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Hurricane Creek Wilderness

General Contacts Area Management Wilderness Laws

Introduction

The United States Congress designated the Hurricane Creek Wilderness (map) in 1984 and it now has a total of 15,307 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Arkansas and is managed by the Forest Service.

Description

In the middle of the Boston Mountains, Hurricane Creek tumbles along its boulder-strewn way, sparkling in pool after pool, through the center of this Wilderness. Limestone and sandstone bluffs, some over 100 feet high, loom above the rippling water. Second- and third-growth upland hardwoods, primarily oak and hickory, forest the surrounding lands, growing among narrow, V-shaped valleys. Dogwood, redbud, serviceberry, and witch hazel form the understory. Side drainages into the creek offer rugged traveling. Elevations surpass 2,200 feet on the high ridges.

At the turn of the century, as many as 70 families inhabited Hurricane Creek Valley. While they're long gone, their homes, farms, cemeteries, and roads live on, although nature is gradually reclaiming ground.

The Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT), partly an old pioneer road, crosses the Wilderness in a 19.5-mile, southwest-northeast path, bookended by parking lots. The Ozark Highlands Trail Guide rates this section as "one of the most scenic spots in Arkansas." Among the scenery is a huge natural rock bridge that spans Hurricane Creek. A high-water bypass on the OHT allows year-round access but eliminates some of the best scenery. All during the year you'll have to wade across the shallow but slick-bottomed creek, and black bears have been known to raid camps, and some of the land within the boundaries is private . . . none of which should deter you from this pristine slice of Arkansas Wilderness.

Planning to Visit the Hurricane Creek Wilderness?

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the Hurricane Creek Wilderness.
  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.