Arkansas State Park Update

Natural State of Mind:

What’s New at Arkansas State Parks in Centennial Year

Arkansas isn’t called The Natural State for nothing. Known for natural beauty and a great scenic background for all things outdoors, Arkansas has 52 state parks ready to explore throughout its borders. While state parks in Arkansas are constantly evolving, Shea Lewis, director of Arkansas State Parks, explained that there are several projects focused on in 2022, leading up to the department’s centennial year in 2023.

100 Years of Arkansas State Parks

In 1923, the initial land for Petit Jean State Park was acquired, making it the first state park in Arkansas. In 2023, Arkansas State Parks will be celebrating its centennial all-year round, with multiple events and celebrations. In visiting state parks, visitors will be able to collect stamps at each location on a passport, with rewards at certain points.

“The passport program is a great way to experience Arkansas and all of the nature and history in Arkansas State Parks,” Lewis said.

Powhatan Historic State Park

Located in Lawrence County,Powhatan Historic State Park is inhabited, serving as a preserved piece of history in the northeastern corner of the state. This year, the preservation project led Arkansas State Parks to showcase The Powhatan Historic Methodist Church, with the newly restored building unveiled in September 2022.

“Churches are a way to showcase the entire town, and when you are interpreting a historic town, you want to be able to interpret all parts,” Lewis said. “We had tremendous support for the preservation of this building, even as the congregation is no longer active. Former members were extremely supportive in the preservation of the building.”

Devil’s Den State Park

Devil’s Den State Park in West Fork gained the addition of a new campsite and a dedication of a trailhead. Adding to the other camping sites on location, this site fits with the culture of mountain biking in Northwest Arkansas, with easy-access points to Monument Trail.

“There are existing campsites at Devil’s Den already, but these are a little different. We built this in conjunction with the Monument Trail, which is a bike optimized trail that is hiking-friendly,” Lewis said. “This project echoes back to the original work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s.”

According to Lewis, the goal was to mimic historic architecture while allowing for an innovative, modern flair.

“You could camp right in those campsites, then hop on your bike and be on the trails in a matter of minutes,” Lewis said.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Located in Pulaski County, Pinnacle Mountain State Park is one of Arkansas State Parks’ most-visited locations, according to Lewis. The parks’ new visitors center is underway, located in the heart of the park.

“The current visitor’s center has a beautiful location, but it is off the beaten path for many of the park’s visitors. Located by the West Summit Trailhead, the new visitor center will tie together multiple trails, and will provide a great service for establishing an experience for our visitors at the park,” Lewis said. “The architecture for this project is unique, and we want the center to be its own beautiful, well-known landmark within the state park.”

According to Lewis, plans for this visitor center have been in the works for almost a decade, with eight years of planning and executing of these plans in the background.

“Pinnacle Mountain is so well-known in Central Arkansas, that we felt the architecture needed to stand out in its own way. It is not something that will take away from the natural resources, but rather will enhance those around it,” Lewis said. “Exhibitry in the building will be more permanent and will work to enhance the experience for first-time visitors as well as repeat visitors. The exhibits in this building will show landmarks you will explore, from river bottoms to mountain tops. These will help our guests explore the closeness to nature, protect this sanctuary for future generations and help facilitate experiences.”

The exhibits at Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitor Center will be permanent, as the park is highly visited with lots of first-time visitors.