Backpack the Rim Trail and Bench Trail
Dardanelle Township, Arkansas
Details
Distance
7.6 miles
Elevation Gain
626 ft
Route Type
Loop
Description
Added by Tricia Treece
Staying at one of the hike-in sites and hiking the Rim Trail (3 miles) + Bench Trail (4 miles) are great practice for backpacking if you are by yourself. You have cell signal the whole time in case of emergency (good when you are backpacking alone).
I did two loop trails (Rim Trail and Bench Trail). Mileage reflects combination of both trails plus the distance hiking between the two near sunset point. Cost to camp in a hike-in site is ~$13/night. You can't reserve a hike-in spot in advance, but they are very under utilized. I'm pretty sure I was the only person in one of the 10 hike-in spots on a Friday night in September.
Hike in spots have a fire pit. There was plenty of wood just around the campsite, so no need to buy firewood. The only downside is that the flow of the springs (at least when I went) is not enough to practice water purification. You can go get your water refilled at the bathhouse near the drive-in campground.
The Rim Trail has some strenuous areas where you will need to scramble over rocks and/or hike pretty close to the edge of a large drop off.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Backpack the Rim Trail and Bench Trail Reviews
Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Camp at Mount Nebo SP
Hike the Rim Trail at Mount Nebo SP
Hike the Seven Hollows Trail at Petit Jean SP
Cedar Falls
Camp at Petit Jean SP
Mount Magazine Scenic Byway
Community
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy