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Arkansas is home to two well-known mountain ranges: the Ozarks and the Ouachitas. They both sit in the western and northern parts of the state, yet they couldn't be more different.
The Ozarks mainly consist of rugged plateaus that are home to some of the most beautiful geological formations in the world. Its waterfalls, springs, caverns, lakes, and rivers spread over a five-state area, and they attract large numbers of visitors every year. And whereas most mountains form by Earth's tectonic plates pushing together, the Ozarks are distinctive in that erosion caused layers of sediment to sit on top of each other and form its distinctive plateaus.
The Ouachita Mountains are better known for their diamond lakes, as well as the sandstone and shale formations that provide the foundation for its hardwood and pine forests. What makes this range unique is that it runs from west-to-east, rather than the typical north-to-south direction of most mountains. They're also the highly eroded remains of a much larger range that's thought to have once stretched from Texas to southeastern Canada.
With all these mountains in Arkansas, what are the ten tallest?
10: Buck Knob (2,280 ft / 695 m)
The shortest on this list, Buck Knob sits at the very northwestern corner of Ouachita National Forest. The Fourche Mountain Trail offers some of the best views of the mountain, and it offers numerous ways to travel the slope.
9: Tall Peak (2,306 ft / 703 m)
Tall Peak is also part of the Ouachita mountain range. A 6-mile (9.5-km) round trip hiking trail by the same name contains some especially rugged and steep terrain within its elevation change of nearly 1,200 feet (366 meters) - tricky for new hikers, but well worth the effort for the views.
8: Hare Mountain (2,382 ft / 726 m)
Nestled in the Ozarks, Hare Mountain has hosted an annual potluck and "hike-in" every October for campers since the 1980s. Local youth groups often participate. Hikers can take the 11.6-mile (18.6-km) from Cherry Bend straight to the mountain and enjoy sightings of local wildlife and birds along the way.
7: Wolf Pinnacle (2,438 ft / 743 m)
Back in Ouachita National Forest, Wolf Pinnacle used to have a 50-foot steel tower for a fire guard observation post in the 1930s. It has since been decommissioned, but the area is still a very popular spot to get great views of the surrounding mountain ranges.
6: Petit Jean Mountain (2,441 ft / 744 m)
This mountain inspired the creation of the first state park in Arkansas, and as a result, the entire state park system followed. Near the park, the "lost cabin of Petit Jean Mountain" is a popular stop-off for tourists. Despite its name, it's not a rundown shack left behind by locals of yesteryear. Instead, it offers a place for hikers to stay for a night or two without skimping on modern comforts.
5: Blue Mountain (2,592 ft / 790 m)
This one shares its name with a lake and a nearby town. Also known as Fourche Mountain, it sits on the same hiking trail that takes backpackers along Buck Knob.
4 and 3: Poteau Mountain + Black Fork Mountain (2,661 ft / 811 m)
These two tie for the third-highest mountains in the state. The Osage tribe, and later the Quapaw and Caddoan tribes, used to hunt on Poteau Mountain. Today, it sits in a protected wilderness area of the same name. Black Fork Mountain sports a challenging 6-mile (9.7-km) hiking trail that offers travelers access to unique flora — and even the chance to spot a black bear.
2: Rich Mountain (2,680 ft / 817 m)
Rich Mountain straddles the border with Oklahoma and has plenty to do. Highway 88 offers scenic routes to travel by car or motorcycle, and the nearby 225-mile Ouachita Trail takes visitors through one of the state's finest state parks, Queen Wilhelmina State Park.
1: Mount Magazine (2,753 ft / 839 m)
The tallest mountain in Arkansas can be found in the Ozarks near Blue Mountain Lake. Besides trails that can be traveled on foot, on horseback, or by mountain bike, the mountain offers thrills for more extreme tourists, including rock climbing and hang gliding.