Top 10 Arkansas Activities
Arkansas is one of Mid-America’s most beautiful travel destinations. It is a unique tapestry of mountains, plains, and fertile delta. Our heritage is a part Western frontier, part Ozark and Ouachita pioneer and part Old South. Throughout, there’s a true small-town friendliness ready to welcome you, whether you opt for taking it easy or rising to the challenge of the out-of-doors.
With over 9,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams and over 600,000 acres of lake water-Arkansas is a paradise for fishing and water sports. The Natural State is also rich in many other blessings: magnificent mountains, pristine forests, fertile agricultural land and an amazing diversity of things to see and do. Nature’s rich landscaping is everywhere. Please respect our environment as you travel. Help us keep Arkansas naturally beautiful for years to come.
Nature lovers have plenty to see and experience in Arkansas. Adventures wait around every corner whether you like to splash around whitewater, ride through mountains on the back of the horse, or dig for diamonds. Here is a list for 10 most popular activities in the state of Arkansas:
Hiking
You can find any style and any difficulty trails for whatever floats your boat. Take a walk on the wild side and explore forests, rivers, and mountains while getting fit on miles and miles of trails.
The longest trail is Ouachita National Recreation Trail 9, spanning from Oklahoma all the way to Little Rock for a cool 192 miles. This trail has something for everyone: easy forest walks, moderate hikes for a day, or steep backpacking adventures.
Petit Jean Park is just northwest of Little Rock and invites visitors to hike to a breathtaking 95-foot Cedars Falls. Kids will enjoy rock and sandstone boulder climbing on Bear Cave Trail.
Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area is famous for its hike to the Whitaker Point, which is so often photographed that it became an unofficial natural symbol of the state.
Uncover the Past
Arkansas offers 4 amazing Heritage Trails for all history buffs. Southern Civil War aficionados can learn a lot from taking a drive on Butterfield Trail, Civil War Trails, Southwest Trail, and finally Trail of Tears. Stop at historically significant places along the way. Pea Ridge National Military Park, where the biggest battle west of the Mississippi took place during the Civil War is definitely worth a visit.
Explore the history of Little Rock, stop at Clinton Presidential Library and Old State House Museum. Don’t forget to book a private tour of the Little Rock Central High School where significant civil rights era events took place and put this school on the history books forever.
Wildlife Watching
Arkansas is definitely where natural life happens. The state is covered by vast stretches of woods and untouched meadows, so no wonder that 70 species of mammals and about 300 kids of birds live here. Visitors should check Watchable Wildlife hotspots guide for advice on where to look for black bears, armadillos, bald eagles, opossums, and plenty of other local inhabitants.
Lake Chicot is well-known for migrating and local birds in the Mississippi Flyway. Go to Buffalo National River parks to marvel at majestic elk or see some rescued exotic animals at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge located close to Eureka Springs. You will find tigers, lions, and cheetahs there.
State and National Parks
The state of Arkansas is home to 52 State and 7 National Parks. Not many states can rival these numbers. Hot Springs National park is one exceptional place where you can soak in naturally warm water baths and pools. DeGrey Lake Resort State Park invites its visitors to enjoy horseback riding, golf, fishing, and camping under the starry sky.
You can find and keep diamonds in the only place in the world still allowing that – Crater of Diamonds State Park. Mount Magazine State Park has one of the last virgin forests in the state and offers rock climbing, serene hikes, and the tallest peak in the state, towering at 2,753 feet.
Art and Culture
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is located in Bentonville and offers a contemporary mix of Ozark Mountain spirit and modern art. Visitors can find such masterpieces as Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter”. This modern art complex is visually impressive and spreads on 120 acres territory that is mostly covered by forest. There are many elements that connect us with nature, such as glass-covered bridges. The trails are free for all visitors. There is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House transported from New Jersey for architecture lovers.
Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View invites tourists to observe the work of resident blacksmiths and other craftsmen that reside there during the warm seasons.
Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources showcases the state’s oil and brine harvesting and usage in the South.
River & Lake Activities
The state is completely covered by the intricate web of rivers and lakes. Visitors and residents alike don’t have to go far to fish, swim, paddle, canoe, or whitewater. The states 600,000 are covered by lakes, 9,700 miles flow with rivers. The Arkansas River alone is 300 miles long in the state.
Lake Ouachita State Park offers many lake-related activities: house-boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, water skiing, fishing, and swimming on this 40,000-acre lake. This lake is the largest man-made body of water in the state.
River sports enthusiasts should check out Buffalo National River Park. It’s a paradise for canoes, kayaks, floating devices, and all another motor less watercraft, available for rent at Buffalo Outdoors Center.
The southeastern part of the state is famous for its cypress swamps and bayou-like Lake Chicot State Park, where you can get on a guided barge tour to learn about this area.
Bike Trails
Arkansas is a biker-friendly state. It hosts 6 Bicycle-friendly communities and provides plenty of road cycling routes. Drivers will share the road in the mountains and nature will invite bikers to explore beautiful trails.
You can find the longest bridge in America in Little Rock It is dedicated only to pedestrians and bicyclists at an impressive 4,226-foot length. This Dam Bridge is a part of the Arkansas River Trail System.
Mountain bikers will find plenty of challenging and relaxing trails in the Northwest Mountains. Adrenaline lovers should try conquering Slaughter Pen, while tamer drivers can enjoy Delta Heritage Trail State Park.
At the border with Tennessee and Mississippi, in West Memphis bicyclists can enjoy the new Big River Crossing Boardwalk Bridge over the Mississippi River.
Music Sounds
Arkansas is big on music. You will find a bit of country and a ton of blues, bluegrass, and gospel here. There are plenty of home-grown venues and stages all over the state. You can experience the rich music scene at Montgomery County Front Porch Stage in Mount Ida, the Hackett’s Gospel Singing Shed in Dermott, and in Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View. All those venues are open in spring, summer, and fall.
The town of Dyess is the childhood home of Johnny Cash. Visiting here you will understand how Arkansas influenced the music of the Man in Black. And then there is Memphis and the musical heritage of Elvis just over the Arkansas border.
Explore Caves
Ozark Mountain Region has a lot more wonders than meets the eye. There is an entire underground world made of limestone caves, subterranean rivers and lakes, and always enchanting decorative rock formations that constantly change.
Check out Blanchard Springs Caverns for unusual stalagmite and stalactite formations. You can choose an easy paved trail of challenge yourself to wild paths to get there.
Cosmic Cavern hosts two underground lakes that are inhabited by a rare kind of blind cave trout and Ozark blind salamander. Those two don’t live anywhere else in the world.
Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome offer two distinctly different attractions: you will hear moonshine stories and will marvel at the majestic eight-story tall Crystal Dome formation.
Scenic Drives
With all the mountain regions and forests in the Natural State, it would be unnatural not to have plenty of scenic drives. Take a road trip not just to marvel at the scenery, but also learn something along the way.
Drive along Great River Road to take in green hills and farmlands and stop at Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge to enjoy some animal encounters.
Visit the town of Helena to learn about this region during the Civil War era and its American Indian Heritage. Next head towards Marianna to take Crowley’s Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway and enjoy the 200-mile long picturesque ridge drive. Scenic 7 Byway in the West is one of the best scenic drives nationally. Another scenic road worth seeing is Arkansas 88 or Talimena Scenic Drive.