Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

Crowley’s Ridge State Park in Northeast Arkansas is rich in natural, cultural, and historic resources. We tell the stories of the unique formation of Crowley’s Ridge, our historic Civilian Conservation Corps structures from the 1930s, and of natural beauty found here. Protecting these resources is part of our mission. We strive to honor this mission by celebrating Earth...

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...

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.

Not too long after I moved to Northeast Arkansas I was talking with a local who wanted to know where I worked. When I told them that I worked at Crowley’s Ridge State Park they immediately asked “Have you seen the electric chair room?” No one had told me anything about an electric chair on the park grounds, so I asked about it when I went in to the office the next day. My...

Entering Crowley’s Ridge State Park, the first things you notice are the trees. As you wander through the park you will see a wide variety of trees, shrubs, vines, and flowering plants.

Who doesn’t enjoy an evening by the fire, nestled in a cabin, in the woods, near a lake? Made all the more special as you feel your muscles relax after a day of hiking, kayaking and fishing.