Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag)

Trail · Arkansas

Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) in Arkansas
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

A roughly 3-mile round-trip hike through the Upper Buffalo Wilderness ends at a narrow sandstone ledge jutting over the Buffalo River headwaters. It's the most photographed overlook in the Ozarks, especially once the valley below turns in late October.

Best for: Iconic overlook hike

Don’t miss

  • Hawksbill Crag overlook
  • Upper Buffalo Wilderness
  • Buffalo River headwaters views
2026 Forecast

Peak: October 26–October 30

Color builds from October 20 · mostly bare by November 20

Color starts: October 20Peak: October 28Bare: November 20AugustDecember

Sampled at Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag)’s own coordinates and elevation (676 m) rather than a regional average.

This window comes from 26 weather points across Arkansas, nudged 2 days earlier to match 1 published peak date from farmersalmanac.com. This year's weather has the peak running 7 days earlier than a normal year. How the forecast works

When to go to Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag)

You get about 17 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly November 6. That runs roughly 6 days earlier than the rest of Arkansas. The 2,218 ft elevation accounts for most of the difference.

Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) on the map

Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Arkansas, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.

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Frequently asked

When does Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) peak in 2026?
Peak color is predicted for October 26–October 30 (best estimate October 28). Color starts around October 20 and is mostly bare by November 20.

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