Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

Since the park has suspended mining equipment rentals during the pandemic, most visitors now bring their own tools from home or from one of the local businesses and individuals who rent and sell mining equipment. Buckets, shovels, and screens are the most common tools of the trade, but it's interesting to see other unique gear people bring to help them find diamonds.

Two people carrying a shovel and screens to search for diamonds

Plowing the Search Area

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! We've had beautiful weather over the past few days, and hundreds of people have come to search for diamonds during early March spring breaks. After a wet start to winter, the weather has stayed dry long enough for us to plow part of the diamond search area for the first time this year. Each spring we get lots of questions about...

Crater of Diamonds State Park Search Field

Trail of Tears Across Arkansas State Parks

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...

Educator Lesson: Louisiana Purchase Surveyors

Ryan Smith

Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park is in the Delta region of eastern Arkansas near Brinkley. This park protects the initial point of surveys for lands acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. A designated National Historic Landmark, a granite monument marks the location of the initial point and is accessible by an elevated boardwalk into one of the few...

Village Creek State Park Scavenger Hunt

Because Village Creek State Park is here to conserve the natural, cultural, and historical resources of Crowley’s Ridge, there is always something new for you to discover. Many of our guests come for specific reasons—camping, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding—but there are so many more things to do here. You can download and print this scavenger hunt, which reveals...

Even More Answers to Common Crater of Diamonds State Park Questions

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! First-time visitors often have a lot of questions for our staff. The following are a few of the more common inquiries we hear at the park, along with answers.

Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area Wildflower Walk

Wildflowers paint the landscape in magnificent splashes of color, all while working diligently behind the scenes to safeguard the very ecosystems they call home. The miles of hiking trails at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area in southwest Arkansas not only give you amazing views of this National Wild and Scenic River, but also of the surrounding habitat that is home...

Yellow and Red wildflower at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area

Photo Essay: Island Adventures on Lake Ouachita

Jenn Menge

Arkansas’s largest lake, Lake Ouachita, has 1000 miles of pristine shoreline and over 200 different islands to explore. Lake Ouachita State Park, located in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains, exists in part to provide access to the lake’s recreational and educational opportunities.

Sunset at Bird Island at Lake Ouachita State Park

Logoly Nature Notes

Even brief observations of nature provide incredible insights and memorable moments at Logoly State Park. Use this sheet to focus your thoughts and unlock unexpected details. You can download and print this Nature Notes form to help you take notes, sketch specimens, and aid the park in community-based science.

Amid Change, Some Things Remain the Same at the Crater of Diamonds