Moonshiners Cave Trail

Just outside the eastern entrance into Devil's Den State Park in Northwest Arkansas sits a short but techincal trail leading to the unique destination of an old moonshiners cave built into the limestone rocks hidden in the forest.While it's not certain that illicit alcohol was ever actually produced her during the Prohibition Era, that is the name given to the remains of an old cabin structure. Today, only a stone wall with a couple empty window frames and doorway remain. However the hike here is a somewhat popular one to make.The path lies outside of Devil's Den State Park, and can be hard to find as there are no trail markings and no cel signal at the location. An unsigned gravel pullout is the parking area. And while there are a couple small paths visible from this area, these are not the path to the old cabin - and were more than likely created by those looking for the correct path. Follow the shoulder of the road southwest for about 40 feet, at which point a use trail will bend into the trees and follow an old ATV path that has become overgrown as it heads down the hill. The path is incredibly rocky and a bit technical, as it serves as a small wash during wet weather. After descending a short distance, a small track begins to parallel the rocky creekbed, which makes footing a bit easier. Before long this path veers around and traces the edge of a limestone wall. Down here the cabin remains appear beside a small waterfall than can be extremely scenic following wet conditions in the area. The area is slippery, however has a lot of shade and is exciting to explore.From here, hikers can retrace their route back up.Though only a mile round trip, the path is rocky and is of moderate difficulty. There are no amenities or markings of any kind here. Be prepared with water and directions prior to entering the area which has no cel serivce.