Best Arkansas State Parks Ranked from Amazing to Meh

There are 52 Arkansas State Parks. Not sure which one to visit first? Read through this article of 18 Arkansas State Parks ranked before you decide. (By the end of 2023, I will have a full ranking involving all 52 Arkansas State Parks (so check back!). For now, here are 18 ARKANSAS State Parks Ranked…

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18 ARKANSAS State Parks Ranked

1. Petit Jean
2. Mt. Nebo
3. Cossatot River
4. Devil’s Den
5. Mt. Magazine
6. Pinnacle Mountain
7. Woolly Hollow
8. Cane Creek
9. Queen Wilhelmina
10. Hobbs
11. Crater of Diamonds
12. Lake Ouachita
13. Lake Dardanelle
14. Lake Ft. Smith
15. Plantation Agriculture Museum
16. Daisy
17. Withrow Springs
18. Toltec Mounds

What These Parks Have to Offer…

Arkansas State Parks Ranked #1-3

Petit Jean State Park (3,471 acres)

Hiking: 20 miles of hiking on 8 trails

Accommodations: Lodge, cabins, 125 campsites (35 Class AAA and 90 Class B), yurts

Sites to see: Overlooks (up to 1120ft), waterfalls (95ft Cedar Falls– most photographed waterfall in Arkansas). Check out Cedar Falls, Seven Hollows, Bear Cave, the Grotto, Natural Bridge

Other Activities: Boat and kayak rentals available, swimming pools, picnic areas, playgrounds, tennis courts, amphitheater, visitor’s center

Interesting Fact: Arkansas’s First State Park

Check out why Petit Jean is #1

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Mount Nebo (3,000 acres)

Hiking: 14 miles of trails

Accommodations: Cabins (12 of 15 on a bluff with a view) and 34 campsites (24 Class B and 10 hike-in tent sites)

Sites to see: Overviews at the top (1350ft), with seating to watch sunrise/sunset (can be reached by vehicle)

Other Activities: biking trails, swimming pool, tennis courts, picnic areas, pavilions, visitor’s center

Interesting fact: Arkansas’s 2nd State Park

Check out “5 BEST Hikes in Arkansas {With AMAZING Views}“

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Cossatot River (5,302 acres)

Hiking: 20 miles of hiking on 4 trails

Accommodations: 23 self-pay tent sites

Sites to see: Cossatot Falls

Other Activities: kayaking, canoeing, visitor’s center

Interesting Fact: The French origin of “Cossatot” means skull crusher

Related Article: 3 ARKANSAS STATE PARKS in a Day – Daisy, Cossatot River, and Queen Wilhelmina

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Arkansas State Parks Ranked #4-6

Devil’s Den (2,500 acres)

Hiking: 64 miles of trails

Accommodations: cabins, camper cabins, 135 campsites (44 Class AAA, 24 Class D, 8 Hike in, + 42 sites at the horse camp)

Sites to see: Yellow Rock Overlook, the rock dam at Lee Creek (forming Lake Devil)

Other Activities: fishing, boating, canoes and pedal boats for rent, mountain biking, horseback riding, cafe, swimming pool, pavilion, visitor’s center

Check out “3 AMAZING Hiking Trails for your KIDS { Northwest Arkansas }“

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Mount Magazine (2,234 acres)

Hiking: 14.2 miles on 5 trails

Accommodations: lodge, 13 cabins, 18 campsites (2 Class AAA, 16 Class AA)

Sites to see: North Rim Trail views

Other Activities: mountain biking, horseback riding, ATV riding, hang gliding launch area, rock climbing, picnic areas, pavilion, visitor’s center

Interesting fact: The highest point in Arkansas @ Signal Hill (not a great view)

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Pinnacle Mountain (2,356 acres)

Hiking: 23 miles of trail

Accommodations: Day use

Sites to see: Pinnacle Mountain scenic overlook, hike the East Quarry Trail to the East Quarry Overlook

Other Activities: mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing, visitor’s center, pavilion

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Arkansas State Parks Ranked #7-10

Woolly Hollow (375 acres)

Hiking: 3 trails ( 2 small trails >0.5m) and a 3.5mile trail

Accommodations: 30 Class AAA campsites, 10 tent sites

Sites: Woolly Cabin, cascades on Huckleberry Trail

Other Activities: fishing, boating, swimming, rentals: canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, fishing boats, mountain biking, visitor’s center

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Cane Creek (2,053 acres)

Hiking: 18 miles on 2 trails

Accommodations: 29 campsites (11 Class A, 18 Class B), 1 rent-an-RV

Sites to see: nearby Bayou Bartholomew (the world’s longest bayou), suspension bridges on trails

Other Activities: guided walking, biking, kayaking, birding tours, picnic sites, backpacking shelter, pavilions, visitor’s center, fishing piers, playground, boat and bicycle rentals, kayaking trail

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Queen Wilhelmina (460 acres)

Hiking: 3 trails- 2.6 miles

Accommodations: 41 campsites (8 Class A, 27 Class B, 5 tent sites, 1 hike-in tent site), lodge

Sites to see: national scenic byway drive to the park, Lover’s Leap, Wonder House, Queen Wilhelmina Lodge

Other Activities: picnic area, eating in the Queen’s Restaurant, guided hikes, playground, volleyball court, visitor’s center

Interesting Fact: Queen Wilhelmina is located on Rich Mountain, Arkansas’s 2nd highest peak (2,681ft)

