15 Best Off Road Parks in Arkansas

Arkansas is known for its splendid scenery, vast terrain, and wildlife. Its subtropical climate and abundance of greenery make it an excellent destination for off-road adventurers. Although many national forests come with OHV/ORV restrictions, Arkansas does not fall short on providing top-notch parks where Jeepers and off-road enthusiasts can enjoy the outdoors.

Arkansas is a fantastic off-road destination. Popular spots include the Ouachita and Ozark National Forests, which offer some excellent terrain. Before embarking on a trail, you can visit the Cabot Tire and Off Road Repair Shop for your tire and repair needs.

Here are the 15 best off road parks in Arkansas:

1. Ouachita National Forest
2. Ozark National Forest
3. Hot Springs ORV Park
4. Carter Off-Road Park
5. Mack’s Pines
6. Hillarosa ATV Park
7. North Little Rock ORV Park
8. Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch & Adventure Park
9. 3B Off-Road & RV Park
10. Greasy Bend Off-Road Park
11. Hickory Nut Mountain Road
12. Fairfield Bay Trails
13. Bear Creek Cycle Trail
14. Boyd Road
15. Huckleberry Mountain Horse Trail

Spectacular woodlands and majestic waterfalls make for a perfect off-road setting. There is so much to explore in Arkansas.

15 Best Off Road Parks in Arkansas

1. Ouachita National Forest

This national forest is an off-road playground and is home to several Jeep Trails, such as Forest Roads 29000, 29145, and 39008. Here, you can ride the dirt road and take in the fresh mountain air. View stunning views of Forked Mountain and the rolling hills nearby. You can also set up camp at Cedar Creek Lake. It is a quiet place where you can fish, swim, kayak, and admire beautiful Arkansas scenery.

If you enjoy water crossings, you can also go to Angling Creek, one of the park’s hidden gems. Here you can pass through several streams and creek crossings throughout your trip. Likewise, Forest Road 94 detours up the beautiful Flatside Wilderness/Pinnacle overlook, continuing through to Trail 86.

Explore the Ouachita Mountains even more. Other Jeeping trails to explore in this national forest are Muse Mountain, North Fork Pinnacle near Lake Sylvia, and North Fork Saline River Trail, to name a few.

2. Ozark National Forest

Ozark National Forest contains technical trails guaranteed to give you an exciting riding experience. The 93054N trail distinctly cuts from Adams Mountain Road to North Fork Road and requires a spotter to deal with the washouts.

This 0.6-mile trail also features a challenging hill climb and an exciting stair-step rock climb on the west end. It may not be the hardest, but it allows drivers to do a little technical driving, get in some good experience, and practice with a spotter. It also houses the Byrd’s Adventure Center, one of the leading ATV parks in Arkansas, which features over 30 miles of Jeep and off road ATV trails.

Difficulty ranges from easy to Red Trails (most difficult). You should only attempt these if you’re in a high-horsepower, full-cage rig.

Apart from technical trails, Ozark also has Mill Creek OHV Trail and Black Berry Loop. They involve shady recesses that take you to several patches of wild berries and wildlife sightings. The area holds the 5.55-mile Big Piney Creek Trail parallel to the creek that flows south of the Ozark Mountains.

It unites with the Arkansas River near Russellville and offers lovely views along the way. A significant part of this trail is where a stream spills over the top of a small limestone onto the road before entering Big Piney Creek – thus the name Carwash Falls. If you’re looking for fun Jeep and ATV trails in Arkansas, add Ozark National Forest to your list.

3. Hot Springs ORV Park

This park houses the 4×4 Rock Hop G19, a connector trail inside the park where you can recharge before heading off to more challenging routes. More challenging tracks include Fun Run G3, one of three Jeep “Badge of Honor” trails (only 0.97 miles), considered the most difficult if you take the hard lines.

Hard wheelers are sure to enjoy the technical terrain here, including the 3-foot boulders at Waypoint 5 and turning onto the Bilstein Ravine v-notch at Waypoint 3.

Trails here are well marked and rated from one to five diamonds – one being the easiest and five the hardest. Five-diamond tracks are for hard-core off-roaders and require at least 36-inch tires, a co-driver/spotter, and all the other truck stuff.

