I am looking for locations in eastern Oklahoma, western Missouri, and
western Arkansas to day hike to that have great views.
We found one named "Sparrowhawk Vista" via the geocaching.com web
site. Our family wants to do more like this. I don't mind following a
map but since I will be taking kids I
do prefer that a trail has been made.
I suspsect that the hiking community here on the internet would be the
source but have not investigated that angle.  We also prefer not to be
shot at by going on private land!  I don't mind buying specific books
that
might be of help.

< Arkansas
Hiking in Arkansas gives an overview of trails and links to individual
trails. See
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/hiking/type/H

The trails offering the most spectacular views are as follows:

Horseshoe Mountain trail - for interesting rock formations and scenic
views.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/17/type/H
Lover’s Leap trail with sensational view.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/17/type/H
Day Hike Trail with outstanding views to the mountains and valleys
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/55/type/H
Little Missouri Trail (F2) – great views of waterfalls, wildlife and,
hardwood and old growth pine stands.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/76/type/H
Winding Stairs Trail (F2) – great scenic views, waterfalls. Popular
with photographers.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/99/type/H
Devil’s Den Trail – two caves (a flashlight is needed to explore the
caves).
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/13/type/H
Cedar Falls Trail – features one of the tallest waterfalls in the
state.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/35/type/H
White Rock Lim Loop (C2) – offers some of the most scenic views in the
state.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/124/type/H
Mount Magazine Hiking Trails – Arkansas’s highest peak offering great
views.
http://www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/77/type/H
Kings Bluff Loop Trail – offers spectacular views (care needs to be
taken along the high bluffs)
http:// www.arkansas.com/outdoors_sports/hiking/trail_detail/trail_id/121/type/H

Oklahoma
Links to trail guides in Oklahoma can be found at
http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/trails.htm
Trails offering the best views are:

Wolf Pen Gap Trail – offers scenic mountain views
http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/wolfpen.htm
Big Brushy Trail Complex – features streams, waterfalls, geological
formations and woods.
http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/bigbrush.htm

Little Missouri Trail – breathtaking views, waterfalls, large rock
outcrops
http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/littlemo.htm

Wildcat Mountain Trail – spectacular views.
http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/rec/wildcat.htm

Montana
An excellent resource for hiking in Montana is Northwest Hiker. 
It contains maps, links to trails and a calculator to help you judge
the difficulty of a hike. http://www.nwhiker.com/
For trail maps see http://www.nwhiker.com/map.html

The most unique and spectacular trail is the Hanging Valley Trail. It
is described as challenging. The Casey Peak Trail, Jackson Creek Trail
are less challenging but still offer great views. Descriptions of
these trails can be reached from.
http://nwhiker.com/cgi-bin/FrameIt.cgi?Url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/recreation/hiking/hrd_hiking.shtml

Libby Mt gives details of trails in the Kootenai National Forest.
http://www.libbymt.com/outdoors/trails.htm
Trails offering the best views are:
Barren Peak Trail
Blue Mountain Trail
Coyote Ridge Trail
Divide Trail
Fisher Divide Trail
Flariton Mountain Trail
Geiger Lakes Trail
Miller Ridge Trail
Old Highway No2 Trail
Standard Creek Trail
Teeters Peak Trail
Teepee Mountain Trail

For trails in the redlodge area see http://www.redlodge.com/
Descriptions of trails are given at
http://www.redlodge.com/recreation/categories.asp?catID=REC06

The best of Montana
http://gorp.com/gorp/location/mt/mt.htm

Glacier Waterton National Park
http://gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/mt/hik_gla.htm



<Additional links:>
<Hike Arkansas>
<http://www.hikearkansas.com/>
<Slackpacker>
<http://www.slackpacker.com/map_ok.html>
<Montana hiking trails>
<http://www.slackpacker.com/map_mt.html>



<Search Strategy:>

<Montana hiking>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=montana&as_q=hiking>

<Arkansas hiking>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=arkansas+hiking>

<Oklahoma hiking>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=oklahoma+hiking>


<Hope this helps.>

(Note to belindalevez-ga: MO is not Montana, but Missouri.)

As a resident of northeastern Oklahoma, I've got to say that Oklahoma
doesn't hold a candle to Missouri and Arkansas when it comes to scenic
hiking.

One lovely site that is not too overrun by tourists is Roaring River
State Park, in southwestern Missouri:

http://www.mostateparks.com/roaringriver.htm

http://www.mostateparks.com/roaringriver/trails.htm