Backpacking on the OT - recommendations for good 1 night trips?

Although I would prefer to spend 3+ weeks thru-hiking the Ouachita Trail, many of us just have time for two day (1 night) trips.

Anyone have recommendations for one night backpacking trips on the OT? I guess they ought to be divided up into a) round trip and b) one-way with two cars.

Blue Ouachita Mountain (one way), for example: Start at mile 138.8 (HWY 298 Ouachita River bridge) and hike to either 157 (FR 122 crossing) or to 160.4 (Hwy 7). This would be a one way hike, requiring two cars, covering either 9 miles/day or 10.5 miles/day. There are two shelters in this segment. Etc.

Blue Ouachita Mountain (round trip), for example: Start at mile 138.8 (HWY 298 bridge), hike to Blue Mountain Shelter and then hike back down the next day. One car. Etc.

These are just examples. Any suggestions for 1 night backpacking trips on the OT?

It could be a useful resource to come up with a list of recommended one-night backpacks that utilize the OT. They don't have to involve a shelter. It would also be useful to provide a short description of each trip and any unique or interesting features of that particular trip.

Anybody have thoughts about this?

Thanks,
jc

This is a great idea JC. It would be awesome to eventually have a list for 1 nighters, Weekenders, 3 or 4 nighters, Week-long excursions...that would be cool.

Anyway, I tend to do "out-and-backs" because I'm solo most of the time and never have the two-car option. And the nice thing about OnB's is that pace is eliminated: Like when you plan a loop that should be a challenge and you end up finishing way sooner than you thought you would, or worse, end up dragging yourself to the end, exhausted and out of water, because it ended up taking twice as long...

So, I'm not much help on this one right now. However, I'm going to take this as a challenge, and plan a few that I think would be good ones this fall and then report back. If they turn out good, I'll post the full details as you suggested above.

Great idea.

JC,

Do you have Tim Ernst trail guide for the OT. It has been awhile since I have studied but you can fairly easily
figure out what can be done with two vehicles. The wife I would be receptive to going in with you into making a
weekend trip. That is one reason that I haven't gotten back on the OT is that I have limited myself to loop trails
such as the Caney and Buckeye trails. I also am limited to weekends except on some holidays. I would like to do
some of the Western parts of the trail.

Do you have Tim Ernst trail guide for the OT. It has been awhile since I have studied but you can fairly easily
figure out what can be done with two vehicles.

Ouachita Hiker,

I've read the Ouachita Trail Guide cover-to-cover and use it when I go to a new section of the OT. I agree with you that its easy to figure out what might work as a round trip or two-car overnighter. When I asked the question, I was thinking more about the details such as, water availability, interesting features of that trail section, steep climbs, etc.

So, in the example I gave of hiking from the HWY 298 bridge to Blue Mountain Shelter... I have no idea if there is water at Blue Mountain Shelter, I don't know about the trail condition (rocky and slow going, whatever), I don't know about other campsite possiblities, are there views vs. all woods hiking without vistas, etc. So, someone who is familiar with that section could fill in a lot of detail, including choice places to camp, etc. Similarly, we can all look at a topo map and guess what the climb must be like, but someone who has done it can describe what actually to expect.

Anyway... I'll let you know when we're headed west sometime.

Thanks,
jc

JC,

It has been such a long time since I have been on any of the OT sections that I can't talk first hand
so I won't. The longest section was from the OK side to Queen Whillimina lodge. Back then it was 35 miles.
So I have to get hiking before I can report on any of these sections!