The American state of Arkansas is a great place to combine hiking with history, since the region has plenty of both to offer. You’ll find there are numerous hiking trails to choose from in this beautiful area of the country with some of them being quite short and easy while others are a little longer and more strenuous to finish.
Whatever type of trail you prefer, the good news is that many of them enable you to take a walk through a part of history. These are some of the most popular historical trails in Arkansas.
1. The Louisiana Purchase Boardwalk:
(photo by briser50)
This 30-minute boardwalk hike allows you to view the area where Louisiana Purchase was surveyed. The trail features numerous signs that provide interesting facts and information about the historical Louisiana Purchase. It’s also quite a scenic trail and very popular with nature photographers.
2. The Historic Van Winkle Trail:
(photo by www.arkansasstateparks.com)
This 30-minute hike, known as the Historic Van Winkle Trail, is able to tell the interesting tale of Peter Van Winkle, a 19th-century lumberman, as it passes by historic mill sites and homes along the way. It’s just 10 miles from the town of Rogers and is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountain region. It’s about 1.5 miles in length and situated in the lovely Hobbs Park conservation Area and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
3. The Knapp Trail:
(photo by jcbrandon)
This trail takes about 45 minutes to hike and features a boardwalk which is surrounded by several Native American mounds. This area was inhabited hundreds of years ago by Native Americans and the hike takes you back in time. This historical and scenic route can be found in Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, which isn’t too far from the city of Little Rock.
4. The Tollantusky Trail:
(photo by www.arkansasties.com)
This 60-minute hike tells the interesting tale of early 19th century Arkansas settlers. It follows the mighty Arkansas River down to the Cadron Settlement. The views of the river from the overlook are quite fascinating and mighty impressive. The trail can be found near the town of Conway, close to the Toad Suck Ferry region.
5. The Bear Hollow Trail:
(photo by www.city-data.com)
This relaxing hike can be found in the attractive Mount Magazine State Park. It’ll take you past some popular and scenic spots such as Sunrise Rock and Inspiration Point. The trail is located close to the town of Paris, in the picturesque Arkansas River Valley.
6. Indian Rock House Trail:
(photo by viewsfromtheopenroad.blogspot.com)
This rustic nature trail takes between three and five hours to complete. It’s a wonderful forested area with quite a variety of wildlife. You’ll place a former Native American shelter known as Rockhouse Cave. This pretty trail is close to the town of Yellville, near the Buffalo National River region.
7. The Rush Mountain Trail:
(photo by hikingtheozarks.com)
 It takes about three to four hours to hike this historical route, which is also located near the Buffalo National River region. It takes you past several charming buildings that were constructed in the area in the 1880s when it was filled with zinc ore mines. The views of the Buffalo River are also amazing.
8. The Seven Hollows Trail:
(photo by arklahomahiker.org)
This trail sits in Petit Jean State Park and takes about four hours to complete. It’s a spectacular hike that takes you past numerous prehistoric Native American sites. Some of the most popular spots on the walk are a box canyon, a natural stone arch, and rock shelters.
