There are 52 state parks in the U.S. state of Arkansas, as of 2025. [1] The state parks division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism is the governing body and operator of all parks, although jurisdiction is shared with other state agencies in a few cases.
The first Arkansas state park, Petit Jean State Park, opened in 1923 following an unsuccessful attempt by a lumber company to donate the Seven Hollows and canyon areas to the federal government as a National Park. [2] Stephen Mather deemed the parcel too small in 1921, but the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 276, allowing the Commissioner of State Lands to accept donations of land for public use.
The list gives an overview of Arkansas state parks and a brief history of their development since the first park opened in 1923. State parks range in size from 1 acre (0.40 ha) to 11,744 acres (4,753 ha).
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | River / lake | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources | Union | 19 acres (8 ha) | 1986 | None | Museum preserving and interpreting the history of oil and bromine mining in Arkansas | |
Arkansas Post Museum | Arkansas | 8 acres (3.2 ha) | 1997 | None | Museum dedicated to the history of Arkansas Post, Arkansas's territorial capital until 1821. Located on the grounds of the Arkansas Post National Memorial (National Park Service) | |
Bull Shoals-White River | Baxter, Marion | 732 acres (296 ha) | 1955 | Bull Shoals Lake | Trout fishing destination above and below Bull Shoals Dam with over 100 campsites | |
Cane Creek | Lincoln | 2,053 acres (831 ha) | 1992 | Cane Creek Lake | Wooded lake along Bayou Bartholomew including a hiking trail and camping | |
Conway Cemetery | Lafayette | 11.5 acres (5 ha) | 1986 | None | Historical state park with no recreational services located on James Sevier Conway's (the first governor of Arkansas) former cotton plantation | |
Cossatot River | Howard, Polk | 5,230 acres (2145 ha) | 1988 | Cossatot River | Class III, IV, and V whitewater rafting river listed on the National Park Service's National Wild and Scenic Rivers System | |
Crater of Diamonds | Pike | 911 acres (369 ha) | 1972 | Little Missouri River | World's only diamond-bearing site accessible to the public | |
Crowley's Ridge | Greene | 291 acres (118 ha) | 1937 | Lake Ponder | Park built on the homestead of Benjamin Crowley, dedicated to the culture and history of the Crowley's Ridge region. Includes many structures built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and spring-fed Lake Ponder | |
Daisy | Pike | 276 acres (112 ha) | 1955 | Lake Greeson | Park nestled within the Ouachita Mountains on Lake Greeson near the Ouachita National Forest. Popular for camping, water sports, and fishing | |
Davidsonville | Randolph | 163 acres (66 ha) | 1957 | Black River | Historic state park preserving the abandoned frontier river town of Davidsonville. Interpretive tours and signs guide visitors through the historic community bypassed by the Southwest Trail in the 1820s. Fishing is available along three nearby rivers, with 49 campsites | |
DeGray Lake | Clark, Hot Spring | 984 acres (398 ha) | 1974 | DeGray Lake | Resort state park with championship rated golf course, 94 room lodge, and over 100 campsites | |
Delta Heritage Trail | Arkansas, Desha, Phillips | 960 acres (390 ha) | 2002 | Old Town Lake | Rails to trails conversion of former railroad bed through Arkansas Delta lowlands, currently 14 miles (23 km), planned to be 73 miles (117 km) | |
Devil's Den | Washington | 2,500 acres (1000 ha) | 1933 | Lee Creek | Civilian Conservation Corps-built park in the Ozarks with lake, caves, swimming pool and several trails. Includes over 100 campsites, including cabins | |
Hampson Archeological Museum | Mississippi | 5 acres (2 ha) | 1961 | None | Museum displaying archeological artifacts from the Nodena site, an aboriginal village of the Nodena people dated 1400-1650 CE, and bones from the Island 35 Mastodon | |
Herman Davis | Mississippi | 1 acre (0.4 ha) | 1953 | None | Park surrounding a grave and memorial to Herman Davis, a U.S. sniper during World War I | |
Historic Washington | Hempstead | 101 acres (41 ha) | 1973 | None | Fifty-three buildings that preserve and interpret the architectural, cultural, and political history of a historic nineteenth century town. | |
