Whitaker Point Trail (Hawksbill Crag) Hiking Guide
Hawksbill Crag, also called Whitaker Point, is a rock ledge shaped like a hawk's beak that juts from a bluff in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness of the Ozark National Forest. The trail to it is short and fairly gentle, which is why it is so busy. The hard parts are the gravel road to the trailhead and the unfenced cliff edge at the end.
Distance and Climb
AllTrails lists the Whitaker Point Trail at 2.7 miles out and back with 328 feet of gain and rates it moderate; its other pages show between 321 and 334 feet. A detailed hiking-blog writeup measured about 2.8 miles. From the road the trail heads through the woods, dips to cross a small stream at roughly the 1-mile mark, then follows the bluff top for about half a mile to the crag. AllTrails describes the grades as gentle.
The Drive In
Most people reach the trailhead from Highway 21 in Boxley by turning onto Cave Mountain Road (Newton County Road 5). The ArkOk Hiker guide describes it as a rough, rocky and steep gravel road and puts the trailhead about 6 miles up, at a small lot signed Wilderness Access, with the trail starting across the road. Avoid the climb after heavy rain. In January 2025 Newton County began multi-phase weekday road work on a 2-mile section of Cave Mountain Road from Highway 21, and the Park Service noted the trailhead can also be reached on gravel roads from Highway 16. No newer notice is posted, so check before you go.
Parking and Facilities
The Forest Service trailhead page lists no restroom and no drinking water, so use the facilities in Ponca or Jasper and bring all the water you need. Trip reports describe parking as tight along the narrow road on busy spring and fall weekends. Arriving early, or on a weekday, makes the drive and the photos at the crag far less crowded.
At the Edge
There are no railings anywhere along the bluff. The ArkOk Hiker writeup warns that a fall from the crag would be several hundred feet and likely fatal. Walking out onto the beak for a photo is the reason most people come, but wind, wet rock, dogs and distracted friends with cameras all raise the risk. Keep a firm grip on children and leashes, and take the classic photo from the bluff behind the crag instead of on it.
Wilderness Rules, Dogs and Hunting
A Forest Service order bans wagons, carts and other mechanized vehicles, including bikes, in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness. Unlike the neighboring national river, the Forest Service sets no ban on pets here, but a leash is the only sensible choice near the drop. The Ozark National Forest is open to hunting under Arkansas Game and Fish rules, and archery deer season runs into late February, so wear something bright in fall and winter.
Hiking tips for Whitaker Point Trail (Hawksbill Crag)
- Skip Cave Mountain Road right after heavy rain, when the steep gravel gets slick.
- Bring water and use a restroom before the drive; the trailhead has neither.
- Get to the small lot early on fall weekends.
- Keep dogs leashed and kids within reach on the unfenced bluff.
- Look for the seasonal waterfall where the trail crosses a stream about a mile in.
Nearby trails to explore
- Lost Valley Trail (Buffalo National River)
- Glory Hole Falls Trail
- Centerpoint Trail to Big Bluff (Goat Trail)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Hawksbill Crag is a short hike behind a long gravel drive, so sharing one sturdy car makes sense. Use TrailMates to find people hiking to Whitaker Point, plan who drives Cave Mountain Road in the event's group chat, and reach the crag in the morning light. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.