half ago and I did it with a group, but I’m planning to go back this year, and there were several additional tips that I didn’t know about, so I really appreciate you!
I'm SO glad to hear that!! Since I wasn't able to give tips on the other half of the loop, I went back and made a 2nd video covering the rest. I hope you find some helpful info in that stuff too. Thank you so much for checking out my little channel and I hope you have a truly amazing trip.
I really enjoyed your video . I’ve never hiked the entire trail yet. But I’m so happy you talked about “leave no trace” I’ve picked up trash on every visit . Such a shame.
It really is a shame. We're working on getting a trash pick up event together on the loop, probably around March or April of 2021. The trail has become very popular, so trash is really becoming a problem. I just wanted to say thank you for picking up trash whenever you're out there. Every little bit helps. ❤
And it got even worse!! When we got back, there were cars parked all down the side of the road, both directions, maybe 1/4 mile each way. It was absolutely insane. But it seemed most of them were "day use" people.
Thank you very much and I'm really glad you found the video useful! I remember the first time I was planning to hike the ERL and was frustrated with the lack of information. Now that I've got a lot of experience with the loop, I figured it was high time to make a video answering the most common questions. Thanks for checking out my little channel and I hope you enjoy the ERL!
I only got a few nibbles, my friend snagged a perch but that was about it. During winter they stock it with trout and people will usually still pull them until around mid to late spring. A guy who recently got a bunch of trout was using this. Panther Martin Best of the Best Kit. www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZKNFW0/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_S4GYHFBV8MXHZ0CRXNVB Best fishing is between Little Missouri Falls and Albert Pike. I also hear about people catching Smallmouth Bass and Sunfish in there. EDIT: Forgot to answer your question about the GPS. The one I showed in the video is a phone app. At the time it was called "Guthook" but it's now called "FarOut" and it's super useful on this trail. I highly recommend downloading it and tinkering with it before you go. The app is free to download and you buy the maps as needed. I bought the entire Arkansas set for all the long trails ($20) and it's worth it's weight in gold. Shows you SO much more than anything Alltrails or Gaia can do.
Hey!! I watch your channel! That would be badass if you're looking into coming down and doing the loop. Thanks for checking out my little channel, and also thank you so much for subscribing!
Hey girl! Glad to see you on here and happy that you're enjoying the videos. Hoping to get another one edited by Monday. I'm a huge advocate of carrying paper maps and compass, but guthook is a nice companion to the maps and also very useful for planning hikes. Thank you so much for coming over and checking out my little channel. ❤
You're very welcome. I'm so happy you found it helpful. There's a 2nd video where I covered the other half for you all (since we missed it on this one). Thank you for checking out my little channel!
I'm so glad you found the information useful. I always get a little nervous when posting these videos, but am stoked when I hear that people are finding it helpful. ❤
Thank you for the information. I'm hoping to do the trail in late March early April and I'll be coming from Dallas....so appreciate the information on the trail head location.
Thank you! I wish I could have filmed the video on the whole trail, but weather happens. Lol I remember when I was first looking to do this loop, I had the hardest time finding good info on it. I'm so glad to hear you found this helpful! Keep an eye on that gauge and note the patterns on how quickly the levels come back down. That can really help with planning around storms....but a good bail out plan is always helpful. Stay safe out there and happy trails!
You're very welcome! I hope you have a great trip. Let us know if you have any other questions, and you can also scroll through the other questions that have been asked.
Very informative video. We're going in early May but if it's a rainy forecast, where would be a good second choice in this part of AR that's not as flood prone? We don't mind the rain, just not the danger. Thanks!
Hi, I sure do hope you're able to make ERL, but canceling due to rain is part of that loop, and I've had to cancel so many times and hike elsewhere. Check out my latest video on the Boardstand Loop. It's a great alternative and probably one of my Arkansas favorites. It's 22.1 miles long, but you can add on another mile-ish and do the side hike to stay a night at Rock Garden Shelter. Let us know if you have any other questions. Here's a link to the Boardstand/Old Military Road Loop trail description, map and .gpx file. www.ouachitamaps.com/Boardstand.html
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Thanks so much for the quick reply. We sure hope the weather cooperates as we've never been and are really excited to see it. I'll watch your other one as well. Thanks for the detailed information, you do a great job with these videos.
Ok, coach :) The wife and I are headed to ERL this weekend. We are planning to start at Winding Stairs TH and hike CW. The weather looks good, but I want to get the water crossings done early in case the weather changes. Picked up an inreach mini and all other gear should be all set. We will have a late AM Friday start and plan to do 8 - 10 per day; shooting to finish Sunday, but can extend to Monday if needed. What do you think of the plan?
