Friends of the Ouachita Trail (FoOT) is an all-volunteer force. The most important thing you can do is dedicate your time to help accomplish our mission. Volunteers can either adopt a section of trail or join periodic work parties. Information on both is listed below.
FoOT also needs financial support. Contributions in any amount are appreciated. Please make checks payable to “Friends of the Ouachita Trail” and send them to:
Friends of the Ouachita Trail
PO Box 8630
Hot Springs, AR 71910
Membership in FoOT
Membership in FoOT is offered to those who contribute their time to perform trail maintenance, other work such as fund raising or clerical work or their financial support.
Membership categories include the following:
- WORKING MEMBER/ORGANIZATION: Adopts a trail section for maintenance OR works at least ten (10) hours on FoOT activities.
- SUPPORTING MEMBER: Does not work or works less than ten (10) hours on FoOT activities AND pays a membership fee of at least $25.00.
- SUSTAINING MEMBER: Adopts a trail section or works at least ten (10) hours on FoOT activities AND pays a membership fee of at least $15.00
- SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION: Does not work or works less than ten (10) hours on FoOT activities AND pays a membership fee of at least $50.00.
- SUSTAINING ORGANIZATION: Adopts a trail section or works at least ten (10) hours on FoOT activities AND pays a membership fee of at least $30.00
The sections below are available for adoption now. Other sections can be “split-off” from a currently adopted section and our members are sometimes agreeable to “swap” a section they had previously adopted, so if you know a section you’d like to adopt and maintain, even if it is not listed below, please contact us about it. Whenever possible, please refer to mileages as noted in Tim Ernst’s Ouachita Trail Guide when naming a section you’d like to adopt.
If you are interested in helping FoOT maintain the OT, consider adopting and maintaining one of the segments shown in the table below (last updated Dec 12, 2011).
| Section | Mile X to X | Miles: | Description | Comments |
| 1 | 15.5 to 18.7 | 3.2 | Rock Glacier to Horsethief Trail | Use Holson Valley Vista access at 16.9 |
| 3 | 53.0 to 54.1 | 1.1 | Milepost 53 to Talimena Scenic Drive | Presently maintained by mountain bikers |
| 3 | 63.0 to 64.0 | 1 | Milepost 63 to Milepost 64 | Should be able/willing to carry/operate a weedeater in rocky terrain for a considerable distance. |
| 3 | 64.0 to 65.0 | 1 | Milepost 64 to Milepost 65 | Should be able/willing to carry/operate a weedeater in rocky terrain for a considerable distance. |
| 3 | 67.0 to 68.1 | 2.1 | Milepost 67 to Foran Gap/Hwy 71 | Uphill grade. |
| 4 | 68.1 to 70.0 | 1.9 | Foran Gap/Hwy 71 to Milepost 70 | Fairly easy maintenance other than uphill grade; currently maintained by Sue Hawkins |
| 4 | 70.0 to 72.1 | 2.1 | Milepost 70 to the Wolf Pinnacle old fire tower road (on left) | Weedeating only; currently maintained by Sue Hawkins |
| 4 | 72.1 to 73.0 | 0.9 | Wolf Pinnacle old fire tower road to Milepost 73 | Fairly easy maintenance; currently maintained by Ed Hawkins |
| 4 | 73.0 to 74.1 | 1.1 | Milepost 73 to Tan-a-Hill Gap/FRM43 | Fairly easy maintenance; currently maintained by Ed Hawkins |
| 5 | 103.0 to 106.1 | 3.1 | Milepost 103 to Milepost 106.1 | Good gravel road access mid-way; recently maintained. |
| 6 | 121.7 to 122.6 | 0.9 | Hwy 27 TH to John Archer Shelter (includes shelter) | |
| 6 | 122.6 to 124.2 | 1.6 | John Archer Shelter to FR 148 | |
| 6 | 124.2 to 125.8 | 1.6 | FR 148 to Sandlick Mountain (FR 148A) | Section is accessed from Hwy 27 onto FR 148-a good gravel road. Not vehicle accessible from the eastern end. Up and back from FR 148 eastbound. |
| 7 | 143.2 to 145.0 | 1.8 | Blue Mountain Shelter to Mile 145 | Includes shared care of shelter and area |
| 7 | 150.8 to 153.0 | 2.2 | Big Bear Shelter to FR 107 2nd Crossing | Beautiful, scenic section. Will need high clearance truck, 4WD or ATV to access FR 107 trail crossing on east end of section. Could use ATV to access section on west end-including having to obtain and return key to a gate. Includes shared care of Shelter. Call or write for more details. |
| 7 | 153.0 to 155.1 | 2.1 | FR 107 2nd Crossing to Hoot Owl Gap | You will need a high clearance truck and possibly 4WD to go down old FR 107 to access the trail |
| 8 | 184.8 to 187.4 | 2.6 | N Fork Pinnacle spur to FR 152 | Current adopters seek partners to share maintenance duties. Would not have to tend the section at the same time; just coordinate tasks accomplished. |
Remember: larger sections can be divided into smaller pieces or adopted by a group, club, or team of family and/or friends.
Email for more information information about FoOT membership.
For trail adoption questions, please contact our VP of Recruitment, . After you sign up you will receive your “adoption papers” and Trail Maintenance Guide. Click here to see a sample volunteer agreement.
The FoOT Patrol Team
We would really like for you to adopt a section of trail of your very own. If you would like to help with trail maintenance, but some reason you cannot adopt your own section of the Ouachita Trail, you can become a Working or Sustaining Member of FoOT with all the benefits by joining the FoOT Patrol Team.
The FoOT Patrol is a group of volunteers who assist the regular trail adopters with large projects and do special projects on the Ouachita Trail PLUS we have fun while doing so. You will be a sort of Volunteer Independent Contractor or Free Agent!! You could join planned group outings, or you will need to contact FoOT at least two times a year to find projects you can do on your own or help a trail adopter with their section. To become a member of the FoOT Patrol team, contact: .