Are you considering a visit to Devil’s Den State Park in Northwest Arkansas? My family took a recent trip to this natural beauty and checked out two of the park’s best features: The Dam and The Devil’s Den Trail.
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Is this notoriously-named forest worth a visit? Read below to find out what we thought.
The Experience
Nature lovers and adventure-seekers will fall in love with Devil’s Den State Park. On the flip side, if you prefer not to get dirty or you just like to play it safe, this might not be the type of experience that brings you pleasure. This isn’t your grandma’s average walking trail.
You’ll experience step after step through the Boston Mountains, where you’ll need to carefully watch your footing while you take in the rugged scenery that surrounds you. Trails are well-marked, but there’s a lot to explore, including:
Rock Formations
Creeks & Creek Beds
Lake Devil
Waterfalls
Sandstone Formations
Shale Crumbles
Caves
Crevices
Overlooks
Stone Dam
Precariously Placed Piles of Rocks in the Creek Bed
Looking for more inspiring hikes and opportunities to spend
time in nature? Check out the Arkansas Grand Canyon
Entering the Park
Simply driving up to the park’s visitor’s center is an adventure on its own! With narrow, winding, steep roads, we slowly made our way up the mountain—right past our destination. Oops. Unfortunately, if you miss your turn into the visitor center parking lots, there’s nowhere to turn around for quite a ways. Here’s a view of the visitor’s center from Google’s street view so that you know what you’re looking for:
Once you reach the visitor’s center, your adventure can begin right away. Stop inside to get a trail map, and then head out on the trailhead, which is easy to find, right behind the building. Signs are posted throughout the park for history lovers curious about the destination’s originations.
Devil’s Den Trail
Although Devil’s Den Trail is only 1.5 miles long, it took us a couple of hours to make the trek since parts of the trail involve climbing up and down the rocks. We stopped several times to absorb the full effect of the landforms, caves, cliffs, and crevices that we witnessed. It’s easy to see how the park got its name, as you find plenty of places for outlaws and soldiers from the 1800s to hide out. Don’t worry though, all of the caves are gated closed today, so nobody’s getting in or out.
The main trail feature was a waterfall. However, during our visit in October—the falls were dry. Spring may be the best opportunity to see the full beauty of this landmark.
Did you know that Devil's Den State Park Claims the
Title of the 'Birthplace of Mountain Biking?" Check out the
The Dam at Lake Devil
A short distance from the visitor’s center, you can get an up-close experience with the larger-than-life man-made stone dam. Carefully step right over the top of the dam, or stay safe and sound at the pool down below. A short trail and suspension bridge bring you back full circle to the pavilion if you choose to walk across the top of the dam. During our visit, water was just barely trickling over the dam, but some visitors have been lucky enough to see a beautiful display resembling a waterfall after a big rainfall.
What Else Does Devil’s Den Have to Offer?
Devil’s Den Trail and the Dam are not the only things to see at Devil’s Den. Here are some trails and activities to check out while you’re there.
Additional Trails at Devil’s Den State Park
When it comes to distance, there’s a mix of trails to pick from—from quick treks to horseback trails and mountain biking to full-blown backpacking adventures. In addition to Devil’s Den Trail, other hiking trails at Devil’s Den State Park (from shortest to longest distance) include:
CCC Interpretive Trail: a quick quarter-mile jaunt that can be walked in 30 minutes
Woody Plant Trail: a short trek of ¼ mile through the woods for hikers and mountain-bikers
Lake Trail: a half-mile trip around the dam
Lee Creek Trail: 1.25 miles of hiking in about an hour
Yellow Rock Trail: a journey to the top of the park with over 3 miles in two hours
Old Road Trail: 5 miles of hiking or horseback riding
Fossil Flats Trail: a 6-mile loop with options for shorter distances under 3 miles (hike or bike)
Gorley King Trail: a 7-mile hiking and horseback trail
Vista Point Trail: serious hikers and horseback riders enjoy four hours of hiking this 8-mile trail
Butterfield Trail: backpack 15 miles over 12 hours
Find more to do in Fayetteville, Arkansas [home of the Razorbacks]
Other Experiences at Devil’s Den State Park
Hiking isn’t the only thing that Devil’s Den has to offer. Here’s a list of some other activities to enjoy while you’re there.
Fishing
Boating
Canoeing
Pedal boating
Mountain biking
Horseback riding (bring your own horse)
Cabins
Camping
Café (seasonal)
Pool for campground guests (summer)
Pavilion
Events (Ozark Mountain Bike Festival in the spring, Bat-o-Rama)
Planning Your Visit
If you’re hooked and ready to adventure, here are some tips for planning your visit to Devil’s Den State Park for day hikes.
What to Take
Coming from the flat plains of central Illinois, we were not used to driving through the mountains. If you get carsick from the ups and downs and twists and turns, don’t forget to take Dramamine! We had two kids under the age of five with us who are prone to car sickness, and the Dramamine eliminated the risk.
Next up, make sure you’ve got some sturdy hiking shoes with good grips. There’s a lot of steep, rocky terrain and you’ll want to make sure you don’t slip.
Other than hiking shoes and bracing yourself for the drive into the park, the last item that we’ll recommend you bring is snacks and water. We actually brought a full-blown picnic in our backpack. It turned out perfectly since there was a nifty picnic table right by the base of the waterfall on the trail. Although the trail is short, it takes a while to trek it since there’s so much to see.
Checklist: What to Know Before You Go
Here’s a quick checklist before you go:
Check the visitor center’s hours
Get a map
Pick the trails you want to go on
Bring your horse if you have one
Bring camping gear if you reserved a site
Bring your mountain bike if you want to
Bring your dog on a leash
Check the park’s calendar for special events
Reserve a cabin if you want to stay multiple days
Pack a picnic
Bring shoes
Bring water
Take Dramamine if you get carsick
Is Devil’s Den State Park Worth the Trip?
So, is it worth it to spend some time in nature at Devil’s Den State Park? For our family, absolutely. Just keep in mind that it’s easy to spend hours here absorbing all the breathtaking sites to see.
Our only regret is not planning ahead by picking the trails beforehand and giving enough time to explore more than one trail while there. We plan to return and stay in a cabin during a future visit so that we can reflect on all that the Devil’s Den has to offer.
Tips to Book Your Trip
Here are a few helpful links to plan your trip to Devil's Den State Park in West Fork, Arkansas
Rent a Car: Road trips are the best way to experience the Ozarks, get the best rates on Economy Bookings
Reserve Your Cabin or Camping Spot: Check out availability and pricing to camp right inside the park through Arkansas State Parks
Find a Nearby Hotel: If camping isn't your thing, check dates and rates on more traditional accomodations at Trip.com
