Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (Augusta)
Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1986 to protect significant wetland habitats and provide feeding and resting areas for migrating waterfowl. As one of the few remaining areas in the Lower Mississippi River Valley not drastically altered by channelization and drainage, the Cache River basin contains a variety of wetland communities including some of the most intact and least disturbed bottomland hardwood forests in the Mississippi Valley region.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (Crossett)
Established in 1975, Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in southeast Arkansas, approximately eight miles west of the town of Crossett. Named for a small community located at its southwest corner, this 65, 000 acre refuge contains an abundance of water resources dominated by the Ouachita and Saline Rivers and the Felsenthal Pool.
Pool 3 Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (Pine Bluff)
Overnight camping is available in Pool 3 at Rising Star Park, located about 4 mi N of Linwood off US 65. Boat launching is also available in Trulock Park and Sheppard Island Park. Excellent fishing for catfish are found in the tailwaters of Joe Hardin Lock and Dam as well as Emmitt Sanders Lock and Dam at the upstream end of pool 3. Anglers also find excellent fishing for bass, crappie and bream.
Pool 4 Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (Pine Bluff)
The Pine Bluff area abounds with history. White Bluff is the natural geographic boundary where the Western Gulf Coastal Plain and Mississippi Delta meet. Visitors can spend their time at Pine Bluff like the pioneers did or they are welcome to partake of more modern conveniences. Parks along the river provide boat launching ramps, drinking water, camping areas, picnic sites and other facilities for the convenience of all. Boat launching into Pool 4 is available at Ste.
Pool 5 Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (Pine Bluff)
Overnight camping and boat launching are available in Tar Camp Park, located about 6 mi E of Redfield. Bank fishing is best in Dam Site 5 Park, located about 6 mi E of Jefferson off US 65.
Toad Suck Ferry Lock And Dam-Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (CONWAY)
Lying between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, the pools reach 48 miles up the Arkansas River from Conway to Russellville. This stretch of river provides excellent fishing and boating, with scenic views of the mountains and fertile farms along the riverbank.
Rockefeller Lake-Ormand L & D-Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (CONWAY)
The Arkansas River is one of the Mississippi's largest tributaries. It flows 1, 450 miles from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, through the Royal Gorge, on through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas to its confluence with the Mississippi River. Four hundred and forty-five miles long with 17 locks and dams, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MCKARNS) is a reliable, year-round waterway into the Southwest.
John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake (OZARK)
Dardanelle Lake - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (RUSSELLVILLE)
Located near the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests, the picturesque shoreline, excellent fishing and abundant wildlife provide ideal conditions for nature enthusiasts and camera bugs. The river valley is a favorite wintering area for the American bald eagle. Parks offer modern amenities such as boat launching ramps, drinking water, camping areas, picnic sites and other facilities for the convenience of all.
DeQueen Lake (DeQueen)
Located on the Rolling Fork River about 4 mi NW of DeQueen, with 4, 000 acres open to hunters. Whitetail deer is the principal game. Other wildlife includes squirrel, cottontail and swamp rabbit, raccoon, bobwhite quail, and duck.
Dierks Lake (Dierks)
At Dierks Lake, visitors are afforded many opportunities for an enjoyable outdoor recreation experience. Overnight accommodations, food, bait, tackle, etc. are available in the area. Visitors might want to take a day trip to some of the many local interesting sites including Hot Springs National Park and the Diamond Mines at Murfreesboro, Ark.
Nimrod Lake (Plainview)
Cradled between the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, Nimrod Lake has proven popular with fishers and hunters since it was completed in 1942. It is the oldest Corps of Engineers lake in the state.The most popular fish harbored in the waters of Nimrod Lake are crappie, largemouth bass, bream, catfish and white bass. Anglers have become accustomed to large *slab* crappie tugging on their hooks and making their bobbers dance at Nimrod.
Ozark Lake - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (OZARK)
zark Lake extends 36 miles along the Arkansas River. The shoreline of the lake varies from steep bluffs and tree-lined banks to open farm lands and level fields. Many outdoor activities offer excellent recreational opportunities. Nine parks located along the banks of Ozark Lake offer modern amenities such as boat launching ramps, drinking water, camping areas, picnic sites and other facilities for the convenience of all.
DeGray Lake (Arkadelphia)
DeGray Lake, AR, on the Caddo River, is known for its camping facilities and geological formations. Located in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, lake visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming and scuba diving as well. A group camp area, which includes a dining hall and eight sleep shelters, is also available. The project offers a visitor center and an excellent State park that has a lodge, marina, golf course and campground.
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests (Russellville)
The Ozark National Forest covers more than one million acres, mostly in northwest Arkansas. The southernmost portion runs along the Arkansas River valley south to the Ouachita Mountains. The northern boundary extends beyond Lone Rock to Matney Mountain in Stone county. On the west the forest patchwork touches Oklahoma.
Overflow National Wildlife Refuge (Parkdale)
Located in southeast Arkansas in Ashley County, Overflow National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1980 to protect one of the remaining bottomland hardwood forests considered vital for maintaining mallard, wood duck, and other waterfowl populations in the Mississippi Flyway. This 13, 000 acre plus wetland complex consists of seasonally flooded bottomland hardwood forests, impoundments, and croplands.
Crowley`s Ridge Parkway (State University)
Crowley`s Ridge is the only known erosional remnant in North America. A mixture of plant communities and a diversity of species respond to abrupt changes in soil type, exposure, moisture, and slope.
Fort Smith National Historic Site (Fort Smith)
Fort Smith National Historic Site embraces the remains of two frontier forts and the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Commemorating a significant phase of America's westward expansion, it stands today as a reminder of 80 turbulent years in the history of Federal Indian Policy. The main entrance to the Visitor Center is located on the south end of the Barracks/Courthouse/Jail building. Exhibits in the visitor center focus on Fort Smith?s military history from 1817 ?
Lake Ouachita (Royal)
Lake Ouachita, AR is located on the Ouachita River near the resort spa of Hot Springs. Its crystal-clear waters make the lake a popular site for scuba diving. There are numerous camping, fishing and swimming opportunities at the lake as well as concessions with marinas, motels, restaurants and horseback riding. There is a boating trail for viewing geological formations on the shoreline.
Lake Greeson (Murfreesboro)
Lake Greeson, AR, on the Little Missouri River, has many hunting and fishing opportunities as well as camping, swimming and boating. The lake is a wintering site for bald eagles. A nature trail allows the visitor to reach the site of a cinnabar mine. The 31-mile-long cycle trail and the Chimney Rock geological formation are also located at Lake Greeson.
Norrell Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (Pine Bluff)
Located about 50 mi S of Stuttgart. Anglers can fish for bass, crappie, catfish and bream from boats or the riverbanks.The Arkansas River is one of the Mississippi's largest tributaries. It flows 1, 450 miles from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, through the Royal Gorge, on through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas to its confluence with the Mississippi River.
Wilbur D. Mills Lock And Dam-Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (Pine Bluff)
Lock no. 2 is located on the man-made Arkansas Post Canal that connects the Arkansas River with the White River. Wilber D. Mills Dam is located on the main stem of the Arkansas River. Overnight camping is available in Merrisach Lake Park near Lock No. 2, Wilbur D. Mills Park downstream from the dam, and Pendleton Bend Park upstream from the dam. World-class bass and crappie fishing is found in Pool 2.
David D. Terry Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (PINE BLUFF)
Located on the eastern and western city limits of Little Rock, the recreation activities provided by Pool 6 attracts many outdoor enthusiasts. Pool 6 offers excellent fishing, especially in the old river cutoffs and the tailwaters of the dam and Murry Lock and Dam upstream.
Murray Lock And Dam - Ark.Riv.Nav.Sys (CONWAY)
The Arkansas River is one of the Mississippi's largest tributaries. It flows 1, 450 miles from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, through the Royal Gorge, on through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas to its confluence with the Mississippi River. Four hundred and forty-five miles long with 17 locks and dams, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MCKARNS) is a reliable, year-round waterway into the Southwest.
Beaver Lake (Rogers)
Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, Beaver Lake is a nature lover's delight during all seasons. Towering limestone bluffs, natural caves and a variety of trees and flowering shrubs afford shutter bugs and nature lovers hours of enjoyment throughout the year. Modern campsites offer the best in recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Year-round commercial marinas provide grocery items, boat rental, fishing guides, supplies and services.
Blue Mountain Lake (Waveland)
Located in the shadow of Mt. Magazine, Arkansas' highest mountain, Blue Mountain Lake offers many recreational opportunities. Modern campgrounds provide many amenities for land- and water-based outdoor activities. A world-class bird dog field trial area attracts visitors from throughout the United States and other countries. Blue Mountain Lake's location between two national forests promotes the natural beauty of the area.
Gillham Lake (DeQueen,)
On the Cossatot River about 6 mi NE of Gillham, there is good hunting on 5, 400 acres. Game includes whitetail deer, squirrel, cottontail and swamp rabbit, and bobwhite quail. Most waterfowl are found in the downstream flood plain.
Millwood Lake (Ashdown)
26, 000 acres of submerged timber and an average depth of only 7 ft provide excellent year-round fishing. The uniquely scenic Millwood Lake area is as much birder's paradise as fisherman's. It is widely regarded as one of the best birding sites in Arkansas. Although landbirds are represented in great variety, there is an unsurpassed diversity of waterbirds especially in the spring and fall, when they are joined by numerous migrants.
Norfork Lake (MOUNTAIN HOME)
Norfork Lake provides both open breezy stretches for sailing and quiet, secluded coves which are ideal for water sports. Undeveloped shoreline allows for ample room to enjoy the hills and hollows. Public lands around Norfork provide hunters with a wide variety of opportunities. Parks offer campsites ranging from rustic to modern. Marinas provide boat rental and related supplies and services.
