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Print Friendly MapThe Sulphur Creek Trail offers a pleasant, tree-lined route in the central Arkansas community of Heber Springs, just a few blocks south of Main Street. The trail includes a crossing over Sulphur Creek and about half of the route follows the former Missouri and North Arkansas (M&NA) Railroad right-of-way.
Currently the trail exists in segments, with 5 miles of paved trail spread out between on-road and bike lane sections. The total route, including all on-road sections, is approximately 9.4 miles.
Starting from the trail's eastern endpoint along Bypass Rd. where it connects to the Arkansas State University Beebe Heber Campus via an unpaved trail. It heads west from here along a shared on-road section along Libby road. This road is winding with no shoulder, so be warned of cars along this shared route. From here it turns left onto a paved off road route until reaching E Main St. and S Van Buren St. Another on-road section switchbacks from S Van Buren St. to Walnut St. to S. Park St. and then Quitman St. (where the trail is marked along the street), Center St., E Searcy St., and finally S Broadway St. where the trail picks up again.
The next mile of the trail once again winds along a paved route, just south of downtown Heber Springs, before an on-road section of the trail along Scott St. The next section of the trail is the longest paved off-road section of trail. The 10-ft wide paved path features two new bridges crossing over Sulphur Creek. This route also passes the town fairgrounds. This section of trail ends along Bittle Rd.
After Bittle Rd., trail users can follow on-road routes along Bittle Rd., Woodland and then James Place to reach the final section of trail which trails the southern end of Greers Ferry Lake until reaching it's end at Sandy Beach, a wonderful beach with public access.
A trail kiosk and small parking lot are available where South 4th Street meets S Broadway St (part of the trail). There is also trail access and parking along Bittle Rd., near the fairgrounds, and near the northern terminus of the trail at Sandy Beach at the end of W Front St.
See TrailLink Map for all options and detailed directions.
Over the past month, we have walked the entirety of this trail in sections, and that includes about 3/4 mile that was recently added near Sugarloaf. We love this trail, especially between Scott street to where you’re forced to walk on the road at Bittle Rd. Round trip is about 4 1/4 miles. It’s flat, mostly wooded, with several bridges over the creek. Only improvement would be to either add sidewalks or a dedicated walk/bike path where this trail is on a road.
My wife and I rode a few miles in November 2023 and enjoyed the lush fall foliage. The trail itself is paved with some elevation - nothing very intense. Lots of places to stop and rest or take in the beautiful scenery.
Good News: Very nice, well maintained trail with lots of greenery, birds, so forth, adequate parking. The trail arcs north off the right of way and over to Walnut.
Bad News: Its too short. Only a half mile one-way.
This trail has major potential. The trail starts off on the old right of way on the Missouri and North Arkansas railroad that folded not long after WWII. The Heber Springs USGS quadrangle shows the right of way. There is very little to show there was once a rail line that ran all the way from Helena to Neosho, Mo. There is still a lot of the old right of way that runs from the current trail that runs south/east and remains undeveloped with houses, etc. You can see some of the old right of way as it parallels the Little Red River for several miles. This could make a really nice lengthy trail.
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