I think that sounds like a great plan! If it's not too windy you may even be able to camp up on Eagle Rock Vista Friday night (7 mies from WS trailhead). If you don't make it that far, there's some really gorgeous campsites along the Little Missouri River (after your first crossing) and along the Viles Branch Creek (after your 2nd crossing). Y'all are going to have such a great time!
I've seen it kinda all over the place on this, but one thing I have noticed is that mid October is when the "day use" people thin out and you'll see more backpackers on the trail. This year though, with all of the covid stuff and people being home from work and school, it's been a madhouse around the Winding Stair and Albert Pike areas. I'm super curious to see what October holds for the trail. Will you let us know in the comments what you see?
Very helpful, thinking of doing this in a month so this is great. My main question is, how are the summits? Particularly for someone who hates heights? One person on alltrails freaked me out a bit when he said one was like rock climbing. I’ve done summits like that before but I’m not exactly itching to do it again, lol.
Thanks for checking out the channel! There's no crazy summits that would make you dizzy or anything. There's some places where you can get near the edge at the top of Albert Pike Peak, but the trail doesn't force you to go there. There's a couple of very minor scrambles if you take the spur trail up to the top of Brush Heap, but the view is worth it. I'm not great with heights either, and neither of those bothered me too much. None of the summits along the Athens Big Fork trail are near edges or steep drops. You're going to fall in love with this trail, but be prepared to see some litter and trash that people leave behind. It's really sad to see, but is the byproduct of an overused trail.
Hey! Thank you for the sub ❤ A guide isn't necessary unless it would make you feel more comfortable. The best way I've found for beginners to get started is to first go for a day hike with your loaded pack to see what it feels like and get it adjusted right. Then do a camp out using all your gear as if you were on the trail, but in your backyard or at a drive-in Campground. Arrive with your packed pack, lock your car, and use your stove, eat backpacking food, use your water filter, hang your bear bag from a tree, etc. In the morning, pack your pack back up like you're on the trail. You'll be surprised how much more comfortable you'll feel after doing this. For your first trip, I'd suggest hiking in, maybe 1-4 miles or so, to get used to being away from your car or anything else (but you're not that far). Then, build up from there. I help a lot of beginners get started, so feel free to message me via my Facebook page "Jetgirl Hikes" if you'd like any further help.
Oops! For some reason I thought your comment was on the "what to expect" video. Apparently I woke up ignorant today. Lol. My apologies if you're not a beginner backpacker. For Eagle Rock Loop, a map and the Guthook (now called FarOut) app I talked about in the video will help you if you get turned around. The trail is clear and they've been working on the blazing, so a guide isn't necessary. There's also plenty of other people on that trail for you to ask if you happen to get turned around. Also, I made a newer video covering the other part of the loop that we had to skip in this video.
I'm sure it is covered later in the video: I know it'll be warm, but more from the standpoint of water-crossings and bugs, is late May a good time to go [or at least not a *bad* a time to go]? I'd like to do 2-3 nights hammock-camping over Memorial Day. Thanks :D
Hi! Memorial Day weekend is getting warm, definitely spray your clothes with permetherin for the ticks. Also, expect the trail to be crowded that weekend so grab yourself a campsite before it gets too late in the day, or you may have to find someone willing to share.
Hello back from Texas! April is usually the rainiest month, often extending into March and May....so, unfortunately some of the prime hiking months. For me, if ERL is too wet to safely hike, the Boardstand/Old Military Road Loop is usually my backup. Plenty of water and camping opportunities there. (I've got a video on that one as well). I did go back and make a video with information about the other half of Eagle Rock Loop. It's in the video list if you're interested. Thank you for watching!
Going early Nov. and plan on starting at the Lower Athens Big fork trailhead. Curious where the largest/potentially high water crossings are around the trail?
Oh man, so sorry I missed this comment and unfortunately it seems like I'm too late. Looks like i was hiking up on the Ouachita Trail when your comment was posted, and just now found it. How did your hike on the loop go? I'm going to go ahead and answer the question anyway for in case someone else is looking for the same answer. The largest crossings are the two on the most southern part of the loop. The crossings on the east leg of the loop are a little more tame and as long as the levels aren't crazy high, there's a couple places a little further downstream where you can safely cross. Just be smart about testing the depth and flow as you go.
Great video. A couple of questions. Do you need to get a permit? And, are there any regulations for parking/ leaving your a car for a few days while doing the hike?
@@jetgirlhikes9155 which trail head is best if we want to arrive night before, camp, and then start hiking the next morning? In other words, which trail head has camping right there?
