Arkansas State Parks Trip Ideas

Visitor Finds 4.38-Carat Diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Noreen Wredberg of Granite Bay, Calif., found the 4.38-carat yellow diamond sitting on top of the ground within an hour of searching. It’s the largest diamond found so far this year at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

Find Mesmerizing Mimetoliths at Crater of Diamonds

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Have you ever looked at clouds and imagined dogs, elephants, or dragons? Have you noticed faces or creatures in the knots and holes of a tree trunk? If so, you have experienced pareidolia, the ability to see meaningful shapes or patterns in everyday objects. Most of us experience pareidolia at some level. Certain rocks and...

Pollinator Party 

Arkansas State Parks are committed to protecting our natural resources within the parks, including the native plants and their pollinators. That is why we are partners with the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Partnership. Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville has many “garden” areas throughout the park that are planted and maintained to benefit pollinators...

More Than Shade Trees at Crater of Diamonds

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Most people who have visited the park recognize the search area as an open field with plowed rows about every five feet. Trees scattered throughout the field provide shade from the summer heat, but many of these also enhance the experiences of park visitors in other ways.

A Visitor’s Viewpoint of Diamond Searching

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! While our staff helps people prepare for diamond searching every day, a visitor’s advice can provide a fresh perspective. I recently spoke with James Armstead and his sister Willie Trice, of Kansas City, Mo., about their visit to Crater of Diamonds, their experiences here, and the guidance they would give other first-time park...

Basic Rock and Mineral Cleaning at Home

Water Activities in Arkansas State Parks

Summer is here, and that means it’s time to get out on the water. While Arkansas might be a landlocked state, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel the rush of flowing water surround you on a hot day. Grab a paddle or fishing rod and don’t forget your SPF 50!

Discovering Lamproite at the Crater

Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! Visitors to the Crater of Diamonds can find much more than diamonds here. One of the most common rocks found at the park is also one of the rarest to find beyond the borders of the crater. Lamproite is the volcanic material that erupted from the park’s diamond-bearing pipe around 100 million years ago. Four types of lamproite...

5 Arkansas State Parks Summer Hot Spots

Summer isn’t just a season — it’s a state of mind. And Arkansas is the perfect place to explore that sun-kissed bliss of nights around a campfire, hair drying from a jump in the lake, making gooey s’mores feel. Explore 5 state parks to find where you should kick your heels up for the warm months.

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

It’s thrilling when hard work pays off. For years, 26-year-old Christian Liden, of Poulsbo, Wash., has wanted to find the raw materials to make his own engagement ring. He started by panning for gold around his home state. After five years, he had accumulated enough for the ring. Liden recently embarked on a mining excursion that led him across the country to Arkansas’s...