things to do near our quiet escape

Ride your ATV (or rent one) in Wolf Pen Gaps over 42 miles of trails. The park is literally less than 2 miles away from the cabin. You can spend a whole day riding the trail system, so pack a lunch and your swimsuits and spend the day in the Ouachita National Forest. I’d recommend downloading a GPS map app like Avenza to help you navigate as there is very little cell service in the mountains. I’d also bring a dust mask and glasses in the dry season. It can get pretty dusty when there’s been no rain. You can also grab lunch and fuel at Thibodeaux’s and/or Big Fork Cafe (check the dining section for those details)

You can also hike and mountain bike in the park!

Hard Copy Map of WPG

Link to WPG Map on Avenza App

Open Season: Designated routes will be open seasonally from the first Friday of March each year, through Oct. 31. Two holiday periods will open the trail system to OHV use: from three days prior to Thanksgiving through two days after Thanksgiving, and from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.  **All Opening dates are dependent on weather conditions at the time. The trail system does close when heavy rain is predicted. Please contact Mena Ranger District at

479-394-2382

Fourche Mountain Trail

Just a 45 minute ATV ride north of the cabin will take you to a whole other ATV park. Fourche Mountain has 25 miles of trails and is open all year. These trails can be a little more rugged than WPG trails but are still fun. You can ride, hike and bike this trail system. Avenza map app is highly recommended as cell signal is limited.

Click here for trail map

Click here for Avenza trail map

Literally miles and miles of scenic mountain backroads. Pick one and enjoy the beauty of the Ouachitas!

Click here for Avenza map

There are over 20 scenic mountain biking trails the Mena area with a brand new facility under construction now that will have a couple of chair lifts and over 100 miles of trails.

Look up mountain biking trails in the area using your trail app/or google. But here is a short list of some favorites:

Trails at Mena- is a new park underway that will include roughly 100 miles of trails with a proposed 5 different chairlifts and a single downhill run will be as much as 1300'. Ward Lake trails open late October 2024...

more info about Ward Lake Trail

Wolf Pen Gap-(just 4 minutes away) Featuring high mountain vistas, the trail leads the rider through an array of areas, including scenic Gap Creek and Board Camp Creek. The trail continues through a forest of large pines and hardwoods before passing the unique 2-footed oak tree and an abandoned mine shaft. The trail loops are connected to accommodate riders who want to vary the length of their trips. Be on the lookout for ATVs...as they share the park. 35 miles of trail

Earthquake Ridge Trail- This trail parallels the Talimena Scenic Byway on the north and south sides of Rich Mountain. The day hiker will view several interesting rock formations as well as a variety of plant and animal life. The trail system crosses the Talimena Scenic Byway twice. Many mountain bikers find this trail sytem an exciting challenge. There are several loops that enhance this challenge. Click the link for enhancements trails and more info. Moderate 6.8 miles

Womble Trail The Womble Trail stretches over 37 miles from Northfork Lake to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. This trail is considered one of the best single track trails in this area. Short segments of the trail meander along the bluffs of the Ouachita River providing breathtaking views. Hikers and mountain bikers can combine the Roundtop Trail with the Womble and Ouachita National Recreation Trail (west of Highway 27) to form an 8-mile loop.

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The Ouachita National Forest is gorgeous and there are so many great trails in our area. But please keep in mind that even though the trail heads may be a few miles away, we are in the heart of the mountains. And with that comes winding mountain roads. Some of my all time favorite trails are less than 15 miles away but take over an hour to get there. BUT IT'S SO WORTH IT! Pack a lunch, download your GPS map and spend the day taking in the glory of the Ouachitas! Please make sure to download the GPS map before leaving the cabin's WIFI as there is zero to no service in the forest. I know it looks like I just repeated myself....I MEANT TO! :-)

Click here for the Top 20 best trails in area

Here are my 2 favorites:

Little Missouri Falls to Winding Stairs Experience this 4.1-mile out-and-back trail near Caddo Gap, Arkansas. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 34 min to complete. This is a very popular area for backpacking, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Pack a lunch and bring your swimsuits..both Little Missouri Falls and Winding Stairs are GREAT places to swim!

