Flatside Wilderness
In the extreme eastern Ouachita Mountains is a Wilderness that takes its name from Flatside Pinnacle, a 1,550-foot rock outcropping just outside the northeast boundary. In 2019, the Wilderness was expanded and the added acres named the Bethune Woods-Flatside Wilderness addition in honor of former Representative Ed Bethune. Dominating the skyline are White Oak Mountain, the highest point in the Wilderness at 1,650 feet, and Forked Mountain, at 1,350 feet. From overlooks on the eastern and western sides, the forest below looks like an unbroken canopy of pines and hardwoods. Several small creeks flow through the area.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arkansas |
| Size | 10,180 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.85° N, 92.97° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 2 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 193 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Ouachita NRT ↗ | 192.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Spring Lake Recreation Area
33 mi from the center point · 48 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.2 miSouth Fourche LaFave River Bridge ↗Hollis, AR
- 3.2 miHollis Country Store ↗Hollis, AR
- 5.1 miWallace Bridge ↗Nimrod, AR
- 5.3 miIron Springs Dam ↗Jessieville, AR
- 5.3 miIron Springs Shelter No. 1 ↗Jessieville, AR
- 5.3 miIron Springs Shelter No. 2 ↗Jessieville, AR
- 6.5 miCamp House ↗Aplin, AR
- 8.5 miFourche LaFave River Bridge ↗Nimrod, AR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arkansas
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Flatside Wilderness?
10,180 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Flatside Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Flatside Wilderness in?
Arkansas.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Flatside Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Flatside Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Flatside Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.854° N, 92.968° W. Hot Springs National Park is 21 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Flatside Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Spring Lake Recreation Area at 33 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Flatside Wilderness?
Hot Springs National Park (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Flatside Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including South Fourche LaFave River Bridge and Hollis Country Store.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.