Viles Branch
Viles Branch Trail is a 26-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 end | 34.3561° N, 93.8623° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 34.3582° N, 93.9027° 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 6 segments.
The trail
| Length | 26 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 45A |
| Forest | Ouachita National Forest (unit 0809) |
| States | Arkansas |
| Detail published | basic 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
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
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Arkansas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Viles Branch Trail?
The Forest Service records 26 miles under this name in Ouachita National Forest, the sum of 6 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Viles Branch Trail?
Ouachita National Forest has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Where does the Viles Branch Trail start?
The line begins at 34.3561° N, 93.8623° W and ends at 34.3582° N, 93.9027° 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 Viles Branch Trail 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 Viles Branch Trail?
Bard Springs Recreation Area (under 0.1 mi) and Shady Lake Campground (0.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 2 with site counts and booking links.
How developed is the Viles Branch Trail?
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 Viles Branch Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Viles Branch Trail?
Ouachita National Forest, Forest Service unit 0809. The trail is in Arkansas.
Source
This page is built from 6 segments named VILES BRANCH 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.