[easyrotator]erc_67_1377895904[/easyrotator]
Photos by Kristen Barnard.
The DeSoto Bluff Trail that has been a hotspot for Ouachita students and the Arkadelphia community underwent improvements earlier this year to make the trail more accessible to visitors.
The relatively flat, quarter-mile trail takes casual hikers through a natural area that ends at a bluff overlooking the Ouachita River and the surrounding landscape. The improvements include a paved trail, guardrails and interpretive signage.
“[Arkadelphia] is excited to have had the opportunity, through grants from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Humanities Council, to further develop the well-loved Desoto Bluff trail for the use of all our residents and visitors,” said City Manager Jimmy Bolt.
According to a press release that came from Bolt’s office on July 10, the grant from the AGFC totaled $80,2915.30 and came from the Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program.
The Bluff is named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who led an expedition into the southern United States. He and his soldiers were the first Europeans to set foot in what is now Arkansas. Locals maintain that he and his men camped on the bluff during their explorations, though scholars say historical evidence doesn’t support this.
“The bluff has been an important part of our community and that of the nearby universities since at least the 1950s,” Bolt said. “In recent years, Dr. Mike Reynolds has led groups of students to gain a better appreciation of nature and nearby wildlife and plants. The City of Arkadelphia looks forward to continuing this educational partnership so that all may enjoy the rich history and culture of our area.”
The entrance to the trail is located approximately 3.8 miles from Exit 78 on Hwy. 7 or S. 10 Street in Arkadelphia coming from Little Rock. It is near Carmart north of the Ouachita campus and is marked by trail signage.
