OHTA: Buzzard’s Roost

The Ozark Highlands Trail Association (OHTA) and the Ozarks Keystone Trail Endowment (OKTE) are excited to announce a joint volunteer effort to construct approximately 19 miles of new single-track trail through the dramatic OHT–OKT Buzzard Roost Gap.

This new volunteer-built trail (VBT) segment will extend north from the current northern terminus of the Norfork Trail at CR 1028 (Fish & Fiddle Road), tracing the rugged west shoreline of Norfork Lake to the Panther Creek bridge on CR 396. Once completed, it will form the final link in a spectacular and highly anticipated continuous trail section from Norfork Dam to the Arkansas–Missouri state line.

The original Buzzard Roost route was expertly flagged by volunteer James Hodges in 2019. While much of that early flagging faded over time, a skilled team of OHTA volunteers has recently reflagged the entire corridor, completing the first major milestone toward construction.

Volunteer crews will begin the initial clearing of leaves, limbs, and debris along the route, allowing hikers and trail runners to preview the alignment late spring/early summer 2026. Once the full corridor is cleared and finalized, work will transition to building the trail bed itself.

Trail construction will be led by trained section leaders, with recruitment and training currently underway. While a formal groundbreaking date has not yet been set, corridor construction is officially underway, marking a major step forward.

This VBT collaboration represents an exciting milestone for both OHTA and OKTE and another significant stride toward completing a continuous, world-class trail system across the Ozarks from Lake Fort Smith to the Arkansas/Missouri border. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at ohta@ozarkhighlandstrail.com.