Arkansas · Hiking

Oertel Trail

Oertel TrailPhoto: SlapTheWorld, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)
1.4 mi
one way
220 ft
climb
810 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Feb–May, Oct–Nov
best months

Is Oertel Trail open right now?

No closures listed

The National Park Service lists no closures for Hot Springs National Park.

As of · Source: NPS · Hot Springs National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Oertel Trail is a short, easy hike in Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, managed by the National Park Service. The trail is 1.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 220 feet, and it runs from a low point of about 607 feet to a high of about 810 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 1.3 miles, where the grade reaches 20 percent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 75°F with lows near 52°F, and April is similar at about 74°F by day and 51°F at night. July and August average highs near 93°F. The trail sits close to several other routes. Goat Rock Trail is about 0.1 mile away, and Sunset Trail and Gulpha Gorge Trail are each about 0.2 mile off. Hot Springs Mountain Trail is roughly 0.8 mile away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Feb–May, Oct–Nov

    Best time to visit Oertel Trail

    Best months: February–May and October–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      52° / 32°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      56° / 35°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      65° / 42°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      74° / 51°

      10 wet

    5. May

      80° / 60°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      88° / 68°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      93° / 72°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      93° / 71°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      86° / 64°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      75° / 52°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      63° / 42°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      53° / 35°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hot Springs 1 Nne, AR, 1 mi away at 626 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Upper Dogwood TrailPhoto: SlapTheWorld, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Upper Dogwood Trail

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1.98-mile out-and-back trail in Arkansas with 151 ft of elevation gain.

Peak TrailPhoto: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Peak Trail

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Hunts LoopPhoto: SlapTheWorld, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Hunts Loop

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8.75-mile out-and-back trail in Arkansas with 701 ft gain.

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Sunset Trail

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LAKE OUACHITA VISTA TRAIL

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Lower Dogwood TrailPhoto: SlapTheWorld, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Lower Dogwood Trail

~1 min drive

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Little Blakely - M H Loop

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Little Blakely - R R Loop

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5.40-mile loop trail in Arkansas with 737 ft gain.

Hot Springs Mountain TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hot Springs Mountain Trail

~1 min drive

1.63-mile loop in Hot Springs, Arkansas with 811 ft elevation gain.

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BEAR CREEK EQUESTRIAN TRAIL

~30 min drive

11.24-mile out-and-back equestrian trail in Arkansas with 1,874 ft elevation gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors