Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

Fishing is a favored pastime at Lake Dardanelle State Park, making people the top of this food chain. We love to catch fish, but often don’t think of all the creatures it took to build that strong healthy fish on the end of our fishing line. Mayflies are an essential part of the food chain that keeps the fishery at Lake Dardanelle State Park healthy. In this photo essay...

Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park in Scott, Arkansas is a unique American Indian mound complex that was the cultural center of the Plum Bayou people, who interacted with their environment and each other much as we do today. The Plum Bayou people are a group of prehistoric American Indian mound builders who lived here between 650 – 1050 AD. They built one of the...

Cedar Creek Trail is one of Petit Jean State Park’s many scenic trails. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, this trail's rock steps and bluffs offer a moderately strenuous challenge. However, there are endless places to stop, rest, and let yourself enjoy the peaceful sounds of flowing water and the cool, refreshing feeling of the forest’s...

Escape to Lake Dardanelle State Park’s largest aquarium exhibit and see some of our native fish from a unique underwater perspective. Inside Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitor Center is 7,000 gallons of aquarium exhibits that provide an up-close connection with Lake Dardanelle’s native fish species.

What is now the body of water called Lake Dardanelle was once simply the Arkansas River, a life source to plants and wildlife, as well as the Native Americans and settlers who migrated here. One river many voices.

One of the most awe-inspiring birds you can witness is the Bald Eagle. Once endangered, the Bald Eagle has made an encouraging comeback and now nests along rivers and lakeshores throughout the state. Now, you can find our national emblem in dozens of sites across Arkansas, particularly along shores of lakes and rivers. The most common time to experience Bald Eagle...

Seven Hollows Trail at Petit Jean State Park offer sweet spots where conservation, recreation, and legacy all come together to form a seamless triumvirate.

Whether you’re looking to hike a trail, journey through history, muddy up your mountain bike, or just get away for the weekend, there is an Arkansas State Park waiting for you.

At Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, there are the remains of ancient earthworks that are strategically placed.