Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas Park Crater of Diamonds Davidsonville Lake Fort Smith Region North Central Northwest Southwest Upper Delta Park Activity Diamond Digging Geocaching Trail Type Trail Difficulty Author Adam Leslie Alex Hedegard Amy Griffin Amy Griffin Arkansas State Parks Staff Billy Nations Bonnie Marberry Brian Whitson Cara Curtis Cathy Combs Chris Adams Chris Pistole David Armstrong Devin Moon Don Simons Elizabeth Kimble Grady Spann Haley Johnson Heather Runyan Ivory Detter Jackie Rupp Jason Baumgartner Jason Parrie Jeanette Larson Jeanette Larson Jenn Menge Joe Jacobs John Morrow Jonathan Wirges Josh Williams Kara Helton Kayla Gomance Kelly Farrell Kristina Root Kylee Cole Leita Spears Leita Spears Maggie Howard Mary Buchman Matt Manos Megan Ayres Moore Meg Matthews Melissa Ray Monika Rued Mystina Swaim Paul Butler Pearl Jangjiravat Pete Salmon Rachel Lewis Randy Pearson Rebekah Spurlock Robin Gabe Ron Salley Ryan Smith Sarah Wells Sasha Bowles Seth Boone Shelley Flanary Tara Gillanders Tayler Markham Tim Scott Waymon Cox Zachary Fisher Zoie Clift [X] Heather Johnson [X] Sarah Reap Date Published May 2025 August 2024 July 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 November 2023 September 2023 March 2023 February 2023 December 2022 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 Pagination Previous page ‹ Previous Page 2 A year of celebration and diamond discoveries Feb 2023 ⁄ Sarah Reap Last year was a special one for the Crater. Not only did the park celebrate its 50th anniversary, but more diamonds were registered in 2022 than the previous two years combined! Following is a recap of diamond finds and other significant events during 2022. A Good Time for a Diamond Find Dec 2022 ⁄ Sarah Reap 22,813 people entered the diamond search area in October 2021, superseding the 15,443 people we saw in October of this year. But how does that compare with diamond finds? Does higher visitation mean that more diamonds were found? Read this article to find out! Photo Essay: Churn Your Own Butter Nov 2020 ⁄ Sarah Reap Davidsonville Historic State Park in northeast Arkansas preserves Arkansas’s first platted (planned) town and the stories of the people who lived here. The people of Davidsonville churned butter as a necessary chore to keep their households running smoothly, but today is a fun activity to connect us to the past. In this photo essay, we will explore the very important task... 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... Rivers as Transportation Jul 2020 ⁄ Sarah Reap Davidsonville Historic State Park was established in 1957 to preserve the first platted (planned) town in Arkansas: Davidsonville. Established in 1815 along the Black River in northeast Arkansas Territory, the town was the site of many of Arkansas’s firsts. Davidsonville held the first county seat for Lawrence County, Arkansas’s first post office, first courthouse, and... 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... Pagination Previous page ‹ Previous Page 2
A year of celebration and diamond discoveries Feb 2023 ⁄ Sarah Reap Last year was a special one for the Crater. Not only did the park celebrate its 50th anniversary, but more diamonds were registered in 2022 than the previous two years combined! Following is a recap of diamond finds and other significant events during 2022.
A Good Time for a Diamond Find Dec 2022 ⁄ Sarah Reap 22,813 people entered the diamond search area in October 2021, superseding the 15,443 people we saw in October of this year. But how does that compare with diamond finds? Does higher visitation mean that more diamonds were found? Read this article to find out!
Photo Essay: Churn Your Own Butter Nov 2020 ⁄ Sarah Reap Davidsonville Historic State Park in northeast Arkansas preserves Arkansas’s first platted (planned) town and the stories of the people who lived here. The people of Davidsonville churned butter as a necessary chore to keep their households running smoothly, but today is a fun activity to connect us to the past. In this photo essay, we will explore the very important task...
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...
Rivers as Transportation Jul 2020 ⁄ Sarah Reap Davidsonville Historic State Park was established in 1957 to preserve the first platted (planned) town in Arkansas: Davidsonville. Established in 1815 along the Black River in northeast Arkansas Territory, the town was the site of many of Arkansas’s firsts. Davidsonville held the first county seat for Lawrence County, Arkansas’s first post office, first courthouse, and...
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...
