Hurricane Creek Wilderness
In the middle of the Boston Mountains, Hurricane Creek tumbles along its boulder-strewn way, sparkling in pool after pool, through the center of this Wilderness. Limestone and sandstone bluffs, some over 100 feet high, loom above the rippling water. Side drainages into the creek offer rugged traveling. Elevations surpass 2,200 feet on the high ridges. Second- and third-growth upland hardwoods, primarily oak and hickory, forest the surrounding lands, growing among narrow, V-shaped valleys. Dogwood, redbud, serviceberry, and witch hazel form the understory. At the turn of the century, as many as 70 families inhabited Hurricane Creek Valley.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arkansas |
| Size | 15,214 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.73° N, 93.19° 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
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 137 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Ozark Highlands Trail ↗ | 132.1 | |
| Hurr. Cr. Bypass Oht 02 Wilde ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Chancel Spur-Oht 02 Wildern | 0.2 |
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 Arbaugh Woodland
20 mi from the center point · 75 acres
- PrescribedRx Spring Lake Recreation Area
42 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
- 0.2 miBig Piney Creek Bridge ↗Hagersville, AR
- 2.9 miHankins, Thomas J., House ↗Pelsor, AR
- 6 miUnion School ↗Hagarville, AR
- 11.9 miOzone School ↗Ozone, AR
- 12.7 miLittle Buffalo River Bridge ↗Parthenon, AR
- 14 miMunger House ↗Lutherville, AR
- 14.1 miSt. Paul Lutheran School ↗Lamar, AR
- 15 miJones, Gould, Reservoir ↗Jasper, AR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arkansas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hurricane Creek Wilderness?
15,214 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hurricane Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hurricane Creek Wilderness in?
Arkansas.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hurricane Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hurricane Creek 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 Hurricane Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.735° N, 93.192° W. Buffalo National River is 23 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Hurricane Creek Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Arbaugh Woodland at 20 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Hurricane Creek Wilderness?
Buffalo National River (23 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Hurricane Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Big Piney Creek Bridge and Hankins, Thomas J., House.
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.