Caney Creek Wilderness

The Caney Creek Wilderness is a protected recreational area created in 1975 in the Ouachita National Forest. One of the first wilderness areas established in Arkansas, Caney Creek offers visitors overlooks and hiking opportunities.

The first land patents were issued in the area in 1860, but little settlement took place before the Civil War. The area remained sparsely populated over the next decades, and President Theodore Roosevelt created the original Arkansas National Forest in 1907, using lands that remained in the public domain. Additional lands for the forest were purchased following the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911, which allowed the federal government to buy private land in the eastern United States to protect the headwaters of waterways. The current name, the Ouachita National Forest, was adopted in 1926, and additional lands in Oklahoma were added to the forest in 1930. Some 8,300 acres of what would later become the Caney Creek Wilderness were established as a game refuge in 1935.

The Wilderness Act of 1964, which created the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS), has led to the preservation of millions of acres of land across the country. After being signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, it created additional protections for land already under federal control in an effort to preserve undeveloped areas of the country. The first areas under the act were created in September 1964. Additional lands continued to be designated, and the Caney Creek Wilderness was officially created on January 3, 1975, along with the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area. The two areas were the first in Arkansas to be so designated. By 2025, eleven wilderness areas had been designated in Arkansas, with a twelfth split between Arkansas and Oklahoma.

The Caney Creek Wilderness consists of 14,460 acres of rugged terrain. Notable physical features include Caney and Short creeks, Katy Mountain, Buckeye Mountain, and Tall Peak. Three major trails are included in the wilderness: Buckeye, Caney Creek, and Tall Peak. The Shady Lake Recreation Area is located southeast of the wilderness, and the Cossatot River marks part of its northwestern boundary.

The vegetation in the area consists of a wide variety of trees and other plants. Large pines are abundant, along with stands of hardwoods along the bottomlands. Access to the wilderness is limited, as no roads cross the area. Visitors can access the western end of the Caney Creek Trail via Forest Service roads near the Cossatot River and the east end of the trail via Forest Service roads north of Shady Lake. The trail has thirteen water crossings and can be used by equestrians; however, visitors to the wilderness area are asked to abide by the “Leave No Trace” rules. The other trails in the wilderness are not open to horses. Mountain bikes and motorized equipment are not allowed in the wilderness.

Visitors are reminded by the United States Forest Service that the area is extremely remote and rugged, trails are not marked or signed, and visitors will need a map and compass to explore the trail and wilderness. It is, however, a great example of the natural beauty of Arkansas.

For additional information:
“Caney Creek Wilderness.” United States Forest Service. https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/ouachita/recreation/caney-creek-wilderness (accessed June 18, 2025).

David Sesser
Southeastern Louisiana University