Barkshed
Road
Point 31 Details
2.4 mi. between 30 & 31
Hiking, Birding, ATV, Walking, Horse Trails,
Hunting
Look closely as Barkshed Road is hard to spot
Directions - Barkshed Rd
is FSR 1108. The entrance is hard to find. It is at the top of a knoll and hidden from
view. Idiots keep knocking the signs down. You'll see a Carsonite sign if you look close
saying 1108. Other than that there is no sign anymore. The best way to find it is to watch
your odometer from Point 30.
Road Names - Barkshed
Road, Baxter CR-80, FSR-1108. No connections to other roads other than old dead end
logging roads. Not to be confused with Barkshed Recreation Area. Road dead ends at
7.8 miles in from Point 31.
Please Note! Many maps show Barkshed Road running from Hwy 341 (Push Mountain
Road) all the way to Barkshed Recreation Area. It no longer does. The last mile down to
Barkshed Recreation Area is
closed and has grown over. There is a trail you can hike down that comes out at the old
silver bridge at Barkshed Recreation Area.
Road Length - For the
first 2 miles Barkshed road is smooth, wide, and well maintained dirt. After Cripple
Turkey Road, (FSR 90179A) it gets a little rough. At 7.8 miles Barkshed Road dead ends at
two gates. Facing in the gate on the right is the NSCT section that comes out at the old
silver bridge at Barkshed Recreation Area a mile down.
Other Roads Along Barkshed Road -
Barkshed road ends at 7.8 miles in from Point 31 at Hwy 341. Cripple Turkey Road, aka FSR
91079A, is 2 miles in on Barkshed Road from Point 31. The OHT crosses Barkshed road here.
Cole Fork Road, aka FRS1125, is 2.8 miles down Barkshed road from Point 31. It's another
3.4 miles down Cole Fork Road to the NSCT trailhead. You'll need a high clearance
vehicle to go down Cole Fork Road.
Spur Roads Running Off Barkshed Road
Cripple Turkey Road, aka FSR-91079A, is 2
miles down Barkshed road (on the left) from Point 31. Use Cripple Turkey to access
the OHT trailhead and the NSCT trailhead. See Trailheads below.
Cole Fork Road, aka FRS-1125, is 2.8 miles
down Barkshed road, almost a mile past Cripple Turkey Road, from Point 31. It's another
3.4 miles down Cole Fork road to where the NSCT crosses the road. Caution! Four wheel
drive or high clearance vehicle needed. See Trailheads below.
Other Spur Roads - When driving down
Barkshed Road you'll see several spur roads branching off both sides of the road. All of
them are old dead-end logging roads. These are great places for an easy hike. Several
dead-end at food plots.You can drive all the roads you come to if they are not closed.
Most are ATV approved. For these roads we highly recommend 4-wheel drive. Always be on the
lookout for any spot you can turn around in. These spur roads are usually most enjoyable
if you just walk them.
Food Plots - You'll see small fields planted
in grass and other low-growing crop plants. These are specially created fields for wild
animals to feed in. Deer and other animals graze on the plants. Wild turkey and other
birds feed on the insects living in the grass. Camping and hunting in food plots is not
legal. You can watch wildlife in food plots.
ATV (OHV) Use - Barkshed Road and many of
the spur roads branching off Barkshed are approved for ATV use. Look for brown Carsonite
(fiberglass) sign posts sticking out of the ground at road entrances. These posts are
about 4 inches wide, 3 feet high, and brown in color. Starting at the top will be a six
digit road number usually starting with "910. . .". Under this road number will
be a symbol of an ATV, and a symbol of a horse. If there is a red slash through the ATV
symbol it means you cannot operate ATVs on the road in question. If there is no symbol at
all, then that also means you cannot operate an ATV on the road. These same symbol
conditions apply to horseback riding as well. Be careful not to run your ATV on what are
well-worn illegal ATV trails. People do illegally run their ATVs on these trails. So do
the Forest Service Rangers. If they catch you they will write you a ticket.
Horseback Riding - See ATV use above.
Barkshed Road is part of Horse Trail D (aka The McGowan Loop). All along Barkshed road are
spots large enough to park horse trailers. For general regulations regarding horse use in
the Sylamore please visit our Sylamore Horse Trail
Guide.
Birding & Walking - During the week few
people are out and about here. The exception is during modern gun deer hunting season in
mid November and early December. If you walk or bird, you can do so on any of the side
roads.
