Devil’s Den State Park – Devil’s Den, Yellow Rock, and Devil’s Raceway
West Fork, Arkansas
April 12, 2025
It was an absolutely beautiful day for a hike. I started on the Devil’s Den trail at the entrance just passed the visitor’s center by the Lee Creek Bridge. This trailhead began with the first of many stone staircases for the day. I had the trail to myself so it was very peaceful and I was able to see the beginning of blooms such as little wildflowers and the dogwood trees. The Devil’s Den Cave is closed for exploring but it is still a nice feature along the trail. The waterfalls along the trail were running from the recent rains. This trail is moderately challenging as there are lots of rocks and stone stairways to traverse. This trail is pretty easy to follow and is a Red Diamond. I did all of the trail which involved just a little backtracking but I ended with about 1.8 miles.
The second trail for the day was the Yellow Rock trail. I started at the trailhead on the other side of Lee Creek. From the Devil’s Den parking area, turn right after crossing the bridge and there is a small parking area for this trailhead. This area is very popular as many bikers start on the Devil’s Raceway here. This trail has areas that are very rocky and then smoother. It is a very popular trail because of the scenic overlook which allows you to see a great distance. There wasn’t a lot of blooms on this trail because it is a mostly wooded trail with great views along the way. There was a small waterfall that I crossed but the water was low enough and I was able to cross on rocks so my shoes did not get wet. I have previously done this trail before and after the scenic overlook, the trail really isn’t all that exciting but it is a nice walk through the woods. Therefore, today, I started at the trailhead, went to the overlook, and then went back to the trailhead. The trail was also becoming busier as I headed back. Going this route, I was still able to do about 1.8 miles. This part of the Yellow Rock trail will take you passed some huge rocks and overhangs and there are more stone stairs to climb but it is a very nice moderately hard trail. This trail is a White Diamond.
The last trail I checked out today was part of the Devil’s Raceway. I started over by the Amphitheater where there is a small parking area. Getting in and out here was a little challenging as the road had a deep ditch to navigate over which was probably caused from the recent rainfall. I went to the left from the Amphitheater and followed the trail to the road crossing. Going right from the Amphitheater, I came across a lot of maintenance areas and what looks like to be construction for a new camping area. This trail really wasn’t very exciting or challenging but was an easy way to end the day. I traveled through the woods and then came to an open area and followed the trail until I came to a spot where I could go down to the water and then turned back to the parking area. The only other people I saw on this trail were bikers. I did do about 2.21 miles on this trail and it was a White Diamond trail as well.
There really are no facilities at these trailheads but the visitor center is close to all of them and centrally located. It is a very busy and popular stop.
You can see more photos and videos from my journey on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836