Caney Creek East to Buckeye Trail-If you're up for a challenge, then this is it! I'd highly recommend NOT doing this in the summer as it can be pretty overgrown on top of the ridge...or just wear long pants and embrace it! A word of advice...park at the East Caney Creek trailhead (it's 1 mile downhill from Buckeye Trailhead)...after hiking 10+ miles...that last thing you want to do is walk 1 mile up hill to the car. Also, last I saw, East Caney Creek Trailhead didn't have a sign but you'll notice a cleared out parking area with a sweet little creek and obvious trail entrance. AND MAKE SURE TO DOWNLOAD DRIVING DIRECTIONS THERE AND BACK TO THE CABIN. :-) Head out on this 9.0-mile out-and-back trail near Mena, Arkansas. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 35 min to complete. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas.

Also, don't forget to check out some of the trails at the Cossatot River State Park. I hear they are pretty amazing!

Little Missouri Falls

It's a guest favorite! LMF is only 24 miles away (45 minute car/atv ride). IT"S GORGOUS! Pack a lunch and spend the day swimming in the falls. The falls are close to the park entrance. There is a bit of climb downhill to get into the falls...(not far just steep). It's totally manageable and totally worth it! This is also a great place to add a little hiking in as LMF trail starts at the falls. Feel free to hike onto the trail as much as you like and come right back out, just to say you hiked. :-)

There are a couple of places that provide free shuttle service with kayak/canoe rentals...and it's totally worth the rental price! Here are a couple..click the link for more info.

River View Cabins and Canoes services the Ouachita River and is about a 40 minute drive. Free shuttle with rental

Ouachita Haven- services the Ouachita River and is about 45 minute drive. Shuttle service available for personal equipment, or free with rental.

Guided Cossatot River Tours-contact the state park office for info on this 26 mile kayak river tour. During the wet season, the Cossatot has some of the best rapids (class V) in the state. The drive to the park is a little over an hour, but so worth the adventure!

The Ouachitas have some of the best swimming holes around with no reservations required. Drive down some of the back roads that run along the rivers and you'll see little areas where people pull off and swim.

Here are some of my favorite spots. (Remember to download your Avenza GPS map for service there and back).

Little Missouri Falls

Caddo Creek (located in WPG) -on the left just before crossing the 3rd bridge is my favorite spot. It's about a 10 minute drive from the cabin. And you can actaully get there by car if you like...but ATV is always fun!

Cossatot River- there are several spots...I'll link my favorite! You can get to these via car...but ATVs are always my go to way as I cut through WPG Park.

Spend the day on a gorgeous drive in any season! Stop at the lodge, grab a meal, walk the lovers leap 1 mile trial and hit the road and take in these views. I like to tell my guests returning home to drive this way (if your headed south of AR). It's definitely worth the extra time out of the way. PLEASE NOTE...MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF GAS AS THERE IS A LONG STRECH OF NOTHING BUT BEAUTY...NO GAS STATIONS FOR MILES!)

Explore the Ouachita Mountains along the Talimena National Scenic Byway
From Mena, the Talimena Scenic Drive/Arkansas State Highway 88 Scenic Byway travels northwest and quickly enters the Ouachita National Forest, climbing Rich Mountain, Arkansas' second highest peak at 2,681 feet, and passing through Queen Wilhelmina State Park on its way to the Oklahoma border 18 miles to the west. The drive then continues along the Rich and Winding Stair mountains all the way to Talihina, OK. The route offers mountain vistas unsurpassed in mid-America of forested peaks and valleys, lakes and streams. The drive is especially picturesque when the surrounding mountains are clad in spring and autumn foliage and when it sits above clouds and fog in the lower valleys.

Beginning from U.S. 71 in Mena, the Talimena Scenic Drive follows Ark. 88 to Oklahoma and proceeds to Talihina, Oklahoma, as Oklahoma State Highway 1. Almost the entire Mena-Talihina route travels through the Ouachita National Forest. In September 2005, it became a national scenic byway. It had previously been designated a national forest scenic byway by the U.S. Forest Service and a state scenic byway.

Route: 54 miles total; Arkansas portion – 18 miles

Talimena Scenic Byway link

Wolf Pen Gap ATV Rental - just a few miles from the cabin. You can drive the ATV straight to the North Trail Head (and back to cabin for meals/breaks). Super convenient. We love these guys!