December 1 - 4, 2025
DeGray Lake Resort State Park
This year marks the 49th annual convening of the Southeastern State Parks Program Seminar (SSPPS), a conference for state park professionals dedicated to the promotion and advancement of educational opportunities that our state parks have to offer.
Each year, 14 southeastern states' park staff gather to discuss new ideas and trends while discovering beautiful park settings. The conference is open only to employees of State Park systems within the Southeastern United States and invited guests. Arkansas State Parks has the privilege of hosting in-person for the first time since 2009 and we are excited to welcome you all to Arkansas, The Natural State.
SPONSORS wishing to inquire about participation are encouraged to contact Kelly Farrell at kelly.farrell@arkansas.gov.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Please complete the three-step registration process:
- REGISTER by November 14: Let us know you are coming using this registration form. One representative can register others.
- MAKE PAYMENT: Following confirmation of your registration, you will receive an invoice and instructions for payment. (This may take a few days.)
- BOOK LODGING: Call or visit the park's website to reserve lodging. See details below.
Conference Overview
Registration
$265 per person
Includes 9 meals (3 breakfast, 3 lunch, 3 dinner), welcome reception, all speakers and sessions, a full day park study trip to Historic Washington and Crater of Diamonds State Parks, half day park study trip to attendees’ choice (see details below), and commemorative t-shirt.
Lodging
Available in our state park lodge at government rate for standard king or queen rooms (suites not included). Call the park at 501-865-5850 or visit the website to book online (be sure to select the “lodge rooms” option as the “lodging” button is for yurts). Our group ID code is: 847690.
Campsites with water/electric hookups and heated bathhouses are also available at regular park rates. Area C campsites are 1.3 miles from the lodge and the route is walkable/bikeable. Call or visit the website for those reservations as well.
Travel
- Driving access is easy via I-40 and I-30, with the host park just a few miles off I-30 Exit 78 (Caddo Valley)
- Flying is recommended through Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock, which has service by six major airlines and is about 70 miles from the host park. Arkansas State Parks can provide shuttles as needed.
Agenda
(subject to some modifications pending weather and scheduling needs)
Monday Dec 1
- Travel Day
- Registration Open
- Welcome reception
Tuesday Dec 2 (breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided)
- Opening address with Parks, Heritage, and Tourism Secretary Shea Lewis
- State showcases featuring trends and best practices from participating states
- Concurrent sessions highlighting outdoor recreation in State Parks
- Explore the Resource @ DeGray Lake Resort State Park: Behind-the-scenes operations and resource-focused recreation experiences include eagle watching lake tours, kayaking, hiking, disc golf, golf, indoor interpretive skill demonstrations.
- State Leaders Meeting
- Keynote Speaker: Ky Harkey, The Visitor Experience
- Evening Networking
Wednesday Dec 3 (breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided)
- Full group State Park Study Trip
Explore the opportunities and challenges of park operations at these two unique sites:- Crater of Diamonds State Park: The only place in the world where the public can search for real diamonds in their original volcanic source, Crater of Diamonds is a one-of-a-kind experience that brings people from all over the world to Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Visitors to the park search a 37-acre field--the eroded surface of a volcanic crater--for a variety of rocks, minerals, and gemstones – and any rock or mineral you find is yours to keep. More than 35,000 diamonds have been found by park visitors since the Crater of Diamonds became an Arkansas state park in 1972. During today’s trip we will discuss park operations, explore the visitor experience, and get hands on in the dirt if you choose!
- Historic Washington State Park:offers insight into a 19th-century community and a glimpse at the people and events of the Territorial, Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction eras in Arkansas’ history. The park includes historic, public, and private buildings as well as many of Washington’s period landscape features - streets bordered with catalpa, magnolia, and other ornamental trees which have shaded the community for 150 years. The historic structures and grounds give a fascinating view of Washington and a taste of the peace and beauty of southwest Arkansas. This week the park will be in preparation for their 39th Annual Christmas & Candlelight event and we hope to get a sneak peek of several historic homes in decoration finery.
- Evening Networking
Thursday Dec 4 (breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided)
- State showcases (continued)
- Special Topic State Park Study Trips (elect one)
- Outdoor Recreation Adventure @ Pinnacle Mountain State Park: Just west of Arkansas’ capital city, this day-use park is a hub for outdoor recreation. From the mountain to the Maumelle rivers to the Arkansas Arboretum, a diverse landscape of adventures await you here. Tour the park’s architecturally stunning new visitor center and hands on interactive exhibits (including an Audio Description tour for guests who are blind or low vision). Optionally, enjoy a guided hike on some of the park’s 33 miles of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails. This park is one of four sites for Arkansas State Parks Monument Trails, which have been recognized as Best Mountain Biking in the US by Outside Magazine.
- Civilian Conservation Corps @ Lake Catherine State Park: Rugged Ouachita Mountain views meet Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) legacy at this peaceful park. Let “Parkitecture” structures immerse you in a rich past. Then wind your way through the Ouachita mountains on a guided hike to a seasonal waterfall or walk a paved ADA nature trail.
- Connect Past & Present @ Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park and Plantation Agriculture Museum: At Plum Bayou, experience a National Historic Landmark and Arkansas’ largest and most complex mound site. Doubling as an archeology research station for the University of Arkansas, Survey staff on site conduct ongoing research providing resources for development of the park’s programs. Experience a guided tour of these ceremonial grounds to discover how scientists are still piecing together the mysteries of this place. A few miles up the road at Plantation Agriculture Museum, we will explore Arkansas’ farming history from the time of statehood (1836) through World War II. This unique site’s series of buildings invite interactive experiences that connect you to the foods we eat and products we use, including a 1916 cotton gin, a seed warehouse on the National Register of Historic Places, a Historic Tractor Exhibit, and the main museum originally built as a general store in 1912.
- Public & Private Partnerships (pending availability): Hot Springs National Park - details TBD if this is able to be offered. Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. Ancient thermal springs, Ouachita mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.
- Banquet and Auction
Friday Dec 5
- Adjourned - Travel Day