Black Fork Mountain trail, anyone interested??

I would like very much to do BFM trail and I would prefer to have some company. I would like to hike in a saturday spend the night and hike back out sunday. I am flexable on the date. My first choice would be 12/05/09-12/06/09.

Well I am free that weekend.. How about it Jeff and east... you guys are ready to see some more trails.. chime on in here.. I can meet you there at the trail head LATE fri night... or early sat morn.. I would prefer a EARLY start as it gets dark so late. I have not been up there in years so I am not familiar with the trail but can download it to my GPS... If I remember right its not a lot to get lost on. You kind of hike the spines of these mountains.. but its a lot of up and downs and pretty damn steep as well. I am game....

I can also be there friday night or saturday morn. How long of a drive is that for you TM?

Just remember that there isn't any water up there. That is a neat trail but it is a killer, at least for folks like me!
I want to do it again but the first two weekends in Dec. are out for me due to band events on weekends.

Tom,
I think that there is a small pond about half way up isn't there?

Ed,

That pond is called the frog pond. I don't think I would want to drink from it filtered or not! It is mainly a wildlife pond I think. I thought I would give you this link to Charlies website. He had gone up the same trail the day before Janet, Jay and I had. By the way on the Pics that I had posted on jays trip report I had copied some of Charlies pics but I gave credit to him. (the reason being that the camera we had turned around with Janet when she had had enough of the trail!)

Tom

That was my next question about water... lol

So should plan on carry about 3 litters of water.. maybe 4?

Tim Ernst's book says that there is a spur trail to a spring-fed pond @ mile 5.2 and describes it as a possible water supply.

you guys are making me green with envy, or better yet, just plain jealous . Have fun, and maybe I will see you this Spring

To bad your working Sunday huh P lol.. Guess I will plan on 3 liters and work it out from there. I mean its only like 7 miles or so in.

Just my advice. Nothing is marked up there unless something has been done since we went up there.
There are trails going in different directions. I think, can't remember who told me, that there was at
one time a different way to get down of that mountain into the valley. I also know that on the OK
side there are horse trails that go into the wilderness. I don't think that any of them interconnect.
In other words just suck it up and carry the water! Or wait for a good rain..

I will go over the area with a satellite image tomorrow.. see what I can tell if anything.

Sounds like a good trip, I will try to make this one. Is not always up to me though. For now you can count me IN.

So do we have a head count on this..

1 Eddie
2 Ed
3 Jeff
4 ?

TM- confirm the dates and where is Black Fork Mtn Trail?-Mark

Mark,

Here is some info and directions:

11.6 miles round trip. The trail is in the Black Fork Wilderness Area, 7,568 acres formed in 1985.
Trailhead is located about a mile west of the community of Eagleton on Hwy. 270 (from Mena go 6 miles north on Hwy. 71 to Acorn, then turn west on Hwy. 270, 6 miles to Eagleton). Look for the Wilderness Trailhead sign and turn right into the parking lot. The first mile of the hike is on the Ouachita Trail.

Hope this helps,
Tom

12/05/09-12/06/09
Thanks Tom for the directions

I will just add that the trail head on 270 is in good shape. You will leave the parking area and go down and cross the Ouachita River, pretty small here, on a wood bridge. Then you will climb up to a railroad right of way. The time I was there there wasn't anything on the tracks. I have heard of times when you had to wait for a wile to cross the tracks. When you cross the tracks follow the ouachita trail for aprox. a mile and the Blackfork trail will go UP to the left. And up and up and up some more!

Eddie, count me in as of right now. Thanks Tom for the info!

Tenn looks like about a 4.5 to 5 hour drive..

I am very excited about this trip. I am going to drive up friday night and either stay at the trailhead or hike in a short distance, stay the night and hike back to the trailhead first light or before. After the research that I have done I feel pretty comfortable about water on the trail.

I am planning being there but may be really late getting there fri night

Well then I will stay at the trailhead and fix a pot of horseshoe stew. It should be ready bout the time you get there.

1 Eddie
2 Ed
3 Jeff
4 Mark T
5 ?