Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

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.

Crater of Diamonds State Park Search Field

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

Aug 2020

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! We have all seen changes this year due to COVID-19, and many of us are still adjusting. Guidelines and restrictions—detailed on the park’s website at https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/crater-diamonds-state-park--have been put in place to help protect our visitors and staff. With the many disruptions we have faced this...

Crater of Diamonds State Park Search Field with family searching for diamonds in the background

Hidden Wonders Scavenger Hunt

Jul 2020

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...

Two Visitors Find Large Diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Jul 2020

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

Visitor Finds 2.23-Carat Diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Jun 2020

The summer of 2020 started with a sparkling surprise for one western Arkansas woman. Fifty-six-year-old Beatrice Watkins, of Mena, visited Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Murfreesboro, on Saturday, June 20, with her daughter and granddaughters. Within 30 minutes of arriving, she had unknowingly picked up the largest diamond found there, so far this year.

Lady Beatrice brown diamond next to a quarter to show scale

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...

Saving the Ozark Chinquapin: Plotting the Course for the Future

The Ozark Plateau sweeps across the northwestern part of Arkansas, bringing with it the beautiful oak-hickory forests and striking bluffs that earned Arkansas the title “The Natural State”. Among these old limestone remnants are innumerable deer, lumbering bears, and a variety of lush plants taking advantage of prime habitat in this premiere natural beauty. One such plant...

close up of Ozark chinquapin showing male catkins and female flowers

Diamond Search Field to Re-open on May 22 at Crater of Diamonds State Park

The very popular diamond search field at Crater of Diamonds State Park will open May 22 with some restrictions, announced Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

Meeting Martha: The Last Passenger Pigeon

Chris Pistole

In this video, meet Park Interpreter Chris Pistole from Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area and hear the story of the namesake of the park’s Pigeon Roost Trail. Located next to Beaver Lake in the Ozark Mountains ecoregion of northwest Arkansas, Hobbs is the largest State Park in Arkansas with over 12,000 acres. It provides enriching educational and recreational experiences...

What Do Wildflowers Mean to YOU?

Apr 2020