The 3 trailheads that have camping really close are Winding Stair, West Blaylock and Little Missouri Falls. Winding Stair and it's campsites are shown at the beginning of the video. You head down the little spur trail, turn left at the signs I showed and there's several nice sites there along the creek. If you drive past the Winding Stair trailhead, that road will take you to the West Blaylock trailhead where there is a nice big campsite just behind the small parking area, next to the creek. The other one is Little Missouri Falls. From the parking area, you'll head down the trail in a counter-clockwise loop direction for .01 mile to a nice campsite, or you could continue another .02 mile further where there's a big campsite right by the water, after you cross the bridge.
So glad to hear you had a great hike! Thank you for checking back in to let us know how it went. Always fun to hear back from those who finish. Congrats on a successful hike!
Making my first trip next week! We will be getting there late Thanksgiving night from VERY south Louisiana. Do you think this parking area is possible for us, or being a Holiday weekend, should we avoid it at all costs?
From what I've seen, the Loop will be pretty crowded. The Winding Stair Trailhead will probably be pretty packed due to the amount of day hikers that use that trailhead. That said, coming in late at night should help since the day use people have gone home. Little Missouri Falls is a place that has plenty of parking. Even if that gets filled up, you can still park on the dirt road outside the gate. Be prepared though for a crowded loop and may see a lot of camp spots already taken toward the end of the day. If you're looking for some more solitude, but want a loop, you may be interested in the Boardstand Loop. It also picks up part of the Ouachita trail....to get you started on your Ouachita Trail Section hike. Wink wink 😉
The app used to be called "Guthook", but the name has now been changed to "FarOut". The actual app, how it works and how it looks is still exactly the same, and it really is a great app. It's free to download, and you'll purchase the individual maps (or set of maps) within the app once you have it loaded. I bought the entire Arkansas set for around $20. If you have android, here's the Play Store link. play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlasguides.guthook Hope that helps!
Hi! I've hiked it both directions, and counter-clockwise is my favorite. I'd say further that when I go clockwise, I prefer starting at the Winding Stair TH.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Thanks for responding! We wound up finishing the trail yesterday. Wound up going clockwise parking at baylock so got through 4 peaks the first day. I would like to get all 6 peaks over with the first day next time probably go counter clockwise.
Congrats on your finish! If you contact the local Ranger Station (Womble) they will mail you a finishing patch. Thank you for watching the video and checking out my little channel.
Just found your channel. I'd like to know where your friend found that nice pistol holster that fits on her breast strap. I do sometimes like to keep my weapon with me on back trips but doesn't work very well with a belt holster. Also, I see your HD cap. Hope you're a bike rider too?
Hi! Thanks for checking out my videos! Unfortunately, her holster was made for her by a friend. Another thing you can do is get an IWB holster and secure it to your hip belt strap, but on the outside of the belt, rather than between you and the belt. OUCH! That's how I carry mine and once I got it padded up right, I don't even notice it. I show how it carries somewhere in the longer Big Bend video if you're interested. I'll find the time stamp for you here in a few. And the fellow HD riders always notice the hat! Yes, I do ride. I've got a Softail Slim and I love that bike! I take it you ride as well?
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Watched the Big Bend video and saw your holster. I've got a couple of clip on's and will see how they work. Thanks Hiked Big Bend from the top of the Chisos Mountains 3 days down to the ranger station back in the late 70s and loved it. Haven't gotten to go back yet. I'm proud of you as I don't take my weapon off even in my house and don't go anywhere without it either. Only need to need it once in life to be glad you did. Wish more especially women would get that. I'd love someday to get to hike with you somewhere. As you seem like would be a great hiking partner. Saved your Lost Eagle video as I was supposed to hike that last fall but had a foot issue. May get to this next fall.
No, sadly the Recreation area where the campers were killed by the flood is still closed and looks like a ghost town. The good news is that there have been meetings and serious discussions about getting it up and running again. It would require a storm and flash flood warning system, and the campsites directly by the river would not be re-opened. The area I was showing in my video is the Albert Pike Day Use Area, but at the time I was driving by, the parking lot and the restrooms were closed due to covid. The area is currently closed due to the off season and usually re-opens in the spring.....unless we've moved on to the zombie apocalypse or something. Lol Even though the parking area is closed, there is still room at the Albert Pike trailhead for backpackers to park. Hope that helps!
New sub!! Im heading there in 2 weeks and this was REALLY helpful!! Thanks so much!! Please check out my little channel if you're interested. I'll be doing one here but it won't contain this much knowledge!
I'm so glad to hear the video was helpful. If you're not able to do the loop due to high river levels, check out the video I just put up on the Boardstand Loop. It's a great alternative if unable to do the ERL. Looking forward to checking out your trip video!