Expect mechanical and body damage to your four-wheeler due to tire lifting, bumper dragging, and spinning tires when riding this section. The park’s trail map is a reliable reference for trail rating, rules, and regulations, and shows you trails designated for motorcycles, SxS, ATVs, and UTVs.

4. Carter Off-Road Park

This off road park was established in 2014 to provide a safe riding haven for off-roaders in Central Arkansas. It has over a thousand acres of offroad trails to ride. Carter Off Road Park offers various fun from obstacle course trails to mud bogging to hill climbs. It also hosts exciting off road mudding and competitions every year, such as Carter’s Dash4Cash Concerts, Poker Runs, and Mud Daze.

Camping is allowed on the property for $10 per night per person and $20 per night for special events and RV camping. If you want to go for more luxurious accommodations, you can rent one of their treehouse cabins at $150 per night (sleeps up to six people), or one of their hotel-style Pavilion rooms at $150 per night (sleeps up to four people).

5. Mack’s Pines

This full-service family-owned private compound is situated in the center of Moccasin Gap and Illinois Bayou. It is the perfect spot to test yourself on the multi-terrain trails it offers. The terrain consists of hard-packed sand and loose dirt, mud, and water crossings.

If you decide to ride the Moccasin Gap trails from Mack’s Pines, be sure to secure a Forest Service Permit beforehand. Permits can be obtained at the campground store before you start your trail riding fun.

It has various cabin sizes that can accommodate 2-6 people and lots of green space for primitive and RV camping. Adventurers who are after a more natural off-roading experience can opt for horseback riding. Best of all, this recreation area has some of the best burgers and home-cooked goodness in the state.

6. Hillarosa ATV Park

This 2,000-acre off-road park in Blevins is the best mud joint in the south. It is perfect for off-roaders who love to do mudding on their four-wheelers. The park is open on weekends, and hosts live concerts and drag races.

It welcomes ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes and permits fishing and camping in the property’s designated areas. Rates are $40 per rider, and camping fees are $10 per night per person. Admission fees are worth every penny as you would not cover the entire park in a single day.

7. North Little Rock ORV Park

This park is free to the public. Riding is allowed during daylight hours, weather permitting. The property spans 200 acres and offers various terrain ranging from mud puddles to loose dirt and rocks to tight elevation changes. There are many shady areas inside the park and shaded pavilion, chain-link fencing, and paved entrance.

The park’s location is convenient, but there are a few things to note before riding the trails. Dirt roads and mud holes can be quite deceiving, so come prepared with the right tires. Ensure you have a recovery kit handy if you need to get yourself or someone out of a muddy situation.

8. Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch & Adventure Park

This park in Kingston features over 3,000 acres of dirt and dual-sport riding. It adjoins Buffalo National River Park and the Sweden Creek Natural Area. The property has a waterfall and specialty campsites that require an advanced reservation.

Dirt Bikes, ATVs, SxS, and Jeeps are permitted in the park and can enjoy the different terrain comprised of wooded trails, stunning overlooks, rocky inclines, natural springs mud. Camping fees range from $15 to $50. Day rates are between $20 and $30, depending on vehicle type.

9. 3B Off-Road & RV Park

Formerly Wheelin’ World Off Road and Campground, This Arkansas ATV trail is situated just five minutes from Eureka Springs’ great attractions, hospitality, and food hub. It is open Fridays through Sundays and features over 80 Jeep offroad trails with world-class rock crawling. Difficulty ranges from easy to insane. There are also designated trails for ATVs and SxS.

Amenities include a large picnic pavilion, public restrooms and showers, a tool room, a store with all your essentials, and a dedicated recovery vehicle. There are tent and RV camping areas on-site with full hookups available, with rates between $15 and $25. Day passes for any 4×4-class vehicle is $20, and $35 for weekend passes. ATV and SxS day passes are $15 (rider and vehicle included).

10. Greasy Bend Off-Road Park

Greasy Bend Off-Road Park is an ATV/UTV venue in Rosie, Arkansas, just 15 miles southeast of Batesville. It is on 1200 acres in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, with nearly 60% of the property bordered by the White River.