Bull Shoals Lake (MOUNTAIN HOME)
Bull Shoals Lake, located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, is popular year-round, as each season unfolds a new panorama. Summer contrasts lush green hardwoods and cedar glades against towering rocky bluffs and unusual rock formations. Fall foliage presents the renowned "Flaming Fall Revue." Bull Shoals Lake is a water sports paradise. Park areas offer modern camping conveniences around the lake. Marinas have rental boats, supplies, and guides for hire.
Ouachita National Forest (Hot Springs)
Located in west central Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma, the Ouachita National Forest offers visitors a myriad of opportunities for either 1-day trips or extended vacations filled with relaxation and enjoyment. There are 35 developed recreation areas, 7 scenic areas, 43 vistas, 5 float camps, 11 shooting ranges, 2 historical sites, 6 wildernesses, 1 national recreation area, and over 700 miles of trails.
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge (Bald Knob)
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1993 to protect and provide feeding and resting areas for migrating waterfowl. Acquired as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, this refuge provides a winter home for large concentrations of a number of species of ducks and geese, although it was purchased specifically for pintail management due to its identification as a major staging and wintering area for this prairie species.
Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Manila)
Big Lake NWR was established in 1915 to provide habitat and protection for migrating and wintering birds and is recognized as an important link in the Mississippi migration corridor. Over the years the objectives of the refuge have expanded to include protection for endangered species. Big Lake was important in the recovery of the bald eagle from its endangered status. Eagles came back to nest on the refuge in 1989 and have annually raised young since 1993.
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge (Dardanelle)
Holla Bend NWR, established in 1957, is located 8 miles down river from Dardanelle, Arkansas. The refuge is situated on a bend of the Arkansas River which was cut off when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers straightened the river in 1954 for flood control. Refuge lands include over 7, 000 acres of agricultural fields, bottomland forest, and open water. The refuge's primary purpose is to provide a winter home for a portion of the millions of ducks and geese that use the Mississippi Flyway each year.
Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Gilliam)
Geographically positioned in a area where the Central and Mississippi flyways overlap, Pond Creek Refuge provides outstanding habitat for waterfowl. The forested wetlands of the refuge are used by migrating and wintering waterfowl during the fall, winter and spring. Mallards, gadwall, American wigeon and wood ducks are among the over 15 species of waterfowl that traditionally use the seasonally flooded wetland habitats of the refuge.
Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge (Turrell)
Wapanocca NWR located 20 miles northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, in Crittenden County, Arkansas was established in 1961 to provided habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl. The refuge is located four miles west of the Mississippi River and protected from the river by the river levee. Prior to establishment of the refuge, it was the site of the Wapanocca Outing Club which was formed in 1886. This was one of the oldest and most prestigious hunting clubs.
White River National Wildlife Refuge (DeWitt)
White River NWR, was established in 1935 for the protection of migratory birds. The refuge lies in the floodplain of the White River near where it meets the mighty Mississippi River. White River NWR is one of the largest remaining bottomland hardwood forests in the Mississippi River Valley. Approximately two-thirds of the bird species found in Arkansas can be seen at White River NWR.
Pea Ridge National Military Park (Garfield)
Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4, 300 acre Civil War Battlefield that preserves the site of the March 1862 battle that saved Missouri for the Union. On March 7 & 8, nearly 26, 000 soldiers fought to determine whether Missouri would remain under Union control, and whether or not Federal armies could continue their offensive south through the Mississippi River Valley.
Arkansas Post National Memorial (Gillett)
In 1686, Henri de Tonti established a trading post known as "Poste de Arkansea" at the Quapaw village of Osotouy. It was the first semi-permanent French settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley. The establishment of the Post was the first step in a long struggle between France, Spain, and England over the interior of the North American continent.
Buffalo National River (Harrison)
The Buffalo River is one of the few remaining unpolluted, free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states offering both swift-running and placid stretches. The Buffalo National River encompasses 135 miles of the 150-mile long river. It begins as a trickle in the Boston Mountains 15 miles above the park boundary. Following what is likely an ancient riverbed, the Buffalo cuts its way through massive limestone bluffs traveling eastward through the Ozarks and into the White River.
Hot Springs National Park (Hot Springs)
Congress established Hot Springs Reservation on April 20, 1832 to protect hot springs flowing from the southwestern slope of Hot Springs Mountain. This makes it the oldest area currently in the National Park System--40 years older than Yellowstone National Park. People have used the hot spring water in therapeutic baths for more than two hundred years to treat rheumatism and other ailments.
Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge (Dardanelle)
Logan Cave NWR in Benton County, Arkansas became the 455th National Wildlife Refuge on March 14, 1989 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This 123-acre Ozark Mountain refuge, which includes a limestone-solution cave, is located 20 miles west of Fayetteville, Arkansas and approximately 2 miles north of U.S. Highway #412.
Greers Ferry Lake (Heber Springs)
Greers Ferry Dam stands at the foot of beautiful Round Mountain and in the shadow of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Numerous parks offer modern camping and recreational opportunities. Marinas provide rental services, food and other supplies and services. Lake fishing is good throughout the year. A trout hatchery furnishes trout for the Little Red River flowing out of the dam. Hiking trails give visitors a beautiful natural view of the lake and its surroundings.