Hobbs Conservation Area | Benton, Carroll, Madison | 12,056 acres (4879 ha) | 1979 | Beaver Lake | Large park in the Boston Mountains along Beaver Lake featuring trails, camping, and a shooting range. | |
Jacksonport | Jackson | 164.7 acres (66.7 ha) | 1965 | Black River and White River | Park containing the 1872 Jacksonport courthouse, preserving the culture and history of a former steamboat river town | |
Jenkins' Ferry Battleground | Grant | 40 acres (16.2 ha) | 1961 | Saline River | One of three battleground sites from the Camden Expedition of the Civil War. Water recreation available on the Saline River | |
Lake Catherine | Garland, Hot Spring | 2,180 acres (882.2 ha) | 1935 | Lake Catherine | Civilian Conservation Corps park created along the lake, resulting in a well-preserved natural shoreline. Park features cabins, campsites, nature programs, marina, hiking trails, and a sand beach swimming area | |
Lake Charles | Lawrence | 140 acres (57 ha) | 1967 | Lake Charles | Lake is maintained and stocked with fish by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; also features camping, hiking, boat ramps and an interpretative nature center | |
Lake Chicot | Chicot | 211.6 acres (85.6 ha) | 1957 | Lake Chicot | Largest oxbow lake in the United States; formerly the main channel of the Mississippi River. Park is located within a pecan grove within a bayou environment, offering 122 campsites, 14 cabins, swimming pool, boat shop/marina and interpretative visitor center. | |
Lake Dardanelle | Pope | 246 acres (99.6 ha) | 1966 | Lake Dardanelle | Two sites (Russellville and Dardanelle), including 74 campsites, boating, visitor center, and aquarium. Popular for bass fishing, including hosting many major tournaments. | |
Lake Fort Smith | Crawford | 260 acres (105.2 ha) | 1967 | Lake Fort Smith | Large lake in the Ozarks offering 30 campsites, 10 cabins, a marina, swimming pool and visitor center | |
Lake Frierson | Greene | 114 acres (46.1 ha) | 1975 | Lake Frierson | Reservoir built along Crowley's Ridge known for fishing. Features seven campsites, trails, boat ramp and visitor center | |
Lake Ouachita | Garland | 360 acres (145.7 ha) | 1955 | Lake Ouachita | Built surrounding a reservoir, the park features a marina, trails, restaurant, eagle tours, and interpretative information on three historic springs in the park vicinity | |
Lake Poinsett | Poinsett | 132 acres (53.4 ha) | 1963 | Lake Poinsett | Popular with fishing enthusiasts, the park offers 29 campsites, trails and interpretative programs | |
Logoly | Columbia | 368 acres (148.9 ha) | 1974 | Nature Pond | Environmental education park containing mature oak-hickory forests, mineral springs and endangered species | |
Louisiana Purchase | Lee, Monroe, Phillips | 37.5 acres (15.2 ha) | 1961 | Cypress Swamp | Boardwalk through a headwater swamp leading to a monument dedicating the point of beginning of all surveys of the Louisiana Purchase, which allowed for the westward development and expansion of the United States | |
Lower White River Museum | Prairie | 0.4 acres (0.2 ha) | 1975 | White River | Museum dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of culture, commerce and history along the White River in Arkansas | |
Mammoth Spring | Fulton | 623.5 acres (25 ha) | 1957 | Mammoth Spring | Park surrounding the large natural spring, offering fishing, boating and hiking, an Arkansas welcome center and museum | |
Marks' Mills Battleground | Cleveland | 6.2 acres (2.5 ha) | 1961 | None | Park commemorating Civil War battle, including exhibits and park area. Also a Red River Campaign National Historic Landmark. | |
Millwood | Little River | 824 acres (333 ha) | 1976 | Millwood Lake | Forested area surrounding large lake known for bass fishing, bird watching, hiking and camping. | |
Mississippi River | Lee, Phillips | 536 acres (217 ha) | 2009 | Mississippi River | Newest state park created within the St. Francis National Forest. Park currently includes campground at Bear Creek Lake and birding trail. | |
Moro Bay | Bradley | 117 acres (47 ha) | 1972 | Ouachita River | Park at the convergence of Raymond Lake, Moro Bay, and the Ouachita River with visitor center. Popular destination for fishing, water sports, hiking trails and camping. | |
