LITTLE ROCK — The Albert Pike Recreation Area, as well as several popular hiking trails, in the Ouachita National Forest will be closed indefinitely, U.S. Forest Service officials said Friday.
The federal campground was inundated with water from the Little Missouri River in the early morning hours of June 11 after heavy rain triggered a flash flood. Twenty people died, and many of the camping areas were damaged or destroyed.
“We have a lot of work left to do in the area,” Forest Supervisor Norman Wagoner said a news release. “Crews are beginning the cleanup process.”
Wagoner said law enforcement officials will help sort the personal items left behind as the flood raged through the campground.
“We’re not sure how long this may take, but it’s important to the families and it’s important to us.”
Among the trails or portions of trails closed are the Winding Stairs trailhead, the Little Missouri Trail, Bluff Mountain Trail and Viles Branch Trail.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, along with U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, all Democrats, wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell.
In the letter, the elected officials asked the agency heads to find ways to warn campers about pending danger. There is no flood warning system at the campground.
They also asked to help find a way to properly memorialize the campers, including several children, who died.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 06/19/2010