Hot Springs / Buckhorn trail

[Bwana]

I went to a guided trail event at the Superlift ORV Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas last Saturday. Had around a dozen Jeeps; TJ's, CJ's, and a couple of Cherokees (all with lifts and oversized tires), and my 1988 Range Rover (stock)on the trail. The trail guide took us on 1 & 2 rated trails, with a few 3's for good measure. The first good hill we came to, the trail guide said anyone who didn't want to climb it could go around. 2 Jeeps went up, then the next 2 Jeeps couldn't make it and backed down. I pointed the Rover at the hill and went up no problemo. Someone on the CB hollered " I ain't believing that s#!t." No more Jeeps backed down from that hill, but some had a lot of trouble. Then on the big pipeline hill, several had to back down, and a couple were winched up. I made it with barely any wheelspin. Did smash my tailpipe on a rock, though.



The afternoon ride was boring a few of us, so I took a few Jeeps down the Buckhorn trail, one I've taken before with an OKRovers group, which is a "3" rated trail, except that now it has a couple of "4" sections in it. The trail starts off with a 45 degree downhill section about 200 yards long over basketball sized rocks. The first uphill I came to had been rutted out BADLY (by Jeeps no doubt) and I had to hit it three times to make it up. After that, the reat of the trail was tough, but fun. That hill caused my motor mounts to let go, and I had to strap that 3.5 down with a ratchet strap to get home.


A couple of the guys on this board have been on the trail with me, Dbld and LightweightDrew. I still have that Disco, Drew. She's a dandy.

[DblD]

Great write-up, wish I could have been there. The trails we went on when I was down there were excellent, just enough of a challenge to make it interesting yet not so difficult that you tear something up. I wish Hot Springs wasn’t so far from Springfield. Have you explored around Cass, AR in the Ozark National Forest? I have seen some video from Cass that looked a bit extreme for my taste (serious rock crawling and mud bogging) but wonder if there would be easier stuff to do.

David