Related Article: 3 ARKANSAS STATE PARKS in a Day – Daisy, Cossatot River, and Queen Wilhelmina

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Hobbs (12,054 acres)

Hiking: 12 trails, 54 miles

Accommodations: 11 primitive campsites

Sites to see: the 17,531 sqft visitor’s center

Other Activities: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, outdoor shooting range, visitor’s center

Interesting Fact: Hobbs is Arkansas’s largest state park and the only state park to allow regulated hunting

Related Article: Hiking HOBBS State Park

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Arkansas State Parks Ranked #11-13

Crater of Diamonds (911 acres)

Hiking: 2 walking trails @ 1.2miles

Accommodations: 52 camping sites (47 Class AAA, 5 walk-in tent sites)

Sites to see: 37-acre field to mine for a variety of rocks, minerals, and gemstones – any rock or mineral you find is yours to keep.

Other Activities: picnic sites, seasonal water park, enclosed pavilion, amphitheater, visitor’s center

Related Article: Digging for Diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park {complete guide}

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Lake Ouachita (360 acres)

Hiking: 4.5 miles on 2 trails

Accommodations: 93 campsites (58 Class AAA, 23 Class D, 12 walk-in tent sites, 4 camper-cabins, 8 cabins

Sites to see: Historic Three Sister’s Springs

Other Activities: swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating, kayaking, fishing, boat and kayak rentals, visitor’s center, eagle cruises, kayak tours, guided hikes

Interesting Fact: Arkansas’s largest lake is Lake Ouachita (covering 40,000 acres)

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Lake Dardanelle (246 acres)

Hiking: 0.75 mile paved trail

Accommodations: 57 campsites in the Russellville location (16 Class AAA, 14 Class AA, 27 Class B) and 18 Class B campsites in the Dardanelle location.

Sites to see: Sport Fishing Weigh-in Pavilion, fishing pier

Other Activities: fishing, boardwalk, visitor’s center, birding

Interesting Facts: This park has 2 separate locations

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Arkansas State Parks Ranked #14-16

Lake Fort Smith (260 acres)

Hiking: 3 trails for 5.5 miles in the park, (one trail is a 3-mile connection to a larger system- Ozark Highlands Trail, 218 miles)

Accommodations: 30 campsites (20 Class AAA and 10 Class B), 10 cabins

Sites to see: the 1,490-acre Lake Fort Smith

Other Activities: fishing, kayaking, mountain biking, swimming pool, marina with boat rental, pavilion, picnic sites, visitor’s center, guided hike

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Plantation Agriculture Museum (14.5 acres)

Hiking: none

Accommodations: day use

Sites to see: Dortch Gin Exhibit, Seed Warehouse #5

Other Activities: museum, historic tractor shed, seed warehouse, live demonstrations (cotton ginning), visitor’s center

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Daisy (276 acres)

Hiking: 1 trail, 0.75miles

Accommodations: 100 campsites (26 Class A, 56 Class B, 18 tent sites), 3 yurts

Sites to see: scenery in the fall

Other Activities: fishing, kayaking with rentals, lake tours, fishing, ATV riding, picnic area, pavilion, launch ramps, playground, water skiing, scuba diving, visitor’s center

Related Article: 3 ARKANSAS STATE PARKS in a Day – Daisy, Cossatot River, and Queen Wilhelmina

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Arkansas State Parks Ranked #17 and #18

Withrow Springs (786 acres)

Hiking: 3 trails, 4 miles

Accommodations: 29 Class AAA and 10 walk-in campsites

Sites to see: cave and rock formations leading to a 150ft overlook on the War Eagle Trail

Other Activities: tennis courts, baseball, and softball fields, picnic areas, pavilion, snack bar, visitor’s center, canoeing

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Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological (100 acres)

Hiking: 2.4 miles of walking trail around the mounds

Accommodations: day use

Sites to see: the mounds

Other Activities: visitor’s center, enclosed pavilion, visitor’s center, archeological laboratory

Interesting Facts: 1 of 4 National Historic Landmarks in the Arkansas State Parks system. Until November 2022, was named the Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park.

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Arkansas State Parks Bucket List

Adventure journal containing a checklist of travel locations and a map to show where each park is located.

Take a Look –>

Although all of these parks are amazing, the level of activities they offer varies. Your rankings may vary based on your preferred activity.

My trusty co-pilot did his own ranking system (without seeing mine first), and his were similar to mine:

1. Petit Jean
2. Cossatot
3. Mount Nebo
4. Mount Magazine
5. Devil’s Den
6. Queen Wilhelmina
7. Pinnacle Mountain
8. Woolly Hollow
9. Crater of Diamonds
10. Hobbs
11. Daisy
12. Plantation Agricultural Museum
13. Lake Ouachita
14. Cane Creek
15. Withrow Springs
16. Lake Fort Smith
17. Lake Dardanelle
18. Plum Bayou

Check out the update with 35 Arkansas State Parks Ranked!

Which State Park in Arkansas is the Best One? 35 Amazing Parks Explored. Who WINS?

What is YOUR favorite Arkansas State Park? And, which one do you plan to visit next?

If you want to visit all (or most) of the 52 Arkansas State Parks to do your own ARKANSAS State Parks Rankings – get a Passport Book and start your journey! They are available at all Arkansas State Parks Visitor’s Centers.

18 ARKANSAS State Parks Ranked