Big Bluff Goat Trail — Attraction in Harrison

My daughter and I hiked the Centerpoint Trail to the Goat Trail to Big Bluff. The trees are nearing their peak and the weather was gorgeous. The trail is downhill all the way to the bluff, and uphill all the way back. I am not in the greatest shape, but I took my time and completed the trail in about 3 hours.

The highlight is definitely the view from the bluff, but there were a few moments where I was doubting that I wanted to walk along the bluff line. Most of it is (fairly) spacious, but there was a spot or two before I turned around that weren't very wide and I realized how anxious I was. 😳 Knowing that there was a 350 ft death drop on one side was certainly a factor.

Dogs are not allowed on the trail for good reason, and anyone that is considering bringing children should think twice. I brought my 18 year old daughter with me and although she is a fully capable hiker, I was nervous the whole time. I can't imagine having a young child with me on that exposed bluff trail. I would also recommend hiking to the Big Bluff only during dry conditions. There is a loose sand-like dirt all along the bluff that could get very slick with rain.

The hike back to the parking lot was tiring, as you might expect a three mile uphill hike to be, but definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. Note: there are no restrooms at the trailhead or anywhere...

Such a beautiful hike with jaw dropping views. Just Wow. I can't imagine how beautiful this would be in the fall. If you have a fear of heights...this will not be your thing as your hike is primarily on cliffs. Plan on bringing snacks and plenty of water as you will need to rest in the landing area(before you start the goats trail) before you go back up. Going back up is a beast and not for the inexperienced hiker. As you are coming down the mountain and get to the "t" or landing/resting area, the trail you want to take would be to your right facing down. The other way continues to take you down the mountain to the riverbed or buffalo river. If you have walking sticks, I recommend bringing those for your trek back up. I love to hike and have never used hiking sticks until this trail. I picked up a couple of branches off the ground and used them on the way up. They helped wonders with pulling me up the mountain. The upward hike is definitely a checker for how out of shape you are. This is not a trail for kids with the steepness or the bluff. Make sure to allow 4-5 hours as you wouldn't want to be here at night trying to get back up. My legs are writing this....also do this hike...

Tips: -**GPS “Centerpoint Trailhead” trail, NOT the goat trail. The gps will take you 14 minutes further than you need to go. -You start hiking the “Centerpoint Trailhead” for about an hour (straight shot) then you take a right when you have the option to go straight or right. There will be a white tag that says goat trail. The red tag says Centerpoint trail. -The signs said no dogs allowed, but there was no one there to enforce the rules. -The walk there is pretty easy and all downhill. -The walk back had some pretty hard parts, and is all uphill so make sure to bring water for the way back. -Start early in the morning so the walk back won’t be as bad. -Most of the trail is shaded so it keeps things cool. -There aren’t a lot of places to stop and sit down. There’s only one spot at the beginning where you can sit and rest on two large rocks. -The views are worth it!!! Prettier in person than pictures. -Don’t go if you have vertigo bc the bluffs are very high up and you do walk along a ledge to...