Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas Park Lake Fort Smith Mississippi River Prairie Grove Battlefield Region Northwest North Central Lower Delta Upper Delta Park Activity Trail Type Trail Difficulty Author Arkansas State Parks Staff Waymon Cox Zoie Clift Meg Matthews Monika Rued Chris Adams Sarah Reap Megan Ayres Moore Tayler Markham Sasha Bowles Chris Pistole Grady Spann Heather Runyan Jenn Menge Billy Nations Jeanette Larson Kayla Gomance Mystina Swaim Paul Butler Robin Gabe Ryan Smith Tara Gillanders Adam Leslie Bonnie Marberry Cathy Combs David Armstrong Don Simons Elizabeth Kimble Ivory Detter Joe Jacobs John Morrow Jonathan Wirges Kara Helton Kelly Farrell Matt Manos Pearl Jangjiravat Rebekah Spurlock Shelley Flanary Zachary Fisher Alex Hedegard Amy Griffin Amy Griffin Brian Whitson Devin Moon Haley Johnson Jackie Rupp Jason Baumgartner Jason Parrie Jeanette Larson Josh Williams Kristina Root Leita Spears Leita Spears Maggie Howard Mary Buchman Melissa Ray Pete Salmon Rachel Lewis Randy Pearson Ron Salley Sarah Wells Seth Boone Tim Scott [X] Heather Johnson [X] Cara Curtis [X] Kylee Cole Date Published June 2021 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 Educator Lesson: Taste of the Land Mississippi River State Park Jun 2021 ⁄ Cara Curtis In this short video, join Park Interpreter Cara for a virtual experience using a cast-iron Dutch oven to create a squirrel and rice meal. By exploring the story of this regional comfort food, you’ll see that each ingredient reflects how past communities used the land that became Mississippi River State Park. While the food cooks, you’ll even travel to different locations... Tiny Tough Skinks: 3 Tips for Nature Observers Aug 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson The varied and rugged terrain of the Ozarks at Lake Fort Smith State Park in northwest Arkansas offers suitable homes for many different types of animals. Large animals like black bears, deer, and bobcats thrive in this mountainous region. The commonly known larger animals often take the spotlight away from the smaller creatures who also dwell in the area, but the smallest... Video: Kayaking Among Flooded Cypress Jun 2020 ⁄ Cara Curtis Kayaking on Hornor Neck Lake, within the park, is always an adventure that takes you through beautiful Delta scenery and stories. Gliding among large bald-cypress trees, you’ll find wildlife making homes and get to glimpse into the history that this rare, naturally formed lake holds. Photo Essay: At Home in the Ozarks May 2020 ⁄ Kylee Cole Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in northwest Arkansas protects nearly 1,000 acres of the Prairie Grove Battlefield and interprets the history of Arkansans impacted by the Civil War. We hope that you enjoy this exploration of one of the park’s 19th-century buildings and discover what everyday life was like for those living in the Civil War era Ozarks. Promethea Silkmoth Video May 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson Lake Fort Smith State Park in western Arkansas offers a variety of habitats for many different wild creatures. The forest here is a perfect home for the extraordinarily large promethea silkmoth, Callosamia promethea. At nearly four inches, the adults’ wings exhibit extraordinary camouflage to avoid predators. Living Hillsides Virtual Hike Apr 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson Lake Fort Smith State Park is a beautiful oasis nestled in the Boston Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. The lake is pristine and teeming with life, but this outstanding water reservoir would not be as special as it is without its surrounding hillsides. These living, tree-covered hillsides protect the lake from erosion and deep within the forest are many hidden treasures. Video: Stream at Lake Fort Smith State Park Apr 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson As the spring rain settles in on the Boston Mountains of Lake Fort Smith State Park, the rainwater finds the quickest routes down the mountainsides to form hundreds of bubbling, temporary streams. The flowing waters breathe life into the forest by providing new water sources for plants and animals and providing habitat for aquatic insects and amphibians. The gentle streams...
Educator Lesson: Taste of the Land Mississippi River State Park Jun 2021 ⁄ Cara Curtis In this short video, join Park Interpreter Cara for a virtual experience using a cast-iron Dutch oven to create a squirrel and rice meal. By exploring the story of this regional comfort food, you’ll see that each ingredient reflects how past communities used the land that became Mississippi River State Park. While the food cooks, you’ll even travel to different locations...
Tiny Tough Skinks: 3 Tips for Nature Observers Aug 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson The varied and rugged terrain of the Ozarks at Lake Fort Smith State Park in northwest Arkansas offers suitable homes for many different types of animals. Large animals like black bears, deer, and bobcats thrive in this mountainous region. The commonly known larger animals often take the spotlight away from the smaller creatures who also dwell in the area, but the smallest...
Video: Kayaking Among Flooded Cypress Jun 2020 ⁄ Cara Curtis Kayaking on Hornor Neck Lake, within the park, is always an adventure that takes you through beautiful Delta scenery and stories. Gliding among large bald-cypress trees, you’ll find wildlife making homes and get to glimpse into the history that this rare, naturally formed lake holds.
Photo Essay: At Home in the Ozarks May 2020 ⁄ Kylee Cole Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in northwest Arkansas protects nearly 1,000 acres of the Prairie Grove Battlefield and interprets the history of Arkansans impacted by the Civil War. We hope that you enjoy this exploration of one of the park’s 19th-century buildings and discover what everyday life was like for those living in the Civil War era Ozarks.
Promethea Silkmoth Video May 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson Lake Fort Smith State Park in western Arkansas offers a variety of habitats for many different wild creatures. The forest here is a perfect home for the extraordinarily large promethea silkmoth, Callosamia promethea. At nearly four inches, the adults’ wings exhibit extraordinary camouflage to avoid predators.
Living Hillsides Virtual Hike Apr 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson Lake Fort Smith State Park is a beautiful oasis nestled in the Boston Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. The lake is pristine and teeming with life, but this outstanding water reservoir would not be as special as it is without its surrounding hillsides. These living, tree-covered hillsides protect the lake from erosion and deep within the forest are many hidden treasures.
Video: Stream at Lake Fort Smith State Park Apr 2020 ⁄ Heather Johnson As the spring rain settles in on the Boston Mountains of Lake Fort Smith State Park, the rainwater finds the quickest routes down the mountainsides to form hundreds of bubbling, temporary streams. The flowing waters breathe life into the forest by providing new water sources for plants and animals and providing habitat for aquatic insects and amphibians. The gentle streams...