Arkansas State Parks Calendar of Events
Are you looking for fun activities during your visit to an Arkansas State Park? Our park interpreters routinely schedule fun, family-friendly programs that are designed to help you have a more meaningful park experience and make memories of a lifetime. We offer more than 50,000 activities each year, including guided hikes, lake tours on park boats, birding adventures, kayak tours, living history demonstrations, nature games, historic site tours, bald eagle watches, spring wildflower walks, campfires, outdoor skills workshops, A.D.E.-accredited teacher professional development, and much more — there’s something going on all the time.
Filter
Park
Categories
Regions
The dates, details, and admission prices in this calendar of events were submitted to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and are accurate to the best of our knowledge. We recommend that you check with local sponsors before making a trip to any event.
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Here’s your chance to make a bandana that you can keep and wear! Turn a plain, boring bandana into a fun, park-themed one in no time! Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Join a park interpreter to hear American Indian stories about frogs and make your own origami jumping frog.
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
"Water" your plans on the river this summer? Join a park interpreter to learn how to keep the fun going by taking some simple steps to avoid common water hazards. COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES ARE IN…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Join Park Interpreter Jake to play a fun, family-friendly game of Petit Jean Animal Bingo. As we play, we will learn more about the animals found at Petit Jean State Park.
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Lake Dardanelle State Park strives to protect natural resources, including the plants and animals that call the park home. Through gardening for wildlife, you too can help the creatures in your…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
For many, the very word just makes their skin crawl. For
others, snakes are wild wonders of the reptile world. Regardless of which camp
you gravitate towards, chances are good that you might…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Honeybees are great pollinators, but we have many native bees that are busy pollinating plants as well. Pollinators are responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food that we consume. We meet in the…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 8 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
What creatures spend their lives in
and on the edge of Lake Bailey and why are they important to the overall
ecosystem of Petit Jean State Park? Meet Park Interpreter Jake for a…
Heart Healthy

Thursday, June 08, 2023
The
park springs to life this time of year with a diverse world of wildflowers.
Join a park interpreter in the search of these colorful splashes of spring and
summer during an easy…
Heart Healthy

Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Sign up in advance for a
relaxing cruise on Bull Shoals Lake. Sit back and enjoy the breezes as we
explore this fascinating Ozark region and learn how the construction of the dam
shaped both the…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Lake Ouachita's immense size, pristine shoreline, and numerous islands offer breathtaking scenery that is unparalleled in the state. Enjoy a tour with a park interpreter as you explore the wildlife,…
Thursday, June 08, 2023
/ 7:15 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Enjoy a leisurely boat ride with a park interpreter as you explore the wildlife, history, geology, and experience one of Lake Ouachita State Park's famous sunsets. Seating is limited; registration is…
Thursday, June 08, 2023 - Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Volunteers have played a significant role in Arkansas State Parks' 100 year legacy! Mississippi River State Park is calling on volunteers to help us prepare for the annual Youth Fishing Derby at the…
Friday, June 09, 2023 - Sunday, June 11, 2023
Find out what fish are swimming in Lake Fort Smith! Enjoy the free fishing weekend in Arkansas and Lake Fort Smith State Park without fishing licenses or trout permits. Regulations for Arkansas…
Heart Healthy

Friday, June 09, 2023 - Sunday, June 11, 2023
It's time to celebrate one of the most beneficial and misunderstood creatures in the world: BATS! Join us this weekend for the 33rd Annual Bat-A-Rama to check out some bat-focused programs to learn…
Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Fishing with only a stick, line, and hook can be challenging. With a little practice, you can be on your way to landing a big one. Join a park interpreter and try your hand at cane pole fishing with…
Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Ozark settlers used a wide variety of gadgets to help them accomplish their everyday tasks. Visitors will be put to the test as they try to identify some 19th-century “contraptions” and how they were…
Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Answer the call to arms! Many men and boys did this in the 1860s. Follow in their footsteps and learn infantry maneuvers using wooden rifles. Meet at Hindman Hall.
Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Soldiers’ written observations and drawings provide historians with first-hand descriptions of what the landscape, people, and community looked like in 1862. Today, we will use our senses to describe…
Heart Healthy

Friday, June 09, 2023
/ 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Have you ever felt coyote fur or seen beaver teeth? Join a park interpreter for a look at the hides and skulls of some of Arkansas’s mammals.