Hi! There are bears in much of Arkansas but they are all Black Bears and very skittish. There have been a few bear sightings on the Loop, but it's usually their hind end as they're running away....not even enough time to get a photo. They pretty much don't want much to do with people. As far as food storage goes, hang or store your food accordingly with bear safe practices and you'll be just fine. Do keep in mind that the Raccoons around there are crazy thick and they come out at night looking for your food, so keep that in mind when you put your food up for the night. I've even had one try to steal my cooking pot out of my tent vestibule....they're brazen little turds!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 darn it, I wasn't thinking about racoons. Those little suckers are unstoppable. Worse than. 3 year old that knows where the cookie jar is. Thanks for the heads-up.
Right?? I had set my inreach outside the tent once, trying to get a message to send. When I went to grab it, it was gone.....was just in time to see a raccoon running off with it. 😂 They're such jerks!
Thank you for showing where to park! That's usually the hardest part of a loop trail haha.
You're very welcome!! So many people ask about how to get to that trailhead. I was happy to be able to show it. That trailhead and Little Missouri Falls are my two favorite places to start. Little Missouri Falls is super easy to find cause it comes up on Google Maps.
Great Video. I did the ERL in March and started at the Lower Athens Big Fork. It was brutal with rain the entire time. I had checked the water levels before I left, but the Little Missouri River was no joke. Hardley saw anyone on the trail and half of the people were smarter than I was and had abandoned due to the high water. Thank you again for your video, I got turned around a couple times and had to backtrack and bushwhack a couple times along the eastern side of the loop.
It never fails, seems about every other time I hike that loop we end up getting rained out and can't cross the river. The day we filmed this video, we heard some guy tried to cross and got swept off his feet. Another hiker further downstream was able to grab him. Craziness!!
So glad you liked the video and thank you for checking out my channel!
Thank you so much for the blaze and map explanations and details on getting to the trailhead-the kind of things people (me) can use!!
You're so very welcome! Hope the info helps you have a great hike. Let us know how it goes!
I was watching your video, and when you pointed out the girl asleep at the parking lot,-I realized me and my family were there the same day!!! My blue Toyota Tundra is in your video at 1:18. We day hiked to Winding Stairs and back. Eagle rock loop is a great trail. Thanks for the video!
Trip out! What are the odds? And what was the deal with that chick sleeping at the trailhead?? I had asked her if she was ok and she just grunted and rolled over. Seemed like she didn't want to be bothered. Thanks for checking out my channel, and hopefully we'll see you and your Tundra out there on the loop sometime.
I am totally with you about the trash! Thanks so much ,,, I really appreciate the info, especially BOUT watching the weather and the rain Gauge etc….😬
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful, I went back up there and made a video covering the other half of the trail. It went up on my channel around a month ago, if you're interested. Thanks for checking out my little channel!
Thanks for the great information and the focus on Leave No Trace. I packed out an abandoned raft this spring.
Oh my!! A whole raft?? Thank you so much for packing that out and helping take care of the trail. I'm always amazed at the stuff people leave behind. The good news is that FoOT (Friends of the Ouachita Trail) has recently adopted the loop, so things will start getting better with more organized clean up and Trail Maintenance.
Thank you again for what you did with that raft, it really means a lot to all of us. ❤
Thank you! Best prep video that I have found for my pending hike.
Thank you so much! I hope you have a great hike. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Thanks for the great information about having safe River Crossings. It was really surprising about how fast the water level can rise, even when the rain was Miles Away.
You're exactly correct......heavy rains further north can really surprise people further downstream. The night that the campers tragically perished, the Langley gauge peaked at 23.39 feet! So scary. Here's a link to the timeline of what happened that night.
www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/nov/21/albert-pike-flood-timeline/
Love you mom!! ❤
Good video!! I'm planning this hike in June/July for my channel that launches March 20/2022 ❤️
Hope you found the video helpful. June/July is a pretty hot time of year. Don't know if you're located in/familiar with Arkansas, but prep for ticks and definitely watch for snakes. There's several nice swimming holes along the loop where you can cool off. Also, don't know if you saw it, but there's a 2nd video covering the other half of the loop (the part we had to skip). Thank you for checking out my channel, happy trails, and good luck with your hike!
Trying this trail out for the first time in about a week. This video was extremely helpful!
Thank you so much!!!! I'm so thrilled that people are finding the video helpful. ❤❤❤
Thank you for this video. I recently moved to Dallas, from CT. I had no clue how to get to the trail head from here, you gave every detail for my GPS. I saved this video in my favorites.
I'm so glad to hear that you found the video helpful. That was my whole intention. I had added in the directions to get there based on my own experience. I also live in the Dallas area and after moving here, trying to find the trailhead in the completely unfamiliar Arkansas, with no cell service proved frustrating. Hope you're able to get up there and enjoy that beautiful trail. Welcome to Texas!!
