Devils Den - Yellow Rock
"...Man's heart away from nature becomes hard..." - Standing Bear
Devil's Den is one of my favorite hiking locations and is another one of many fantastic State Parks in Arkansas. Although the hiking isn't as remote and as wild as the hiking around Ponca and the Boxley valley, the scenery is second to none and the trails are well maintained. By maintained, I mean that they are well defined and there is usually not a doubt which way to go. The Yellow Rock trail has the most spectacular views of the Devil's Den trails and is probably the most visited trail in the park. The goal is the yellow rock bluff which gives the hiker a clear and spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and the Lee Creek valley. The Yellow Rock trail is a 2.7 mile loop and is moderate on the difficulty scale.
Inside Info - If you are coming from Hwy 74 and I 49 you'll pass the visitors center and swimming pool and cross the Lee Creek bridge and take the first road to the right past the bridge. There will be a small gravel parking area on the right side of the road with the trail head located on the left. The hike to Yellow Rock is mostly uphill and you will traverse around some magnificant rock formations and through dense forest. On my last trip I saw numerous squirrels playing in the trees and 1 small deer that I startled and caught a glimpse of as it bounded deeper into the forest. The Yellow Rock overlook is approximately 3/4 mile from the trailhead and is a good place to sit, soak in the view and catch your breath. I'm not a huge fan of the rest of the trail. There aren't any particularly interesting sights and I prefer to retrace my steps and return through the rocks and crevices viewed in the early part of the hike.
Final Word - This is an enjoyable hike and only requires modest fitness to scale to the overlook. In fact there are a couple of benches that can be used as a rest stop on the way up. Please keep a tight hold on small children near the overlook.
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Trailhead Pic
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Difficulty - ✹✹✹ (out of 5)
Scenic Beauty - ✰✰✰ (out of 5)
Directions - click here
Devil's Den is one of my favorite hiking locations and is another one of many fantastic State Parks in Arkansas. Although the hiking isn't as remote and as wild as the hiking around Ponca and the Boxley valley, the scenery is second to none and the trails are well maintained. By maintained, I mean that they are well defined and there is usually not a doubt which way to go. The Yellow Rock trail has the most spectacular views of the Devil's Den trails and is probably the most visited trail in the park. The goal is the yellow rock bluff which gives the hiker a clear and spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and the Lee Creek valley. The Yellow Rock trail is a 2.7 mile loop and is moderate on the difficulty scale.
Inside Info - If you are coming from Hwy 74 and I 49 you'll pass the visitors center and swimming pool and cross the Lee Creek bridge and take the first road to the right past the bridge. There will be a small gravel parking area on the right side of the road with the trail head located on the left. The hike to Yellow Rock is mostly uphill and you will traverse around some magnificant rock formations and through dense forest. On my last trip I saw numerous squirrels playing in the trees and 1 small deer that I startled and caught a glimpse of as it bounded deeper into the forest. The Yellow Rock overlook is approximately 3/4 mile from the trailhead and is a good place to sit, soak in the view and catch your breath. I'm not a huge fan of the rest of the trail. There aren't any particularly interesting sights and I prefer to retrace my steps and return through the rocks and crevices viewed in the early part of the hike.
Final Word - This is an enjoyable hike and only requires modest fitness to scale to the overlook. In fact there are a couple of benches that can be used as a rest stop on the way up. Please keep a tight hold on small children near the overlook.
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Trailhead Pic
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