Sugar Creek Multi-Use Trail

At a glance

Details

Type

National Forest OHV trail system

Ownership

public

Managed by

USDA Forest Service - Ouachita NF, Poteau-Cold Springs Ranger District, 1541 AR-248, Waldron AR 72958; (479) 637-4174

Location

Booneville area (Poteau-Cold Springs RD, Ouachita NF), AR

Address / directions

Trailhead on Road S30 off FSR 19, past Knopper's Ford (USFS directions: AR-23 S of Booneville, AR-116 E, county road S, then FSR 19)

Vehicles allowed

USFS page: motorcycle, 4-wheeler and 'utility vehicle' travel plus horse, bicycle and foot. MVUM (queried 2026-10-27): motorcycle, ATV, other wheeled OHV and 4WD over 50 in. all OPEN year-round on trail 97 and spurs 97A-F. UTV allowance is stated on the USFS page.

USFS page names motorcycle, 4-wheeler and utility vehicle; MVUM shows ATV, motorcycle, other wheeled OHV and 4WD over 50 in. open

Width limit

No width cap found; MVUM shows the over-50-in. class open on these trails (DirtCompass reading)

Difficulty (source wording)

'Easy to more difficult, with most of the trail being easy to moderate' (USFS page). DirtCompass estimate on the 1-5 scale: 1-3.

Trail miles

~30 mi (USFS page); 36.7 mi of MVUM trail segments (DirtCompass sum of trail 97 + 97A-F, 2026-10-27) - the two figures differ

Fees & permits

No fee (USFS page)

Hours & season

Open year round (USFS). PARTIAL CLOSURE: 3.1 mi from Trail Marker 11 (near FSR 20) to Marker 13 (near FSR 19), including the Marker 12 trailhead, from 2026-08-10 for logging; USFS said 'up to 6 weeks' but the alert is still posted with no end date as of 2026-10-27.

Amenities

Trailhead: no restroom or potable water listed (USFS). Knopper's Ford day-use area nearby: no water/electric, swimming, fishing and picnicking (restrooms closed for the season).

Rules

Operate OHVs only on areas, roads and trails designated open on the MVUM; state-approved muffler/spark arrester; no recreational riding inside developed campgrounds (Ouachita NF OHV page). Shared with horses, bikes and hikers.

Family & group notes

Mostly easy-to-moderate loops (USFS) but shared-use with horse riders, cyclists and hikers