Catsmacker Trail Run

Spend Memorial Day weekend Saturday on the Catsmacker Trail Run at Lake Sylvia Day Use Area in Perryville, where you can cover the meeting point of the Ozark and Ouachita regions on foot. You choose a 20 mile loop or the 12 mile Kitty Run, with a route that mixes Forest Service roads and sections of the Ouachita Trail. Expect mostly gravel plus short single-track segments, with course markings mainly at intersections, so you should be ready to follow a map or load the GPX files from the Arkansas Ultra Running Association.

This is a donation-based, non-competitive fun run with a suggested $20 that helps cover Forest Service permits, insurance, and aid station supplies. You start at 7:00 AM and must be back by the 1:00 PM cutoff. If you expect to need more than six hours, contact the organizer about a 6:00 AM early start option.

After your finish, the day shifts to the lakefront for a cookout-style lunch at the day-use area starting at 11:30 AM, followed by the Arkansas Ultra Trail Series awards ceremony at 12:30 PM. Bring a folding chair and a change of clothes so you can stay comfortable by the water. Dogs are welcome if they stay on leash at all times, and this rule is strictly enforced in the day-use area.

Plan ahead for parking and trail conditions. Lake Sylvia parking is limited and fills early, with overflow parking allowed only on the west side of Highway 324, so arrive by 6:30 AM to sign the required morning waiver and secure a spot. Aid stations offer basic food, but you should carry your own hydration and snacks; late May can bring poison ivy, bugs, humidity, and exposed road sections, so pack tall socks or barrier cream, bug spray, and high SPF sunscreen. Lodging is easiest around Perryville and the Winona Wildlife Management Area, with nearby cabins and rentals listed on Lake.com.