Mount Magazine | Logan | 2,234 acres (904 ha) | 1983 | None | The park contains Mossback Ridge, including the peak of Mount Magazine, Arkansas's highest point. Park also contains The Lodge at Mount Magazine, cabins, trails, and a hang gliding area. | |
Mount Nebo | Yell | 2,984 acres (1208 ha) | 1928 | None | One of three mountain state parks in the Arkansas River Valley, includes historic cabins, 14 miles (23 km) of hiking trails, and popular hang-gliding launch points. | |
Ozark Folk Center | Stone | 637 acres (258 ha) | 1973 | None | Located near Mountain View, Arkansas, it preserves the music, culture, and traditions of the Ozark Mountains. Hosts special concerts and regular folk music performances. | |
Parkin Mounds | Cross | 107 acres (43 ha) | 1994 | St. Francis River | ||
Petit Jean | Conway | 3,471 acres (1405 ha) | 1923 | Lake Bailey | Situated atop Petit Jean Mountain in the Arkansas River Valley, offers trails, creeks, and geology throughout the forested mountains | |
Pinnacle Mountain | Pulaski | 2,069 acres (837 ha) | 1973 | Maumelle River | Rocky Pinnacle Mountain emerges where the flat Arkansas Delta intersects the Ouachita Mountains | |
Plantation Agriculture Museum | Lonoke | 14.5 acres (5.9 ha) | 1985 | Horseshoe Lake | Former general store serving a community of cotton farmers operating as a museum including over 10,000 artifacts. Grounds also contain farm machinery used on cotton plantations. | |
Plum Bayou Mounds | Lonoke | 185 acres (75 ha) | 1975 | Mound Pond | ||
Poison Springs Battleground | Ouachita | 85 acres (34 ha) | 1961 | None | Preserves and commemorates the Battle of Poison Spring in the American Civil War, which was part of the 1864 Camden Expedition | |
Powhatan | Lawrence | 9.1 acres (3.7 ha) | 1970 | Black River | Preserves a small nineteenth-century river port town on the Black River | |
Prairie Grove Battlefield | Washington | 840 acres (340 ha) | 1957 | None | Preserves and commemorates the Battle of Prairie Grove in the American Civil War. Park includes a museum, gift shop, and several historic structures from the period relocated to the site around a walking trail. | |
Queen Wilhelmina | Polk | 460 acres (190 ha) | 1957 | None | Lodge atop Rich Mountain offers 38 guest rooms and is surrounded by forested slopes with creeks, trails, and mountain vistas. Located along the Talimena Scenic Drive. | |
South Arkansas Arboretum | Union | 13 acres (5.3 ha) | 1991 | None | Arboretum and botanical garden owned by South Arkansas Community College with plants native to the Western Gulf Coastal Plain region. | |
Village Creek | Cross, St. Francis | 6,909 acres (2,796 ha) | 1972 | Lakes Austell and Dunn | Large park in the eastern part of the state. Rises along Crowley's Ridge from the surrounding Arkansas Delta, includes lakes, twenty-seven-hole golf course, camping, and hiking. One trail follows the 1820s Memphis to Little Rock Road. | |
White Oak Lake | Ouachita, Nevada | 725 acres (293 ha) | 1961 | White Oak Lake | Lake in the woods on the border between Bottomland hardwood forest and loblolly pine forest with diverse wildlife. Camping, boating, fishing, and hiking are popular around the lake. Interpretative signs about the Red River Campaign in the area during the Civil War. | |
Withrow Springs | Madison | 786 acres (318 ha) | 1962 | War Eagle Creek | ||
Woolly Hollow | Faulkner | 370 acres (150 ha) | 1973 | Lake Bennett |
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | Decomm- issioned | River / lake | Supplanted by | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo River State Park | Marion | 35 acres (14 ha) | 1938 | 1973 | Buffalo River | Buffalo National River | |
Lost Valley State Park | Newton | 280 acres (110 ha) | 1966 | 1973 | Buffalo River | Buffalo National River | Canyon, cave, hiking trail, and waterfall along Clark Creek, a tributary of the Buffalo River [3] |
Watson State Park | Jefferson | 100 acres (40 ha) | 1937 | 1944 | Bayou Bartholomew | Private property | Donated by John Brown Watson for development as a state park for black people during segregation. Facilities were never developed and land was returned to his widow following court ruling the state had abandoned the park. [4] |
