Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas Park Petit Jean Crowley's Ridge DeGray Lake Resort Devil's Den Lake Dardanelle Village Creek Mount Magazine Pinnacle Mountain Withrow Springs Cossatot River Daisy Hobbs State Park Conservation Area Jacksonport Lake Catherine Lake Fort Smith Lake Frierson Lake Ouachita Millwood Moro Bay Ozark Folk Center White Oak Lake Woolly Hollow Bull Shoals - White River Cane Creek Davidsonville Lake Charles Mississippi River Mount Nebo Crater of Diamonds Delta Heritage Trail Historic Washington State Park Lake Chicot Lake Poinsett Hampson Museum Logoly Lower White River Museum Mammoth Spring Parkin Archeological Plantation Agriculture Museum Plum Bayou Mounds Powhatan Courthouse Queen Wilhelmina Region Central Northwest Southwest Upper Delta North Central Lower Delta Park Activity Diamond Digging Kayaking / Canoeing Mountain Biking Fishing Boating / Marinas Swimming Climbing Geocaching Horseback Riding Road Cycling Backpacking Motorcycling Snorkeling / Scuba Diving Lake Tours Hang Gliding River Running [X] Watchable Wildlife [X] Hiking Trail Type Day Hikes Mountain Biking Horseback Riding Backpacking Barrier Free (ADA) Kayaking/Water Trails Wilderness ATV Trail Difficulty Moderate Easy Strenuous Author Arkansas State Parks Staff Monika Rued Meg Matthews Cathy Combs Jenn Menge Matt Manos Pearl Jangjiravat Sasha Bowles Waymon Cox David Armstrong Don Simons Jason Parrie Maggie Howard Megan Ayres Moore Mystina Swaim Robin Gabe Ron Salley Zoie Clift Date Published January 2024 May 2023 February 2023 December 2022 October 2022 July 2022 June 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 May 2020 February 2020 November 2019 January 2019 November 2018 September 2018 May 2018 September 2017 July 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 September 2016 August 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 Pagination Previous page ‹ Previous Page 3 Next page Next › 7 Staycations at Arkansas State Parks Apr 2021 ⁄ Arkansas State Parks Staff Imagine waking up to the sound of waves lapping at the shore, birds chirping from tall pine trees, maybe even a boat motor quietly starting its day to bring joy to families spending the weekend away from it all. That’s the kind of wake-up you’ll receive when you staycation at an Arkansas State Park. We’ve chosen seven better-than-a-hotel locales you’re guaranteed to fall... Video: Cruising Lake Dardanelle Feb 2021 ⁄ Megan Ayres Moore Exploring Lake Dardanelle by boat allows you to surround yourself in the beauty of the Arkansas River Valley, an area that a wide variety of wildlife depends on for survival. These waters are home to an array of aquatic species, with a multitude of other animals in the forests surrounding the lake, and skies overhead. Lake Dardanelle State Park sits along the shores of 34... Video: The West Drain Feb 2021 ⁄ Waymon Cox One of Arkansas' most unique natural attractions is Crater of Diamonds State Park. Located in Murfreesboro, this site hosts thousands of visitors each year. A volcanic pipe erupted here around 100 million years ago, bringing diamonds to the surface. Today, park guests search for their own genuine diamonds in a 37.5-acre plowed field atop the volcanic crater. In addition to... Video: Purple Martins on Lake Ouachita Feb 2021 ⁄ Jenn Menge Part of our mission at Lake Ouachita State Park is to provide access to Lake Ouachita, which is filled with many wonderful natural resources. One of the most unique sights – a huge roost of purple martins – is only visible for a small portion of the year. From mid-July to mid-August, thousands of purple martins flock to a small island on the lake to gather and rest before... Video: Just Roll with It! Jan 2021 ⁄ David Armstrong Along the DeGray Lake Resort State Park's trails and throughout the forest floors, the humble humpback dung beetle (Deltochilum gibbosum) faithfully carries out its repetitive, rather repugnant, responsibilities without reservation. Few species in the park’s elaborate food chain can rival the curious, hard-working star of this short video and the unique “role” it plays. Winter Hikes — Arkansas State Parks Dec 2020 ⁄ Arkansas State Parks Staff As the air outside gets a bit nippy, you will want to lace up your hiking boots, slip on your trail running shoes, or grab your mountain bike out on one of Arkansas State Parks’ many trails. After all, winter weather is just natural air conditioning. Video: Devil's Den State Park CCC Interpretive Trail Virtual Guided Hike Nov 2020 ⁄ Mystina Swaim Devil’s Den State Park, nestled in Lee Creek Valley of the northwest Arkansas Ozarks, was selected as a state park site in the 