Arkansas · Trail 82C

Bear Creek - West Loop

Bear Creek - West Loop is a 10.5-mile trail in Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Ouachita National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end34.7703° N, 93.2516° W · Directions ↗
Other end34.7813° N, 93.2587° W · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 4 segments.

The trail

Length10.5 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade8-10 percent
Typical tread width24-36 inches
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers82C
ForestOuachita National Forest (unit 0809)
StatesArkansas
Detail publishedbasic characteristics

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Bear Creek - West Loop40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 3.76 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowFebruary: 3.89 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowMarch: 4.87 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowApril: 5.43 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 6.19 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.73 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.65 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.04 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 4.99 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 41.5°F averageFebruary: 45.6°F averageMarch: 53.3°F averageApril: 62.2°F averageMay: 70.8°F averageJune: 79.0°F averageJuly: 83.0°F averageAugust: 82.1°F averageSeptember: 74.8°F averageOctober: 63.4°F averageNovember: 51.9°F averageDecember: 43.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Nimrod Dam, 15 miles from the trail midpoint at 480 feet, station USC00035200 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 54 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Trailheads

The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.

Trails nearby

Camping nearby

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Explore

Guidebooks for Arkansas

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • The Ozarks: 43 spectacular hikes in Arkansas and Missouri
    Jim Warnock, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Arkansas Nature Lover's Guidebook
    Tim Ernst and Pam Ernst, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Scenic Routes and Byways the Ozarks
    Don Kurz, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Bear Creek - West Loop?

The Forest Service records 10.5 miles under this name in Ouachita National Forest, the sum of 4 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Bear Creek - West Loop?

Ouachita National Forest has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.

Source: Ouachita National Forest official page

Where does the Bear Creek - West Loop start?

The line begins at 34.7703° N, 93.2516° W and ends at 34.7813° N, 93.2587° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bear Creek - West Loop in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Bear Creek - West Loop?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.

Source: Ouachita National Forest official page

How developed is the Bear Creek - West Loop?

Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Bear Creek - West Loop?

The typical grade is 8-10 percent. The typical tread is 24-36 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bear Creek - West Loop accessible?

No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Bear Creek - West Loop?

Ouachita National Forest, Forest Service unit 0809. The trail is in Arkansas.

Source: Ouachita National Forest official page

Source

This page is built from 4 segments named BEAR CREEK - WEST LOOP in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0809. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed October 12, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.