Hidden Gems in my Backyard: Logan Springs Preserve

Not literal gems. And not in my literal backyard. But I love to find cool spots close to home that I didn’t know existed. And this is one of them I recently found.

After learning of this area, I immediately took off to explore! Here’s what you will find…

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Logan Springs Preserve Location

15300 Osage Hill Road, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

This is an easy drive, just a short way off of Highway 412. It is easily accessible by car, with only a very short section of dirt road to travel.

Logan Springs Preserve History

The Logan Springs Preserve was previously a fish hatchery built in the 1950s. I’m still searching for more info on that hatchery (message me if you know anything!).

A spring flows through the heart of the preserve at a rate of 5 million gallons per day. Water from the spring filled the fish hatchery ponds in the past, but now flows straight through, leaving the old ponds empty.

The preserve was acquired by the Nature Conservancy in 2019 with the mission of protecting the Logan Spring water source, that leads into Osage Creek.

The preserve opened to the public in 2022 and is open daily from dawn to dusk. A sign warns that the gaits will open and close automatically at those times. I haven’t tested to see exactly when the gates closed, and what happens if you get closed it… I feel certain that will happen to me at some point. I’ll keep ya posted!

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Logan Springs Preserve

Let’s explore the preserve! I’ve broken the preserve into 2 sections: The grounds and the trails.

Logan Springs Preserve Grounds

The parking lot sits at one end of the preserve and is directly in front of the grounds. When you walk through the opening in the small fence, you are immediately met with a plaque describing the preserve.

The mowed walking trail just beyond that leads in a couple of different directions.

One path directs you to a cute little fishing pond for kids 15 and under to fish for free. Reportedly, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocks the pond with channel catfish.

Another direction will lead you over a wooden walkway past another pond and around the back side of the fishing pond.

Along the way there are several wetland areas with frogs, dragonflies, and turtles. There are also open fields full of gorgeous wildflowers with bees and butterflies.

Toward the edge of what I call “the grounds” there are 2 greenhouses used for raising native plants.

The path past the grounds and greenhouses leads to a wooden bridge that will take you over a creek that is fed by the natural springs, into what I term “the trails.”

Logan Springs Preserve Trails

Levees built during the 1950s created ponds where minnows were raised when the tract was a fish hatchery. Those levees now offer a maze of flat trails that travel roughly two miles through the preserve.

The area is like a big grid, with the walking paths being the grid lines and the old fish ponds sunken down spaces in between.

The outer lines of the grid are the best for walking. The outer trail is kept in good condition but did have a good number of spider webs growing across the path (grab a stick to swat down spider webs that you don’t want on your face!)

The smaller in between grids were a bit overgrown on my trips, and not suitable for walking.

If you take a left after the bridge, you will walk along the creek. In the summer, it isn’t easy to get a clear view of the creek since it sits low compared to the trail and has trees lining the area between the creek and the trail. You can get a nice view of the water at the end of the trail before making the first 90-degree turn to the right.

After this turn, you will walk until you come to the next feature- one of the region’s few oxbow lakes. This lake wasn’t easy to get a glimpse of due to the foliage. A small walking path will lead you down to a floating dock at the bottom, for a better view.

The trails are well-marked with plaques, signs, and arrows pointing to which direction to best hike.

Final Thoughts on the Logan Springs Preserve

Since I have only recently discovered this preserve, I have made only a handful of summer trips. I look forward to seeing the preserve in all seasons. Summer is hot! The “grounds” have very little coverage from the sun. But the “trails” are canopied by many trees and can help keep you cool (ish) during the summer heat.

On my trips, I have seen many flowers, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, heard a few frogs, spotted cardinals, indigo buntings, and one pilated woodpecker.

Since it is within a 15-minute drive of my home, I’m sure I will be making multiple trips to this beautiful piece of paradise. I look forward to spotting more and continuing to learn about the native species of plants and animals in the area.

Update: I recently joined a team of volunteers to help keep the grounds and trails in good condition for visitors. If you see me out there, come say hi and let me know you read this article!

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Take a moment to visit…

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