The Highland Trail at Emerald Park is the perfect trail for that “I just gotta get outside but don’t want to drive more than I walk” feeling you get on a sunny afternoon in Central Arkansas. It’s also the perfect trail for your friend who wants to hike and take in gorgeous views, but is not quite ready for super-steep mountain ascents or rugged terrain.

The City of North Little Rock considers Emerald Park Trail a “linear park,” and that’s a pretty darn good description. The Highland Trail, a 1.8 mile out-and-back bluff line trail with a parking lot at each end, is the most popular route at Emerald Park — paved and very accommodating for bikes, stroller, runners and walkers. What makes the Highland so popular (besides its easy accessibility) are the unmatched views of Little Rock across the Arkansas River afforded at several locations— at different points, you can see Pinnacle Mountain, the Big Dam Bridge, the Riverdale/Hillcrest area and downtown Little Rock. If you begin your “out” section at the Pulaski Tech end, the paved trail comes to a “Y” within a few hundred yards. Go straight and the pavement soon runs out, leading to a fairly rough trail that takes you to a knife-edge ridge that overlooks the Big Rock Quarry and Arkansas River. The ridge here gets narrower and narrower and you are perched several hundred feet above the quarry, with a sheer drop-off on either side. If heights scare you, back up to the Y and take the paved trail going right (left if you’re coming from the parking lot). This gently rolling, paved trail offers a number of vistas of the Arkansas River, the Quarry, downtown Little Rock and some of the beautiful late-19th Century buildings of Fort Roots, a U.S. Veterans Administration site. Turn around at trail’s end, head back to your car, and you will have clocked more than 3.5 miles and gotten the absolute best views of Little Rock anywhere.

There are a number of unpaved connector trails off the Highland Trail that will take you some 300 feet down to the Arkansas River Trail (visible from several points on the Highland Trail). Check the maps at the parking lot for directions. Expect steep inclines/descents over slightly to moderately rocky terrain.

Distances- 1.8 miles in one direction (3.6 total)
Elevation change over the trail- 150’
Trail conditions- Paved
Tree cover- Heavily Wooded
‍Footwear requirements- Walking, hiking or tennis shoes
Bike req's- Bikes allowed
Clothing req's- Dress for the season
Family friendly- Very
Water crossings- None
Nearby food/drink options- Typical metropolitan offerings within 1 mile of trail ends
What food/drink to bring- Water, snacks
Flora and fauna- Mixed hardwoods and pine
Best spots for pictures- Numerous vistas the entire length  
Best spot for a rest- Several benches along the path
Peak times- Weekends
Drive distance from central Arkansas/NWA/NEA- 10 minute from downtown North Little Rock, 20 minute from downtown Little Rock



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