Canoeing on the Mulberry River
Purple mountains' majesty, vast forests, tumbling streams and waterfalls... golf courses with "woodsy" rough and manicured greens... 4,000 square miles of scenic beauty and fun.
CANOE/FISHING STREAMS
COSSATOT RIVER - Beginning southeast of Mena, the Cossatot flows south for about 26 miles to Gilham Lake. The river features Class III, IV and V rapids. This river is not for beginners! For river level information, call (479) 387-3141.
MULBERRY RIVER - Starting in the Ozark National Forest and flowing westward, it delivers white-water canoeing and rafting during early spring and fishing in late spring and early summer.
PETIT JEAN RIVER - Located south of Booneville, the beautiful Petit Jean River is home to great fishing and canoeing.
PARKS/RECREATION AREAS
BELL PARK - North Main, Greenwood. One of the area's highest lookout points. Playgrounds, picnic tables, and nature trails. Greenwood Police Department, (479) 996-4119.
BEN GEREN REGIONAL PARK - 7200 Zero St., Fort Smith, AR 72903; (479) 646-2444. 700 acres of fun including a golf course, softball fields, tennis courts, a swimming pool, fitness course, Go-Karts, soccer fields and miniature golf.
CAMP ALBERT PIKE RECREATION AREA - Near Mena. The Little Missouri River is used for canoeing, tubing and swimming, and is annually stocked with rainbow trout. A wildlife check station has licenses and supplies for hunting and fishing.
COSSATOT RIVER STATE PARK-NATURAL AREA - Located off Hwy. 71 on 246, south of Mena. Facilities include picnic sites, a nature trail, solar-powered restrooms and a pedestrian walkway.
FORT SMITH RIVER PARK - Fort Smith's riverfront features additional venues for work or play at the River Park complex including an amphitheater, events building and pavilion.
GOOSE HARBOR MARINA - Mike Meyer Riverfront Park, Van Buren. Full-service marina on the Arkansas River. Boat and slip rentals, fuel, boat accessories, and motor repairs.
JACK CREEK RECREATION AREA - Located about 10 miles south of Booneville, Jack Creek offers beautiful hiking trails, bluffs, and picnic and swimming areas.
JANSSEN PARK - Mena. Beautifully landscaped 10-acre historic park in the heart of downtown. Peace and tranquility abound. Ideal location for family picnics and strolling or relaxing beside two natural bodies of water with flowing fountains.
KNOPPERS FORD RECREATION AREA - About 12 miles south of Booneville in the Ouachita National Forest. Beautiful bluffs, picnic and camping sites, and Sugar Creek Equestrian Trail.
MCMILLAN PARK - Mena. Park consists of an Olympic-size pool, baseball fields, picnic areas and tennis courts.
MOUNT MAGAZINE STATE PARK - Located atop Mount Magazine. Campsites are available all year. A very impressive lodge at Mount Magazine will completed in spring, 2006.
OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST - (501) 321-5200. 1.6 million-acre forest located in west central Arkansas has picnic areas, campgrounds and trails.
OZARK NATIONAL FOREST - (479) 667-2191. 1.2-million-acre forest has campgrounds, picnic areas, lakes, trails and cabins.
QUEEN WILHELMINA STATE PARK - 3877 Hwy. 88 West, Mena, AR 71953; 1-800-264-2477; www.queenwilhelmina.com. Perched atop rugged Rich Mountain nearly 3,000 feet above sea level, the lodge has guest rooms, private meeting rooms and a restaurant. The park has camping, a miniature railroad, miniature golf, petting zoo and hiking trails.
SHADY LAKE RECREATION AREA - Near Mena. A 25-acre lake is the centerpiece of this playground in the Ouachita Mountains. Beach, fishing, swimming, picnic and camping sites, a boat and fishing dock, hiking trails and an amphitheater.
SPRINGHILL PARK - Located 1.5 miles north of Barling on Ark. Hwy. 59. U.S. Corps of Engineers park adjacent to the Arkansas River. Camping, fishing, boating, boat ramps, playgrounds, pavilions, flush toilets and showers.
WOLF PEN GAP ATV TRAIL - Near Mena. (479) 394-2382. The 50-mile trail is the first formal trail system specifically for four-wheelers and dirt bikes in the Ouachita National Forest.
FISHING HOLES/LAKES
ARKANSAS RIVER - Fishing opportunities abound on the river. Recreation areas feature picnic facilities and boat launching ramps.
BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE - 17 miles east of Booneville on Hwy. 10. A favorite spot for fishing and water sports. Five Corps of Engineers recreation and camping sites around the lake.
COVE LAKE - This pristine lake at the base of Mount Magazine offers visitors swimming, boating, camping and fishing. Near Paris and Booneville.
FOURCHE LA FAVE RIVER - Smallmouth bass fishing near "Y" City.
LAKE FORT SMITH AND SHORES LAKE - Mountainburg area lakes all feature good fishing for bass and panfish.
LAKE JACK NOLEN - Chisomville Road, Greenwood. This lake, built in 1990 by the Game and Fish Commission, is well stocked with several varieties of fish.
LAKES HINKLE, WALDRON AND SQUARE ROCK - Near Waldron, all three are great for catches of bass and panfish.
OZARK LAKE - Created by Ozark Lock and Dam on the Arkansas River, also features "Aux Arc" Park with full camping facilities. South of bridge on Hwy. 23.
SCENIC SPOTS
ARTIST POINT - North of Mountainburg on Scenic Byway 71.
NATURAL DAM - One of those "picture book" wonders.
OZARK BRIDGE - Scenic Hwy. 23 span has been called one of the 16 prettiest bridges in the nation. Now lighted.
REED MOUNTAIN PARK - Hwy. 64 east of Ozark, overlooks the Arkansas River and the Ozark-Jeta Taylor Lock and Dam.
ST. MARY'S MOUNTAIN - Take Altus exit 41 off I-40 to Hwy. 186 for a drive past vineyards, wineries and St. Mary's historic church.
TALIMENA SCENIC DRIVE - This National Forest Scenic Byway winding 54 miles from Mena to Talihina, Oklahoma, offers breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding countryside from peaks of nearly 3,000 feet. www.talimenascenicdrive.com.
WHITE ROCK MOUNTAIN - North of Mulberry and east of Mountainburg. This Franklin County peak near Scenic Hwy. 23 is one of the tallest in the area.
SCENIC HIGHWAYS/BYWAYS
HIGHWAY 282 - Begins in Mountainburg at its junction with Scenic Byway 71 and continues eight miles to rejoin 71.
MOUNT MAGAZINE SCENIC BYWAY - Ark. Hwy. 309, a National Scenic Byway, winds to the top of Mount Magazine. Overlooks show the valleys and lakes of Logan and Yell Counties.
SCENIC BYWAY 71 - Travels north of the Arkansas River through the Boston Mountain range, highest peaks in the Ozark Mountains.
SCENIC HIGHWAY 22 - Beautiful route takes you by Subiaco Academy and other points of interest as it travels west from Dardanelle through Paris and Charleston into Ft. Smith.
SCENIC HIGHWAY 23 - A National Scenic Byway connecting from Hwy. 71 south of Booneville, northward from Ozark to its junction with Ark. Hwy. 16. The Byway is known as "Pig Trail" to Razorback football enthusiasts.
SCENIC HIGHWAY 186 - State scenic highway off I-40 travels through Arkansas Wine Country and connects with U.S. Hwy. 64 in Altus.
U.S. SCENIC HIGHWAY 64 - The route runs parallel to I-40 from near the Johnson County line east of Clarksville to Ozark in Franklin County in the west.
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