52 for 52: State Park Challenge!

Did you know Arkansas has 52 state parks?
That works out perfectly to one per week and is a great
way to get out and explore The Natural State.

We spent all of 2020 visiting the 52 state parks and documenting
our journey on YouTube. Now, we’ve created a challenge around the tour
to encourage others to experience everything Arkansas has to offer.

There are unique things to do at each park, and it’s always hard to decide where
to go first, so we’ve shared our top three picks, perfect for the start of fall.

Devil’s Den State Park

Waterfalls, caves, camping and cabins, state-of-the-art mountain biking trails and horseback riding — this iconic park has something for everyone.

Situated on 2,200 acres in the Lee Creek Valley just south of Fayetteville (Washington County), the park is surrounded by numerous caverns, bluffs, rock shelters and crevices.

Devil’s Den features approximately 60 crevice caves, making it the largest sandstone crevice cave area in the country. Archeological studies have found several prehistoric sites here that indicate the presence of Native Americans as far back as 8,000 years.

The caves also provided an excellent hiding place for outlaws in the 1800s along the Butterfield Stage Line. The road was also used by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War during the Battle of Prairie Grove.

Plan on making it an overnight trip! Bring your camper or tent or rent one of the camper cabins or fully equipped Civilian Conservation Corps-era cabins. No matter what season, you’re going to love a trip to Devil’s Den.

Find your hydrotherapy at one of the state’s many waterfalls.
Visit after a soaking spring rain to see them at their best.

Louisiana Purchase State Park

At $15 million ($250 billion in today’s money), the Louisiana Purchase was by far the largest territorial purchase in U.S. history. It’s also considered one of the greatest real estate deals of all time, as overnight the fledgling United States went from a clutch of seaboard colonies to a vast nation stretching to the Pacific Ocean.

The Louisiana Purchase State Park near Brinkley (Monroe County) is one of the most beautiful and unique parks in Arkansas. Down a 950-foot boardwalk — elevated and ADA accessible — visitors reach one of the most historically significant markers in the United States, the point from which all surveys of property acquired through the 1803 Louisiana Purchase originated.

The park sits on 37.5 acres of a rare headwater swamp with tupelo trees and bald cypress towering above. The park is definitely rustic, but don’t let a lack of camping and activities keep you away. Check out the information panels along the boardwalk and take time to get really quiet and just listen while you’re there. You’ll hear the creaking of the trees on a breezy day and maybe even the rare bird-voiced treefrog from high above.

Wildlife abounds at this undisturbed spot. We spotted a woodpecker and a beaver during our visit.

Who needs bells and whistles?
Some parks shine in their stillness, providing a break that’s good for the soul.

Mississippi River State Park

They don’t call Arkansas “The Natural State” for nothing, and when you visit Mississippi River State Park you understand why.

The newest park in the Arkansas system, the attraction sits on 536 acres, spread out over two counties in the St. Francis National Forest near Marianna (Lee County). The park provides access to multiple lakes and rivers, including America’s longest and most historic river, the Mighty Mississippi.

To get from one end to the other, you have your choice of two scenic byways that pass through the park. The Great River Road National Scenic Byway is part of a 10-state route that runs from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. This section of the byway is a gravel lower road that takes you by Horner Neck Lake and the confluence of the St. Francis and Mississippi rivers.

Crowley’s Ridge Parkway National Scenic Byway is Arkansas’s first nationally designated scenic byway. The section found in the park is a paved upper road that runs from the visitors center to Storm Creek Lake and takes you by the Baseline Trail and an overlook. It’s favored by cyclists and is the perfect drive for fall foliage.

Whether by high road or low road, there’s always
something scenic and tranquil in the state parks.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look into three of our favorite Arkansas state parks, and we encourage you to take the 52 Arkansas State Parks Challenge.
Order your challenge scratch-off map at ArkansasAlley.com, or pick up a passport at any state parks visitors center.

For more information on the Challenge, visit ArkieTravels.com.
And make sure you follow Arkie Travels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for more Arkansas adventures.