Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag)
Trail · Arkansas
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.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 27–October 31
Color builds from October 19 · mostly bare by November 21
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 6 days earlier than a normal year. How the forecast works
When to go to Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag)
You get about 19 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly November 7. 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 27–October 31 (best estimate October 29). Color starts around October 19 and is mostly bare by November 21.
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