Name | County | Size | River / lake | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lake Sylvia Recreation Area | Perry | 200 acres (81 ha) | Lake Sylvia | A former girl scout camp and a former National Forest Campground, this park encompasses an 18-acre lake and offers camping, hiking, swimming, and interoperative programs. Arkansas State Parks took management operations in July 2021 and is operated under Pinnacle Mountain State Park. [5] | |
War Memorial Stadium | Pulaski | 6.9 acres (2.8 ha) | None | A multi-purpose stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Operated by Arkansas State Parks since 2017. [6] |
Lincoln County is located between the Arkansas Timberlands and Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is also within the Pine Bluff metro area, and on the outer edge of the Central Arkansas region. The county is named for President Abraham Lincoln. Created as Arkansas's 65th county on March 28, 1871, Lincoln County has three incorporated cities, including Star City, the county seat and most populous city. The county contains 46 unincorporated communities and ghost towns, Cane Creek State Park at the confluence of Cane Creek and Bayou Bartholomew, and nine listings on the National Register of Historic Places to preserve the history and culture of the county.
Hot Spring County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,040. The county seat is Malvern. Established on November 2, 1829, in the Arkansas Territory from a part of Clark County; it was named after the hot springs at Hot Springs, Arkansas, which were formerly in the county.
Ashley County is a rural South Arkansas county with a culture, economy, and history based on timber and agriculture. Created as Arkansas's 52nd county on November 30, 1848, Ashley County has seven incorporated municipalities, including Hamburg, the county seat and Crossett, the most populous city. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. The county is named for Chester Ashley, a prominent lawyer in the Arkansas Territory and U.S. senator from the state from 1844 to 1848.
Scouting in Arkansas has a long history, from 1913 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Ashdown is a city in Little River County, Arkansas, United States. The community was incorporated in 1892 and has been the county seat since 1906. Located within the Arkansas Timberlands between the Little River and the Red River, Ashdown's economy and development have historically been tied to the timber industry. Timber is still a major industry here.
Mammoth Spring State Park is a 62.5-acre (25.3 ha) Arkansas state park in Fulton County, Arkansas in the United States. The park is located surrounding National Natural Landmark of the same name to provide recreation and interpretation for visitors. The park offers fishing, boating and hiking in addition to an Arkansas Welcome Center and restored 1886 Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad depot operating as a railroad museum. The site became a state park in 1957, but the park continued to add area until 1975.
Historic Washington State Park is a 101-acre (41 ha) Arkansas state park in Hempstead County, Arkansas in the United States. The museum village contains a collection of pioneer artifacts from the town of Washington, Arkansas, which is a former pioneer settlement along the Southwest Trail. Walking interpretive tours are available throughout the 54 buildings. Washington served as a major trading point along the Southwest Trail, evolving into the Hempstead county seat and later the capital of Arkansas from 1863 to 1865 when Little Rock was threatened during the Civil War. The original plat of Washington was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 as the Washington Historic District.
Cane Creek State Park is a 2,053-acre (831 ha) Arkansas state park in Lincoln County, Arkansas in the United States. Straddling the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Mississippi Delta, the park includes the 1,675-acre (678 ha) Cane Creek Lake, a wooded lake which borders Bayou Bartholomew, the world's longest bayou. The park became a reality when the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Soil Conservation Service said it would provide federal funds to the project in 1973, prompting the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) to pledge to build and maintain the lake within the park. The park is characterized by rolling wooded hills, deep draws, and steeply sloping ridges.
