Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

A regular visitor to Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park recently discovered a 3.29-carat brown diamond in his wet-sifted gravel. It is the largest diamond found at the park this year and the largest since September 2021. David Anderson, of Murfreesboro, spotted the gem on Saturday, March 4, while wet-sifting soil from the West Drain of the park’s 37.5-acre diamond...

David Anderson's 3.29-carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park next to a quarter for size comparison.

Geocaching at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Sarah Reap

Geocaching is an outdoor scavenger hunt that people around the world participate in. It is a great way to get out on a trail and explore a new area you wouldn’t normally explore. Crater of Diamonds has several caches hidden within the park boundaries for you to find!

Women’s history at Mount Nebo State Park

Zoie Clift

Mount Nebo State Park is the state’s second oldest state park. The park can be found in a stellar spot atop Mount Nebo and its location is tied to an interesting piece of history. In 1924, Mount Nebo became the first town on record in Arkansas to have an all-female government, including a female mayor and city council. At the park, there is a panel dedicated to the all...

Three women sitting on a bench watching a sunrise at Mount Nebo State Park

The Natural State’s Archeological State Parks

Arkansas State Parks Staff

Arkansas state parks are home to American Indian mounds, steamboat welcoming towns, and Civilian Conservation Corps campgrounds. All of them offer a unique perspective into the history of The Natural State and make for thought-provoking road trips. Crank up your tunes, put on your sunglasses, and wind your way through roads lined with oak trees growing alongside Arkansas’s...

Clay face pot at Parkin Archeological State Park exhibit

Photo Essay: Flowing Through the Springs of Mount Nebo

Jackie Rupp

Mount Nebo State Park’s springs are a tangible piece of Arkansas’s heritage that transports viewers to the park’s past. Today, I encourage you to discover and rediscover some of the springs that help make Mount Nebo State Park so unique.

Video: Fun with a Fox

Kayla Gomance

This video features a curious red fox kit exploring the perimeter of its home at DeGray Lake Resort State Park.

red fox kit exploring the perimeter of its home in the park, a fox den

Make Do & Mend

Bonnie Marberry

With no way to bring in fabric from the trade centers on the Mississippi River, the housewives of Jacksonport had to be creative in their efforts not only to keep up with fashions but to keep their families clothed at all. Even amid crisis, the women of Civil War-era Jacksonport wanted to look their best, just like people today.

Dress material with thread and sewing scissors

Video: Dawn Chorus at Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area

Chris Pistole

As you listen to this dawn chorus recorded at Hobbs State Park in the lush forest along Little Clifty Creek, see if you can pick out the bird songs listed below. Be sure to turn the volume up so you can easily hear them. To help you, we have indicated the time in the video when you can hear each bird sing, (scroll down in the text below) along with links to further reading...

Standout Butterflies at Logoly State Park

Haley Johnson

Logoly State Park in southwest Arkansas is the state’s first ecological state park dedicated to protecting the dynamically diverse ecosystem of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The butterflies here are worthy of study and those with a keen eye can capture their beauty. Come mid-March and early April in Arkansas, butterflies begin emerging from their cocoon-like chrysalis...

Red-spotted purple butterfly at Logoly State Park

Saving the Ozark Chinquapin: Plotting the Course for the Future