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) used native materials to build the park’s rustic-style wood and stone structures that mirror the surrounding natural beauty. The park now stands as one of the most intact CCC sites in the U.S., with a... Photo Essay: Wildlife of Rich Mountain Sep 2020 Traveling the Talimena Scenic Drive will lead you through breathtaking views of the Ouachita Mountains, including those you can see at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Located in western Arkansas on Rich Mountain, the park is 13 miles west of Mena along the winding and scenic drive. Here, you can have opportunities to explore nature and possibly see both common and unique... Village Creek State Park Scavenger Hunt Aug 2020 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... Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area Wildflower Walk Aug 2020 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... Pagination Previous page ‹ Previous Page 3 Next page Next ›
7 Staycations at Arkansas State Parks Apr 2021 ⁄ Arkansas State Parks Staff Imagine waking up to the sound of waves lapping at the shore, birds chirping from tall pine trees, maybe even a boat motor quietly starting its day to bring joy to families spending the weekend away from it all. That’s the kind of wake-up you’ll receive when you staycation at an Arkansas State Park. We’ve chosen seven better-than-a-hotel locales you’re guaranteed to fall...
Video: Cruising Lake Dardanelle Feb 2021 ⁄ Megan Ayres Moore Exploring Lake Dardanelle by boat allows you to surround yourself in the beauty of the Arkansas River Valley, an area that a wide variety of wildlife depends on for survival. These waters are home to an array of aquatic species, with a multitude of other animals in the forests surrounding the lake, and skies overhead. Lake Dardanelle State Park sits along the shores of 34...
Video: The West Drain Feb 2021 ⁄ Waymon Cox One of Arkansas' most unique natural attractions is Crater of Diamonds State Park. Located in Murfreesboro, this site hosts thousands of visitors each year. A volcanic pipe erupted here around 100 million years ago, bringing diamonds to the surface. Today, park guests search for their own genuine diamonds in a 37.5-acre plowed field atop the volcanic crater. In addition to...
Video: Purple Martins on Lake Ouachita Feb 2021 ⁄ Jenn Menge Part of our mission at Lake Ouachita State Park is to provide access to Lake Ouachita, which is filled with many wonderful natural resources. One of the most unique sights – a huge roost of purple martins – is only visible for a small portion of the year. From mid-July to mid-August, thousands of purple martins flock to a small island on the lake to gather and rest before...
Video: Just Roll with It! Jan 2021 ⁄ David Armstrong Along the DeGray Lake Resort State Park's trails and throughout the forest floors, the humble humpback dung beetle (Deltochilum gibbosum) faithfully carries out its repetitive, rather repugnant, responsibilities without reservation. Few species in the park’s elaborate food chain can rival the curious, hard-working star of this short video and the unique “role” it plays.
Winter Hikes — Arkansas State Parks Dec 2020 ⁄ Arkansas State Parks Staff As the air outside gets a bit nippy, you will want to lace up your hiking boots, slip on your trail running shoes, or grab your mountain bike out on one of Arkansas State Parks’ many trails. After all, winter weather is just natural air conditioning.
Video: Devil's Den State Park CCC Interpretive Trail Virtual Guided Hike Nov 2020 ⁄ Mystina Swaim Devil’s Den State Park, nestled in Lee Creek Valley of the northwest Arkansas Ozarks, was selected as a state park site in the 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) used native materials to build the park’s rustic-style wood and stone structures that mirror the surrounding natural beauty. The park now stands as one of the most intact CCC sites in the U.S., with a...
Photo Essay: Wildlife of Rich Mountain Sep 2020 Traveling the Talimena Scenic Drive will lead you through breathtaking views of the Ouachita Mountains, including those you can see at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Located in western Arkansas on Rich Mountain, the park is 13 miles west of Mena along the winding and scenic drive. Here, you can have opportunities to explore nature and possibly see both common and unique...
Village Creek State Park Scavenger Hunt Aug 2020 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...
Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area Wildflower Walk Aug 2020 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...