Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas Park Crater of Diamonds Davidsonville Lake Dardanelle Mount Nebo Petit Jean Pinnacle Mountain Village Creek Region Central North Central Northwest Southwest Upper Delta Park Activity Diamond Digging Geocaching Watchable Wildlife 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 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 Seth Boone Shelley Flanary Tara Gillanders Tayler Markham Tim Scott Waymon Cox Zachary Fisher Zoie Clift [X] Sarah Reap [X] Sasha Bowles Date Published May 2025 August 2024 July 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 November 2023 September 2023 March 2023 February 2023 December 2022 September 2021 March 2021 November 2020 July 2020 June 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. How do you measure up to the bald eagle? Dec 2022 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Bald eagles, the majestic symbol of our nation, were removed from the endangered species list in 2007. Since then, they have been seen more frequently throughout their range, which includes Lake Dardanelle State Park. 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! Pollinator Party Sep 2021 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Arkansas State Parks are committed to protecting our natural resources within the parks, including the native plants and their pollinators. That is why we are partners with the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Partnership. Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville has many “garden” areas throughout the park that are planted and maintained to benefit pollinators... Trail of Tears Across Arkansas State Parks Mar 2021 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Arkansas has hundreds of miles of the Trail of Tears, and of the nine states traversed by the trail, is the only state that witnessed the removal of all five of the Southeastern tribes as they moved west. Arkansas State Parks has five parks that lie along these removal routes. These parks have been certified as National Park Service Trail of Tears National Historic Trail... 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... 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... Mayflies: Nuisance or Nutrient? Jun 2020 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Fishing is a favored pastime at Lake Dardanelle State Park, making people the top of this food chain. We love to catch fish, but often don’t think of all the creatures it took to build that strong healthy fish on the end of our fishing line. Mayflies are an essential part of the food chain that keeps the fishery at Lake Dardanelle State Park healthy. In this photo essay... Lake Dardanelle: One River Many Voices Apr 2020 ⁄ Sasha Bowles What is now the body of water called Lake Dardanelle was once simply the Arkansas River, a life source to plants and wildlife, as well as the Native Americans and settlers who migrated here. One river many voices. 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.
How do you measure up to the bald eagle? Dec 2022 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Bald eagles, the majestic symbol of our nation, were removed from the endangered species list in 2007. Since then, they have been seen more frequently throughout their range, which includes Lake Dardanelle State Park.
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!
Pollinator Party Sep 2021 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Arkansas State Parks are committed to protecting our natural resources within the parks, including the native plants and their pollinators. That is why we are partners with the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Partnership. Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville has many “garden” areas throughout the park that are planted and maintained to benefit pollinators...
Trail of Tears Across Arkansas State Parks Mar 2021 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Arkansas has hundreds of miles of the Trail of Tears, and of the nine states traversed by the trail, is the only state that witnessed the removal of all five of the Southeastern tribes as they moved west. Arkansas State Parks has five parks that lie along these removal routes. These parks have been certified as National Park Service Trail of Tears National Historic Trail...
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...
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...
Mayflies: Nuisance or Nutrient? Jun 2020 ⁄ Sasha Bowles Fishing is a favored pastime at Lake Dardanelle State Park, making people the top of this food chain. We love to catch fish, but often don’t think of all the creatures it took to build that strong healthy fish on the end of our fishing line. Mayflies are an essential part of the food chain that keeps the fishery at Lake Dardanelle State Park healthy. In this photo essay...
Lake Dardanelle: One River Many Voices Apr 2020 ⁄ Sasha Bowles What is now the body of water called Lake Dardanelle was once simply the Arkansas River, a life source to plants and wildlife, as well as the Native Americans and settlers who migrated here. One river many voices.
