Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

Waymon Cox

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Visitors at the Crater of Diamonds get to do something here they can’t do at most other state parks – take the rocks and minerals they find home with them. There are specific rules regarding the type and amount of materials that can be removed from the park. They not only benefit the park but also the thousands of people who...

Sifted gravel from Crater of Diamonds State Park

Photo Essay: The Secrets of the St. Francis

Rachel Lewis

Parkin Archeological State Park in eastern Arkansas focuses on protecting cultural resources. The St. Francis River, a very large and mostly overlooked resource here, has proved to be a lifeline for past cultures that lived on this site. And, it continues to be a valuable resource today. These photos will guide you through past cultures of Parkin to show how the St...

Painting of five American Indians in a canoe traveling on the river.

The Most Colorful Time of the Year

Waymon Cox

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Over the next few weeks, visitors will travel to Arkansas to enjoy cooler weather and beautiful fall foliage. Though the colors of autumn are fleeting, you can collect many colorful minerals at Crater of Diamonds State Park to enjoy all year long!

Basic Angling Tips for White River Trout Fishing

Zachary Fisher

Bull Shoals-White River State Park has become a very popular fishing destination since it was established in 1955, following the completion of Bull Shoals Dam. Two incredible fishing ecosystems were formed here because of the dam’s geographic placement: Bull Shoals Lake, a 45,000-acre mecca for bass, catfish, and walleye fishing; and the White River tailwaters, producing...

Fishing at Bull Shoals-White River State Park

Hidden Wonders Scavenger Hunt

All around us are many “hidden wonders”—small animals, plants, and fungi—that may not be as engaging as deer or turkeys, but they are just as important to the ecosystem. You can download and print the Scavenger Hunt below. By carefully looking for the items on this list while you explore Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, you can discover these hidden wonders and learn...

Photo Essay: Alligator Antics

Ivory Detter

Alligators can be observed during the warm months of the year at Millwood State Park in the southwestern region of Arkansas, and they are an important part of the aquatic habitat here. Follow along as we go on a virtual alligator spotting adventure! All of the alligators in the following pictures have made Millwood State Park their home.

The Delta as the 1815 Surveyors Experienced: Louisiana Purchase State Park

Ryan Smith

Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park, a small lesser-known park in the eastern part of Arkansas near Brinkley, protects the initial survey point for all lands acquired in the United States’ Louisiana Purchase. The park also provides you access to see a granite monument marking the location on an elevated boardwalk in a headwater swamp. This special site is not only a...

Granite monument in swamp with water at its base. Trees growing in background as far as viewer can see.

Two Visitors Find Large Diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Waymon Cox

Confirmation of two large diamonds found at Crater of Diamonds State Park made for a busy week last week at the park, one of the only places in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source.

Serendipity diamond next to quarter for scale

Photo Essay: Branches in Time

Leita Spears

Historic Washington State Park in southwest Arkansas is well known as a historic village filled with preserved 19th-century homes and buildings. Besides these structures, you can also walk through town and explore a unique collection of living witnesses to the history of Washington: its many historic and champion trees.

Giant magnolia tree at Historic Washington State Park

Rivers as Transportation