Very informative, I watched several other ERL videos, and yours was the best. As I told you on messenger, we are headed there Sunday October 15th. Supposedly it’s going to take us about 7 hours to get there. We plan on hiking in a little bit and then set up camp. Thanks for everything….
Thank you for the compliment! I do my best to try and get all the information I can packed into the videos without making them too long. I'm sorry the rain messed up your plans, but hope your alternate hike goes well.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 the trail is in great shape, someone has done a lot of weed clearing and such on a lot of it, and 3/4’s of the blazes have been recently re painted….
Great info, thanks so much! ERL was my first backpacking trip about a year and a half ago and I did it with a group, but I’m planning to go back this year, and there were several additional tips that I didn’t know about, so I really appreciate you!
I'm SO glad to hear that!! Since I wasn't able to give tips on the other half of the loop, I went back and made a 2nd video covering the rest. I hope you find some helpful info in that stuff too. Thank you so much for checking out my little channel and I hope you have a truly amazing trip.
Great tips throughout the entire video. Thank you.
You're very welcome and thank you for checking out my little channel. Happy Trails!
Excellent video! Really enjoyed how detailed you were.
Thank you so much! Hope the info is helpful and answered most questions.
Great video covering eagle rock trail. Thanks
Thank you,, and you're very welcome!!
I really enjoyed your video . I’ve never hiked the entire trail yet. But I’m so happy you talked about “leave no trace” I’ve picked up trash on every visit . Such a shame.
It really is a shame. We're working on getting a trash pick up event together on the loop, probably around March or April of 2021. The trail has become very popular, so trash is really becoming a problem. I just wanted to say thank you for picking up trash whenever you're out there. Every little bit helps. ❤
Oh my GOD! I have NEVER seen that many cars at the trailhead....CRAZY!
And it got even worse!! When we got back, there were cars parked all down the side of the road, both directions, maybe 1/4 mile each way. It was absolutely insane. But it seemed most of them were "day use" people.
One of the most useful trail vids I've ever seen!
Thanks for the river flow info and danger levels.
Thank you very much and I'm really glad you found the video useful! I remember the first time I was planning to hike the ERL and was frustrated with the lack of information. Now that I've got a lot of experience with the loop, I figured it was high time to make a video answering the most common questions. Thanks for checking out my little channel and I hope you enjoy the ERL!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 This will be my second time on ERL. The first time I was too dumb to check!
I only got a few nibbles, my friend snagged a perch but that was about it. During winter they stock it with trout and people will usually still pull them until around mid to late spring. A guy who recently got a bunch of trout was using this.
Panther Martin Best of the Best Kit. www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZKNFW0/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_S4GYHFBV8MXHZ0CRXNVB
Best fishing is between Little Missouri Falls and Albert Pike. I also hear about people catching Smallmouth Bass and Sunfish in there.
EDIT: Forgot to answer your question about the GPS. The one I showed in the video is a phone app. At the time it was called "Guthook" but it's now called "FarOut" and it's super useful on this trail. I highly recommend downloading it and tinkering with it before you go. The app is free to download and you buy the maps as needed. I bought the entire Arkansas set for all the long trails ($20) and it's worth it's weight in gold. Shows you SO much more than anything Alltrails or Gaia can do.
Nice view of the park! Cool channel. New follower here. Crow✌️
Hey!! I watch your channel! That would be badass if you're looking into coming down and doing the loop. Thanks for checking out my little channel, and also thank you so much for subscribing!
Great information!!! This will be very helpful for my upcoming Fall hike!
I'm so happy you found it helpful! I filmed the other half of the loop and am currently working on editing that one. Hoping to have it up soon.
Great job
Thanks Saran!
Hey there! Checking out your videos. Great work. I love the info you share here. I’m seriously considering guthook now. ☺️
Hey girl! Glad to see you on here and happy that you're enjoying the videos. Hoping to get another one edited by Monday.
I'm a huge advocate of carrying paper maps and compass, but guthook is a nice companion to the maps and also very useful for planning hikes. Thank you so much for coming over and checking out my little channel. ❤
Thank you so much! Great trail specific info!
You're very welcome. I'm so happy you found it helpful. There's a 2nd video where I covered the other half for you all (since we missed it on this one). Thank you for checking out my little channel!
You did a great job explaining the signage etc. Thanks!
I'm so glad you found the information useful. I always get a little nervous when posting these videos, but am stoked when I hear that people are finding it helpful. ❤
Wish I had a guide as 🔥 as you
Thank you for the information. I'm hoping to do the trail in late March early April and I'll be coming from Dallas....so appreciate the information on the trail head location.
Right on! I'm in the Dallas area too! Thanks for checking out my little channel and I hope you have a great hike!
Thank you for all the great info on this trail. Went last week and this video was very helpful.