Hunting Safety - The Barkshed Road area
experiences heavy hunter use in the fall, especially during modern gun season in mid
November and early December. It is a good idea to wear blaze orange from October through
February. In addition to modern gun season there are several archery and muzzleloading
seasons. Most hunters do not hunt along roads as it is illegal. Still, to play it safe,
wear the orange cloth vests you can pick up at local stores for less than $5.
Hunting Regulations - The laws and
regulations governing hunting can change from year to year. Arkansas Game & Fish
Commission regulation booklets can be picked up free anywhere fishing and hunting licenses
are sold. You can also visit AGRC web site at: http://www.agfc.com
Hiking Trailheads - Open To Hiking
Only, No ATV Or Horse Use
OHT & NSCT Trailheads - Cripple Turkey
Road OHT & NSCT Trailheads - FSR 91079A, aka Cripple Turkey Road, is 2 miles down
Barkshed Road from Hwy 341. It leads to trailheads where the North Sylamore Creek
Hiking Trail (NSCT) terminates at the Ozark Highlands Trail
(OHT). If you took the short 4 mile day hike from the Moccasin Springs OHT trailhead
you'll come out here at the intersection of Cripple Turkey and Barkshed roads. One-tenth
of a mile down Cripple Turkey Road from Barkshed Road you'll see the white metal OHT trail
markers on trees along Cripple Turkey Road. The OHT follows Cripple Turkey Road for the
mile down to where it meets the NSCT. The actual trailheads are a mile further down
Cripple Turkey Road. From the NSCT you can hike down 4.7 miles to the Cole Fork Road trail
access, or keep going all the way to Barkshed Recreation Area another 4.7 miles for a
total 9.4 miles. The trailhead for the NSCT is over by the bulletin board thing at the end
of Cripple Turkey in the parking lot. The OHT is at the opposite end of the parking
lot. You'll see the OHT sign pointing toward a food plot (meadow). From this sign it
is 4.4 miles down the OHT to the Brush Creek trailhead at Point 33.
Cole Fork Road NSCT Access - Caution - Rough Road, Please Read Before Driving It!
Cole Fork Road, with the exception of a few rough spots, easy to drive in a regular auto.
However, if you are not experienced in driving your car across rocks, DO NOT DRIVE THIS
ROAD! If you get stuck, or damage your car, it will cost a bloody fortune - and take all
day - to get towed out. Chances are slim anyone will come along and find you. It is at
least a 6 mile hike back out to Highway 341. Your cell phone will not work here! If you
know how to high center to keep from ripping out your oil pan, if you know how to keep
from getting stuck in deep ruts and mud, then go ahead. Just take it slow and easy.
Pickups and high clearance vehicles will have no problems.
The NSCT Trail At Cole Fork - Drive down
Barkshed Road another 0.8 miles from Cripple Turkey Road and you'll come to a road
branching off to the left. This is FSR 1125, aka Cole Fork Road. It is unmarked.
Turn left and drive 0.1 mile and you'll come to a parallel road fork. One of those brown
Carsonite sign posts indicates this is FSR-1125. Turn down the hill on the first road. It
is a slow, 3.4 mile drive down to where the road ends at Cole Fork creek. Just before the
creek you'll see the signs for the trail. If you hike up the left side trail it takes you
up to the Cripple Turkey Road trailheads 4.7 miles away. If you hike the right side trail,
it takes you to Barkshed Recreation Area 4.7 miles away. There's a small two-car parking
spot next to Cole Fork Creek. If you drive across the creek you'll find a meadow where
some people camp. Illegal ATV trails run through here, but it is not illegal to walk them.
The little creek flowing beside Cole Fork Road on the way down is Barkshed Creek.
Though written several years ago a good
complete description of the NSCT is:
http://www.ozarksociety.net/new_sylamore_trail_information.htm#NORTH_SYLAMORE_
Barkshed Road NSCT Trailhead - Drive all the
way down Barkshed Road 7.8 miles from Point 31 to where it dead ends at two brown pipe
gates. The pipe gate on the lower side of the road, to your right, is where Barkshed Road
used to go. Several years ago the old silver metal bridge at Barkshed Recreation Area was
deemed unsafe for vehicle traffic, so the road was closed at this point. The reason being
is at this point there's enough room to turn around. If you hike down the old Barkshed
Road you'll come to the old silver bridge at Barkshed in about 0.6 of a mile. The other
road behind the other brown pipe gate dead ends about a half-mile down. It's also a good
place to go for a short walk.
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