Buffalo National River · Arkansas

Cecil Cove Trail

5.0 mi of trail, end to end · Hike the Cecil Cove Loop: 7 mi loop in the Service's write-up · about 750 ft of climbing · 921 ft–1,572 ft

History

1,020 ft 1,569 ft · 5.0 mi high 1,571 ft

Along the way Erbie Church Jones Cemetery

Trailhead Cecil Cove Trailhead 1,022 ft Drive there

Hike the Cecil Cove Loop 7 mi loop · the Park Service's write-up

5-8 Hours · no dogs · season After major rain events (primarily in springtime), creek crossings may be impassable and dangerous.

Start Cecil Cove Trailhead

Thunder Canyon Falls, located in a canyon near the Cecil Cove Loop
Thunder Canyon Falls, located in a canyon near the Cecil Cove Loop Photo: Arkansas Tourism

The Cecil Cove Trail begins near the historic Erbie Church, and begins a gentle descent down an old wagon road. The trail winds through the wooded valley following Cecil Creek creating a nice moderate hike for visitors. The trail crosses the Cecil Creek 5 times along this first section of trail, so the creek may not be passable during rainy season due to high water. The trail continues at a nice moderate pace for the first 2.0 miles. The Cecil Cove Trail then begins a steep ascent up the mountain, climbing more than 500 ft. The trail passes old home sites, historic cemeteries, and provides beautiful scenic views during leaf off. The upper section of the trail is known to be fairly muddy throughout much of the year, especially during rainy season. The trail travels another 3.0 miles and intersects with the Compton-Erbie Road. The last section of the trail follows the Compton-Erbie Road down the mountain approximately 2.0 miles, ending at the trailhead where you began.

CAUTION: Starting in 2021 the Cecil Cove Trail experienced and continues to experience landslides. Please proceed on the trail at your own risk and use extreme caution when hiking in this area.

Pets Pets are not allowed on the Cecil Cove Loop. Service animals are permitted.

Accessibility This trail traverses steep, rocky, uneven terrain and has multiple creek crossings. Service animals permitted.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 48 trails in Buffalo National RiverFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.