Trail Overview
This easy forest route follows a fairly maintained gravel road through mature pine and hardwood timber within the Ouachita Mountains. The road is generally one vehicle wide, though several wider sections provide opportunities to pass oncoming traffic. The drive winds through a peaceful forest setting before ending at Old Piney Cemetery, a historic burial ground tucked among the trees. The cemetery contains graves dating back to the 1800s and provides a tangible connection to the early settlers and families who helped establish communities throughout this remote portion of Pike County. Small community cemeteries such as Old Piney often served isolated mountain settlements long before modern roads connected the region. Many of the individuals buried here were likely associated with the farming, timber, and mining activities that shaped the history of the Ouachita Mountains during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A small turnaround loop at the cemetery provides enough room to safely reverse direction and return the way you came. The combination of forest scenery, local history, and a glimpse into the lives of the area's earliest residents makes this route a worthwhile destination for visitors exploring the Ouachita National Forest.
Difficulty
There are no technical obstacles, water crossings, deep mud, or steep grades along this route. Difficulty is limited to the narrow road width in some sections and the possibility of downed limbs or storm debris following severe weather.
History
Old Piney Cemetery is a historic burial ground tucked away in the Ouachita Mountains of Pike County. Several graves date back to the nineteenth century, providing a tangible connection to the early settlers, farmers, timber workers, and families who helped establish communities throughout this remote portion of southwest Arkansas.