Oh! I'm so glad to hear that!! Isn't the loop gorgeous? I hope y’all had a great time!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 it was beautiful! So nice to get out there for a few days.
Thanks great video. Best I've seen of the trail. I didn't know how to read the charts. We plan to go next week and might need to find another option
Thank you! I wish I could have filmed the video on the whole trail, but weather happens. Lol
I remember when I was first looking to do this loop, I had the hardest time finding good info on it. I'm so glad to hear you found this helpful! Keep an eye on that gauge and note the patterns on how quickly the levels come back down. That can really help with planning around storms....but a good bail out plan is always helpful. Stay safe out there and happy trails!
Thank you for doing this!
It was my pleasure! Thank you for watching the video. ❤
That was really good 👍
Thank you very much, and thank you for subscribing!
So informative!! Thank you :)
You're very welcome! I hope you have a great trip. Let us know if you have any other questions, and you can also scroll through the other questions that have been asked.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 thank you!!
Love it Love it Love it!
So glad you love it!!!! ❤❤❤
Come on cooler weather!!!
Very informative video. We're going in early May but if it's a rainy forecast, where would be a good second choice in this part of AR that's not as flood prone? We don't mind the rain, just not the danger. Thanks!
Hi, I sure do hope you're able to make ERL, but canceling due to rain is part of that loop, and I've had to cancel so many times and hike elsewhere. Check out my latest video on the Boardstand Loop. It's a great alternative and probably one of my Arkansas favorites. It's 22.1 miles long, but you can add on another mile-ish and do the side hike to stay a night at Rock Garden Shelter. Let us know if you have any other questions. Here's a link to the Boardstand/Old Military Road Loop trail description, map and .gpx file.
www.ouachitamaps.com/Boardstand.html
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Thanks so much for the quick reply. We sure hope the weather cooperates as we've never been and are really excited to see it. I'll watch your other one as well. Thanks for the detailed information, you do a great job with these videos.
You're very welcome! Let us know how it goes.
Ok, coach :) The wife and I are headed to ERL this weekend. We are planning to start at Winding Stairs TH and hike CW. The weather looks good, but I want to get the water crossings done early in case the weather changes. Picked up an inreach mini and all other gear should be all set. We will have a late AM Friday start and plan to do 8 - 10 per day; shooting to finish Sunday, but can extend to Monday if needed. What do you think of the plan?
I think that sounds like a great plan! If it's not too windy you may even be able to camp up on Eagle Rock Vista Friday night (7 mies from WS trailhead). If you don't make it that far, there's some really gorgeous campsites along the Little Missouri River (after your first crossing) and along the Viles Branch Creek (after your 2nd crossing). Y'all are going to have such a great time!
How busy is this trail typically in mid October? Thanks for the video. Very informative and well done.
I've seen it kinda all over the place on this, but one thing I have noticed is that mid October is when the "day use" people thin out and you'll see more backpackers on the trail. This year though, with all of the covid stuff and people being home from work and school, it's been a madhouse around the Winding Stair and Albert Pike areas. I'm super curious to see what October holds for the trail. Will you let us know in the comments what you see?
Very helpful, thinking of doing this in a month so this is great. My main question is, how are the summits? Particularly for someone who hates heights? One person on alltrails freaked me out a bit when he said one was like rock climbing. I’ve done summits like that before but I’m not exactly itching to do it again, lol.
Thanks for checking out the channel! There's no crazy summits that would make you dizzy or anything. There's some places where you can get near the edge at the top of Albert Pike Peak, but the trail doesn't force you to go there. There's a couple of very minor scrambles if you take the spur trail up to the top of Brush Heap, but the view is worth it. I'm not great with heights either, and neither of those bothered me too much. None of the summits along the Athens Big Fork trail are near edges or steep drops. You're going to fall in love with this trail, but be prepared to see some litter and trash that people leave behind. It's really sad to see, but is the byproduct of an overused trail.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 whew, okay I feel much better now. Thank you!!
Anytime!! Have fun out there and enjoy the trail!
Thank youuuuuuu 🥁🥁👏👏
You're so very welcome. There's a 2nd video that covers the rest of the trail, if you haven't already found it. Have a great hike!
Really good vids. For newbys do you recommend a guide to start?
Hey! Thank you for the sub ❤
A guide isn't necessary unless it would make you feel more comfortable. The best way I've found for beginners to get started is to first go for a day hike with your loaded pack to see what it feels like and get it adjusted right. Then do a camp out using all your gear as if you were on the trail, but in your backyard or at a drive-in Campground. Arrive with your packed pack, lock your car, and use your stove, eat backpacking food, use your water filter, hang your bear bag from a tree, etc. In the morning, pack your pack back up like you're on the trail. You'll be surprised how much more comfortable you'll feel after doing this. For your first trip, I'd suggest hiking in, maybe 1-4 miles or so, to get used to being away from your car or anything else (but you're not that far). Then, build up from there.