This exciting park is full of mud, sand, and rocky trails; great for an exciting day of riding. Enjoy obstacles in the rock quarry or climb the Tucker Ridge. With almost 50 miles of trails (and increasing), explore various terrain while tackling turns, climbs, and angles. Don’t worry if you’re a novice, as there are plenty of trails to enjoy for all levels.

Check out their website to see photos and videos of what GBOP has to offer.

11. Hickory Nut Mountain Road

Hickory Nut Mountain Road is a 6.12-mile track situated 20 miles west of Hot Springs where you can see Lake Ouachita and beautiful Arkansas scenery. It is a decent Jeep off road trail but is more popularly known as a mountain bike trail.

Overall, this trail has a mixture of shorter, steep climbs and steep pitches. The west end of the path is rated easy to moderate, while the east end is moderate to difficult. The recommended season to visit this section of Hot Springs is from fall to spring. You can also contact the ranger station for information on hunting season and possible closures when planning your trip.

12. Fairfield Bay Trails

This 90-mile track is an exclusive ATV trail in Arkansas and home to four separate trail systems. The town itself genuinely supports the off-roading community and offers multiple staging areas for enthusiasts to choose from. ATV/UTV riders can travel to and from hotels, restaurants, and campgrounds.

The trails consist of dirt roads and rocks with occasional stream crossings and shallow mud pits. Some of them lead to waterfalls, where you can also do some kayaking. On-site camping and overnight parking are currently prohibited in the area, but the trails are open year-round during daylight hours.

13. Bear Creek Cycle Trail

This 31-mile scenic ATV trail loop consists of rugged uphill and downhill climbs, water crossings, and mud puddles that enclose Lake Greeson’s eastern shores. The terrain consists of sand, mud, rocks, and hard pack with lots of shade, and all trails are marked but not rated. Despite the lack of rating, the most challenging segment of this trail is at Daisy Park, according to frequent off-roaders.

The off road park Arkansas offers is open year-round and allows motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs/UTVs, and SxS. Although there is no definitive noise limit imposed here, all motorized vehicles riding the designated trails must have a spark-arresting exhaust silencer. Furthermore, all AR residents must register their three and four-wheeled OHVs with the state’s Department of Revenue.

14. Boyd Road

This quaint trail located four miles north of the Falling Water Road Trailhead is a splendid Ozark National Forest Overlanding route. It starts as a typical gravel road but quickly transitions to a trail descending Chinquapin Knob Mountain. Then you get to cross Cedar Creel halfway through. There are several stream crossings and fascinating places to explore along the way and the Old Boyd Cemetery if you want to make your trip more exciting.

15. Huckleberry Mountain Horse Trail

This 37.3-mile trail system, established in 1989, was initially designed for horseback riding. At present, this area in Lincoln National Forest accommodates hikers, OHVs, and mountain biking. The trails wander through creeks and winding valleys from Sorghum Hollow Horse Camp, with six trail crossings located along Big Shoal Creek.

Although the property has no vehicle restrictions, it imposes a width limit of 50 inches for trail sections with entrance gates or posts. SUVs and Jeeps are only permitted on forest service roads, while the rest of the vehicles can ride all trails in the park. There is also a noise limit of 96 dB. All riders must have an exhaust silencer or end cap for motorized vehicles.

Conclusion – 15 Best Off Road Parks in Arizona

So, what are the off road parks in Arkansas? To summarize, here they are once again:

1. Ouachita National Forest
2. Ozark National Forest
3. Hot Springs ORV Park
4. Carter Off-Road Park
5. Mack’s Pines
6. Hillarosa ATV Park
7. North Little Rock ORV Park
8. Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch & Adventure Park
9. 3B Off-Road & RV Park
10. Greasy Bend Off-Road Park
11. Hickory Nut Mountain Road
12. Fairfield Bay Trails
13. Bear Creek Cycle Trail
14. Boyd Road
15. Huckleberry Mountain Horse Trail

While most of the well-known off-road parks in Arkansas can be found in the northwest part of the region, there are many more off-roading venues. Arkansas offers sanctuaries for ATV/UTV and Jeep drivers and those who like to explore the great wilderness on foot, bike, or horse.

Camping is customary in the majority of its national forests and state parks and privately-owned properties. So, if you’re looking for some off road trails in Arkansas, don’t hesitate to check out these parks.