List of Arkansas state parks

Last updated September 14, 2024

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Arkansas State Parks

There are 52 state parks in the U.S. state of Arkansas, as of 2019.^[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).

Current Arkansas state parks
Name	County	Size	Estab- lished	River / lake	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

Other properties operated by Arkansas State Parks
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.^[3]
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.^[4]

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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.

Crater of Diamonds State Park is a 911-acre (369 ha) Arkansas state park in Pike County, Arkansas, in the United States. The park features a 37.5-acre (15.2-hectare) plowed field, one of the few diamond-bearing sites accessible to the public. Diamonds have been discovered in the field continuously since 1906, including the graded-perfect Strawn-Wagner Diamond, found in 1990, and the Uncle Sam, found in 1924, which at over 40 carats is the largest diamond ever found in the United States.

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.

Bull Shoals-White River State Park is a 732-acre (296 ha) Arkansas state park in Baxter and Marion Counties, Arkansas in the United States. Containing one of the nation's best trout-fishing streams, the park entered the system in 1955 after the United States Army Corps of Engineers built Bull Shoals Dam on the White River. The park runs along the shoreline of Bull Shoals Lake and the White River above and below the dam, and contains picnic areas, a marina, boat rentals, interpretive programs, and a visitors' center with gift shop.

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.

Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area is a 5,299.65-acre (2,144.69 ha) Arkansas state park in Howard County and Polk County, Arkansas in the United States. The park follows a rough, undeveloped 12.5 miles (20.1 km) of the Cossatot River. The river itself is included in Arkansas's Natural and Scenic Rivers System and the National Park Service's list of National Wild and Scenic Rivers, making it a whitewater rafting destination. The rough nature of the river, including Class III, IV, and dangerous Class V rapids, make the park-natural area a popular destination for skilled canoeists, kayakers, and playboaters. The park became a part of the system in 1988 after the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission agreed to cooperative management after acquiring the property from the Weyerhaeuser Corporation.

Crowley's Ridge State Park is a 291-acre (118 ha) Arkansas state park in Greene County, Arkansas in the United States atop Crowley's Ridge. Located on the former homesite of pioneer Benjamin Crowley, the park contains many excellent examples of the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. One of Arkansas's most popular state parks, the parks is bisected by Crowley's Ridge Parkway, a National Scenic Byway. The site became a state park in 1933 in an effort to honor Crowley and the heritage of the Crowley's Ridge area.

Daisy State Park is a 276-acre (112 ha) Arkansas state park in Pike County, Arkansas in the United States. The park at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains features Lake Greeson, a 7,000-acre (2,800 ha) fishing lake constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1950. The park is surrounded by timberlands and is located near the Ouachita National Forest.

White Oak Lake State Park is a state park in the southwest of the U.S. state of Arkansas, a few miles from Bluff City. The reservoir sits surrounded by tall pine trees, giving it a rich, wooded beauty. The state park offers camping facilities, hiking and mountain biking trails, boat and bicycle rentals, as well as playground facilities.

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.

Devil's Den State Park is a 2,500-acre (1,000 ha) Arkansas state park in Washington County, near West Fork, Arkansas in the United States. The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, beginning in 1933. Devil's Den State Park is in the Lee Creek Valley in the Boston Mountains, which are the southwestern part of The Ozarks. The park, with an 8 acres (3.2 ha) CCC-built lake, is open for year-round recreation, with trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Devil's Den State Park also has several picnic areas, a swimming pool and cabins, with camping sites ranging from modern to primitive. Fossils of coral and crinoids can be found along the banks and within Lee Creek at Devil's Den State Park.

Herman Davis State Park is a 1-acre (0.40 ha) state park in Manila, Arkansas, United States. The park includes the grave of and a memorial to Herman Davis (1888-1923), a U.S. sniper during World War I. The park is located at the junction of Baltimore Avenue and Arkansas Highway 18, south of the city center. It consists of a grassy area, with a concrete walk leading to the memorial. The memorial is a granite obelisk, 25 feet (7.6 m) in height, in front of which stands a full-size granite likeness of Davis in his infantry uniform. Davis' remains are buried just behind the monument. Davis is also honored with a fountain on the grounds of the Old State House in Little Rock. The fountain was a part of the Arkansas exhibition at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. In 1954, the three-tiered iron fountain was renamed the Herman Davis Memorial Fountain. Davis, a native of Manila, won distinction in the war for taking out a nest of German machine gunners with his marksmanship. Davis was a modest man and rarely mentioned the awards he received for this and other actions, but was called out by General John J. Pershing, who placed him fourth on a list of 100 heroes of the war.

Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area is a 12,056-acre (4,879 ha) Arkansas state park in Benton, Carroll, and Madison Counties, Arkansas in the United States. The park was bought in 1979 through a huge financial effort from Northwest Arkansas banks. Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area is located almost entirely in the Springfield Plateau subdivision of the Ozark Plateau. The park, located just south of Beaver Lake, is open for year-round recreation, including 32.9 miles (52.9 km) of hiking, mountain bike and equestrian trails. Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area also has several picnic areas, a shooting range, and primitive camping sites.

Lake Poinsett State Park is a 132-acre (53 ha) Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Poinsett County, Arkansas in the United States. The park was formed after the damming of Distress Creek to create a recreational lake in the county in 1960. The park is located along the western bank of the lake and is open for year-round for camping/picnicking. Boat rentals are available from February to November.

Mount Magazine State Park is a 2,234-acre park located in Logan County, Arkansas. Inhabited since the 1850s, Mount Magazine first became part of the Ouachita National Forest in 1938, was re-designated as part of the Ozark National Forest in 1941, and became a state park after a 22-year conversion process from the U.S. Forest Service to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Mount Magazine State Park is the highest in Arkansas. The park contains Mossback Ridge, including the peak of Mount Magazine which contains The Lodge at Mount Magazine, cabins, trails, and a hang gliding area.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powhatan Historic State Park</span> State park in Arkansas, United States

Powhatan Historic State Park is a 9.1-acre (3.7 ha) Arkansas state park in Lawrence County, Arkansas in the United States. The park contains the 1888 Powhatan courthouse which served as the home of county government from 1869 to 1968. Today the structure displays items of cultural and historical significance and hosts the park's Visitor Center. The park includes four additional historical buildings and the Arkansas History Commission's Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives. A tour of the historic structures is available. Powhatan served as an important stop for traffic on the Black River until the installation of the Kansas City-Memphis Railwayline two miles north in 1883 significantly decreased the need for river transportation.

Lake Frierson State Park is a 114-acre (46 ha) Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Greene County, eastern Arkansas.

References

↑ "Park Finder". Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism . Retrieved March 5, 2017.Note: this list of all 52 parks is the default reference for current individual Arkansas state parks.
↑ "Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism (ADPT)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture . Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at Central Arkansas Library System. February 7, 2012.
↑ Sandwiching in History Tour Camp Ouachita Girl Scout Camp Historic District
↑ 75 years for War Memorial Stadium

External links

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[list-1] "Park Finder". Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism . Retrieved March 5, 2017.Note: this list of all 52 parks is the default reference for current individual Arkansas state parks.

[2] "Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism (ADPT)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture . Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at Central Arkansas Library System. February 7, 2012.

[3] Sandwiching in History Tour Camp Ouachita Girl Scout Camp Historic District

[4] 75 years for War Memorial Stadium

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List of Arkansas state parks

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References

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