I help a lot of beginners get started, so feel free to message me via my Facebook page "Jetgirl Hikes" if you'd like any further help.
Oops! For some reason I thought your comment was on the "what to expect" video. Apparently I woke up ignorant today. Lol. My apologies if you're not a beginner backpacker.
For Eagle Rock Loop, a map and the Guthook (now called FarOut) app I talked about in the video will help you if you get turned around. The trail is clear and they've been working on the blazing, so a guide isn't necessary. There's also plenty of other people on that trail for you to ask if you happen to get turned around.
Also, I made a newer video covering the other part of the loop that we had to skip in this video.
I'm sure it is covered later in the video: I know it'll be warm, but more from the standpoint of water-crossings and bugs, is late May a good time to go [or at least not a *bad* a time to go]? I'd like to do 2-3 nights hammock-camping over Memorial Day. Thanks :D
Hi! Memorial Day weekend is getting warm, definitely spray your clothes with permetherin for the ticks. Also, expect the trail to be crowded that weekend so grab yourself a campsite before it gets too late in the day, or you may have to find someone willing to share.
What season is the rainiest? I’m hoping to hike this with my son. Howdy from Texas 🤠
Hello back from Texas! April is usually the rainiest month, often extending into March and May....so, unfortunately some of the prime hiking months. For me, if ERL is too wet to safely hike, the Boardstand/Old Military Road Loop is usually my backup. Plenty of water and camping opportunities there. (I've got a video on that one as well).
I did go back and make a video with information about the other half of Eagle Rock Loop. It's in the video list if you're interested. Thank you for watching!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Excellent! Thank you for the well articulated and information driven videos 😊
@@erikawoods8975 Awww, thank you. That's exactly what I aim for with my videos. I'm really glad to hear you find them helpful.
Going early Nov. and plan on starting at the Lower Athens Big fork trailhead. Curious where the largest/potentially high water crossings are around the trail?
Oh man, so sorry I missed this comment and unfortunately it seems like I'm too late. Looks like i was hiking up on the Ouachita Trail when your comment was posted, and just now found it. How did your hike on the loop go?
I'm going to go ahead and answer the question anyway for in case someone else is looking for the same answer. The largest crossings are the two on the most southern part of the loop. The crossings on the east leg of the loop are a little more tame and as long as the levels aren't crazy high, there's a couple places a little further downstream where you can safely cross. Just be smart about testing the depth and flow as you go.
Great video. A couple of questions. Do you need to get a permit? And, are there any regulations for parking/ leaving your a car for a few days while doing the hike?
Thank you! As far as your questions, parking is free at all trailheads and no permits are required. Thank you for checking out my channel!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 which trail head is best if we want to arrive night before, camp, and then start hiking the next morning? In other words, which trail head has camping right there?
The 3 trailheads that have camping really close are Winding Stair, West Blaylock and Little Missouri Falls.
Winding Stair and it's campsites are shown at the beginning of the video. You head down the little spur trail, turn left at the signs I showed and there's several nice sites there along the creek.
If you drive past the Winding Stair trailhead, that road will take you to the West Blaylock trailhead where there is a nice big campsite just behind the small parking area, next to the creek.
The other one is Little Missouri Falls. From the parking area, you'll head down the trail in a counter-clockwise loop direction for .01 mile to a nice campsite, or you could continue another .02 mile further where there's a big campsite right by the water, after you cross the bridge.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Thanks for the info. Just got back from completing the loop. Great trail and experience.
So glad to hear you had a great hike! Thank you for checking back in to let us know how it went. Always fun to hear back from those who finish. Congrats on a successful hike!
Making my first trip next week! We will be getting there late Thanksgiving night from VERY south Louisiana. Do you think this parking area is possible for us, or being a Holiday weekend, should we avoid it at all costs?
From what I've seen, the Loop will be pretty crowded. The Winding Stair Trailhead will probably be pretty packed due to the amount of day hikers that use that trailhead. That said, coming in late at night should help since the day use people have gone home. Little Missouri Falls is a place that has plenty of parking. Even if that gets filled up, you can still park on the dirt road outside the gate. Be prepared though for a crowded loop and may see a lot of camp spots already taken toward the end of the day. If you're looking for some more solitude, but want a loop, you may be interested in the Boardstand Loop. It also picks up part of the Ouachita trail....to get you started on your Ouachita Trail Section hike. Wink wink 😉
Barber Strasand, "look a like!
Ha! It's been a while since I've heard that one! I used to hear it fairly often when I was younger.