Lake Chicot State Park is a 211.6 acres (85.6 ha) Arkansas state park in Chicot County, Arkansas within the Arkansas delta. The park is located along Lake Chicot, a 22 miles (35 km) oxbow lake that was formerly the main channel of the Mississippi River. The lake, formerly a polluted eyesore for the area, has been restored to its current condition through the cooperation of many agencies to return its natural, cultural and recreational value. As the state's largest natural lake and the largest oxbow lake in the United States, Lake Chicot State Park features unique fishing and camping opportunities among large cypress trees, creating a bayou environment for both wildlife and visitors.
Lake Catherine State Park is a 2,180-acre (880 ha) public recreation area located on the south shore of Lake Catherine, eight miles (13 km) southeast of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The park was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Three stone-and-wood cabins, a former concessions building, and a bridge constructed in the Corps' rustic architecture style are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lake Ouachita State Park is a 360-acre (150 ha) public recreation area located ten miles (16 km) northwest of Hot Springs, on the eastern side of Lake Ouachita, which at 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) is the largest man-made lake located entirely within the state of Arkansas. In addition to its recreational offerings, the park preserves the site of the historic Three Sisters springs which were once touted for the curative properties of their mineral waters.
Millwood State Park is a public recreation area known for its fishing and wildlife habitats located along the southern side of 29,500-acre (11,900 ha) Millwood Lake, nine miles (14 km) east of Ashdown in Little River County, Arkansas.
Davidsonville Historic State Park is a 163-acre (66 ha) Arkansas state park in Randolph County, Arkansas in the United States. Situated on a border between The Ozarks and the Arkansas Delta, the park preserves the remains of the abandoned frontier town of Davidsonville. The town was one of Arkansas Territory's first settlements when founded in 1815, serving as an important river port town on the Black River. The former townsite was made into a state park in 1957 and a monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a web-based encyclopedia of the U.S. state of Arkansas, described by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as "a free, authoritative source of information about the history, politics, geography, and culture of the state of Arkansas."
Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) is a public library system headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States.
The Arkansas River Valley, also known as the Arkansas Valley, is a region in Arkansas defined by the Arkansas River in the western part of the state. Generally defined as the area between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, the River Valley is characterized by flat lowlands covered in fertile farmland and lakes periodically interrupted by high peaks. Mount Magazine, Mount Nebo, and Petit Jean Mountain compose the Tri-Peaks Region, a further subdivision of the River Valley popular with hikers and outdoors enthusiasts. In addition to the outdoor recreational activities available to residents and visitors of the region, the River Valley contains Arkansas's wine country as well as hundreds of historical sites throughout the area. It is one of six natural divisions of Arkansas.
Lake Fort Smith State Park is a 260-acre (110 ha) Arkansas state park in Crawford County, Arkansas in the United States. Originally a Fort Smith city park in the 1930s and later the Works Progress Administration–built Mountainburg Recreational Facility, the lake nestled in the Boston Mountains was adopted into the state park system by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism in 1967. Lake Fort Smith State Park was closed in 2002 to make way for a larger dam and spillway. The addition flooded the site of the old park, and the new 260 acres (110 ha) Lake Fort Smith State Park reopened May 21, 2008 4 miles (6.4 km) north of its original location with 30 campsites, 10 cabins, a group lodging facility, picnic sites, a pavilion, marina with rental boats, a double lane boat ramp, a swimming pool, playground, and an 8,000 square feet (740 m2) visitor center with exhibit gallery, gift shop, a meeting/class room, a patio with an outdoor wood-burning fireplace, and an expansive view of the lake and mountains.
Lake Charles State Park is a 140-acre (57 ha) Arkansas state park in Lawrence County, Arkansas in the United States. Situated in The Ozarks along the Black River, the park features the 645-acre (261 ha) artificial Lake Charles. The lake is a result of a partnership of four agencies to construct a multipurpose lake just north of Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Wildlife Management Area in an effort to control flooding and preserve the watershed. Construction on the lake began in 1964, and the park was dedicated in 1967.
Lake Frierson State Park is a 114-acre (46 ha) Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Greene County, eastern Arkansas.
Withrow Springs State Park is a 786-acre (318 ha) public recreation area with campgrounds and hiking trails located five miles (8.0 km) north of Huntsville, Arkansas, that serves as a put-in for float trips on War Eagle Creek.