Thank you for checking out my little channel.
Was the app called gut hook or get hooked?
The app used to be called "Guthook", but the name has now been changed to "FarOut". The actual app, how it works and how it looks is still exactly the same, and it really is a great app. It's free to download, and you'll purchase the individual maps (or set of maps) within the app once you have it loaded. I bought the entire Arkansas set for around $20.
If you have android, here's the Play Store link. play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlasguides.guthook
Hope that helps!
Do you recommend clockwise or counterclockwise? Thanks!
Hi! I've hiked it both directions, and counter-clockwise is my favorite. I'd say further that when I go clockwise, I prefer starting at the Winding Stair TH.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Thanks for responding! We wound up finishing the trail yesterday. Wound up going clockwise parking at baylock so got through 4 peaks the first day. I would like to get all 6 peaks over with the first day next time probably go counter clockwise.
Congrats on your finish! If you contact the local Ranger Station (Womble) they will mail you a finishing patch. Thank you for watching the video and checking out my little channel.
Just found your channel. I'd like to know where your friend found that nice pistol holster that fits on her breast strap. I do sometimes like to keep my weapon with me on back trips but doesn't work very well with a belt holster. Also, I see your HD cap. Hope you're a bike rider too?
Hi! Thanks for checking out my videos! Unfortunately, her holster was made for her by a friend. Another thing you can do is get an IWB holster and secure it to your hip belt strap, but on the outside of the belt, rather than between you and the belt. OUCH! That's how I carry mine and once I got it padded up right, I don't even notice it. I show how it carries somewhere in the longer Big Bend video if you're interested. I'll find the time stamp for you here in a few.
And the fellow HD riders always notice the hat! Yes, I do ride. I've got a Softail Slim and I love that bike! I take it you ride as well?
Ok, on the Big Bend video, its at timestamp 25:20
@@jetgirlhikes9155 yup, I ride a 2019 HD Streetglide now. Fixing to bikepack to Colorado in about a week
@@jetgirlhikes9155 OK, will watch that one soon. Thanks
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Watched the Big Bend video and saw your holster. I've got a couple of clip on's and will see how they work. Thanks Hiked Big Bend from the top of the Chisos Mountains 3 days down to the ranger station back in the late 70s and loved it. Haven't gotten to go back yet. I'm proud of you as I don't take my weapon off even in my house and don't go anywhere without it either. Only need to need it once in life to be glad you did. Wish more especially women would get that. I'd love someday to get to hike with you somewhere. As you seem like would be a great hiking partner. Saved your Lost Eagle video as I was supposed to hike that last fall but had a foot issue. May get to this next fall.
Is Albert Pike recreational area open ????
No, sadly the Recreation area where the campers were killed by the flood is still closed and looks like a ghost town. The good news is that there have been meetings and serious discussions about getting it up and running again. It would require a storm and flash flood warning system, and the campsites directly by the river would not be re-opened.
The area I was showing in my video is the Albert Pike Day Use Area, but at the time I was driving by, the parking lot and the restrooms were closed due to covid. The area is currently closed due to the off season and usually re-opens in the spring.....unless we've moved on to the zombie apocalypse or something. Lol
Even though the parking area is closed, there is still room at the Albert Pike trailhead for backpackers to park. Hope that helps!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 thank you !!!
You're very welcome! Thanks for checking out my channel ❤
New sub!! Im heading there in 2 weeks and this was REALLY helpful!! Thanks so much!! Please check out my little channel if you're interested. I'll be doing one here but it won't contain this much knowledge!
I'm so glad to hear the video was helpful. If you're not able to do the loop due to high river levels, check out the video I just put up on the Boardstand Loop. It's a great alternative if unable to do the ERL. Looking forward to checking out your trip video!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 perfect!! Thanks so much for the advice! We may go cautious and take the loop you suggested!
Are bears mich of an issue?
Hi! There are bears in much of Arkansas but they are all Black Bears and very skittish. There have been a few bear sightings on the Loop, but it's usually their hind end as they're running away....not even enough time to get a photo. They pretty much don't want much to do with people. As far as food storage goes, hang or store your food accordingly with bear safe practices and you'll be just fine. Do keep in mind that the Raccoons around there are crazy thick and they come out at night looking for your food, so keep that in mind when you put your food up for the night. I've even had one try to steal my cooking pot out of my tent vestibule....they're brazen little turds!
@@jetgirlhikes9155 darn it, I wasn't thinking about racoons. Those little suckers are unstoppable. Worse than. 3 year old that knows where the cookie jar is.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Right?? I had set my inreach outside the tent once, trying to get a message to send. When I went to grab it, it was gone.....was just in time to see a raccoon running off with it. 😂 They're such jerks!