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3 Easy Options for An Epic Arkansas Road Trip

Posted on July 3, 2024October 19, 2024 By ~Brandi~ 4 Comments on 3 Easy Options for An Epic Arkansas Road Trip
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Arkansas Road Trip

Planning a road trip through Arkansas? Check out these 3 Arkansas Road Trip Options…

We have traveled to every corner of the state while on our quest to visit all 52 Arkansas State Parks over the past year and a half. I’ve compiled some of my favorite stops along the way into a few road trips based on which areas you may be traveling through.

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Traveling through Arkansas is an experience. There are 5 geographical regions (6 if you include Crowley’s Ridge) with 4 of them layered, running east/west. To really take in all Arkansas has to offer, it’s best (and most diverse) to travel the state North/South for some variation to your environment and activities.

Arkansas Geographical Regions

Table of Contents

  • Arkansas Road Trip #1: Western Border
  • Arkansas Road Trip #2: West-Central Arkansas
  • Arkansas Road Trip #3: North-East Arkansas
  • Arkansas Road Trip Final Thoughts

Arkansas Road Trip #1: Western Border

Western Arkansas Road Trip

9 stops. 7:04 driving time. 343 miles.

Arkansas Road Trip #1 STOPS

Let’s start north, and head south, running the western border of the state…

Stop 1

Crystal Bridges Museum of Art.

I tend to be more of an outside, outdoorsy type of girl. But I finally gave this museum a shot when I saw they had a nature-themed display. The temporary exhibit is called Exquisite Creatures (runs through July 2024). And it did NOT disappoint! I fell in love with it.

crystal bridges museum arkansas road trip

Check out their page HERE for current exhibits and experiences.

Stop 2

Less than an hour’s drive south- Devil’s Den State Park.

There are a few cool things to see at Devil’s Den. My favorites are the Lee Creek Dam and hiking to the Yellow Rock Overlook.


devil's den state park

Devil’s Den State Park

Everything you need to know about this Arkansas State Park

Read

Stop 3

40 minutes later-Natural Dam

This is a quick, easy stop just off the highway. The falls are rain-dependent, so they are flowing best after recent rains. It’s a beautiful place to stop and snap a few pictures (or take a quick dip).

natural dam arkansas road trip
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Stop 4

35 minutes later- United States Marshals Museum

This stop could take a few hours. I didn’t expect to like this museum as much as I did. It held my attention all throughout our tour!

Plan your visit on their website HERE.


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Stop 5

An hour and a half later- Queen Wilhelmina State Park

Absolutely do not miss the drive to this Arkansas State Park! It is the only place in the state (that I know of) where you can drive a ridge with amazing skyline views of the mountains on both sides of the vehicle at the same time. There is a nice restaurant in the lodge at the top that you could stop at for a meal. And some hiking trails if the weather permits.

queen wilhelmina state park arkansas road trip

Check out their website HERE.

Stop 6

1 hour later- Cossatot River State Park

If you don’t mind driving some dirt roads, take the drive to Cossatot Falls. It’s beautiful! We had the place to ourselves and climbed around on the boulders in the water for a couple of hours.

cossatot falls arkansas road trip

Check out the park on their website HERE.

Stop 7

1 hour later- Crater of Diamonds State Park

One of the most unique experiences in the U.S. can be found at this state park in Arkansas. It is one of the only places in the world that the public can mine for diamonds, and keep anything they find.


arkansas state park crater of diamonds digging for diamonds

Crater of Diamonds

What you need to know before you go digging for diamonds.

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Stop 8

35 minutes later- Old Washington Historic State Park

I am not really a history buff. But I did enjoy this park. It is a full-sized city covering many blocks, with old-timey buildings to explore. You could spend an entire day here. But plan to spend at least a few hours here. And don’t miss the humongous Magnolia tree!

historic washington state park arkansas road trip

Check out their website HERE.

Stop 9

45 minutes later- Half-N-Half Post Office

A cool, quick little stop. Reportedly the only government building in the U.S. that straddles a state line. Half of the building is in Texas, the other half in Arkansas. Great photo ops standing in 2 states at once!

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Road Trip supplies

Arkansas Road Trip #2: West-Central Arkansas

Western Central Arkansas Road Trip

7 stops. 8:20 driving time. 374 miles.

Arkansas Road Trip #2 STOPS

Again, running north to south…

Stop 1

Eureka Springs

There’s plenty to do here! Enough for an entire weekend. This city has an antique hippy vibe. Shop the cutesy downtown shops. Visit the nearby Lake Leatherwood for some hiking. Or visit the old Crescent Hotel (maybe take a ghost tour!)

crescent hotel eureka springs arkansas road trip

Check out the website HERE.

Stop 2

An hour and a half away- Whitaker Point.

One of my top 5 hikes in the state. Whitaker Point is the most photographed spot in Arkansas. The drive up the mountainside dirt road may take some work, but the hike is easy/moderate and leads to an amazing overlook!


best hikes in arkansas

The Best Hikes in Arkansas

The top 5 picks and what you can expect.

Read


arkansas hiking guide to whitaker point

Whitaker Point Hiking Guide

All the details you need to plan a stress-free hike to see the most photographed spot in Arkansas: Whitaker Point (aka Hawksbill Crag).

See it on Etsy

Stop 3

2 hours away- Mount Nebo State Park

The drive to this park is something else! The road up the mountain is paved, but very sharp hairpin corners the entire way. You can drive right up and park, and then take a short walk to watch the sunset from the famous Sunset Point. Camping and hiking trails are also available.


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Stop 4

Half an hour away- Petit Jean State Park

My favorite Arkansas State Park. Petit Jean State Park is filled with amazing viewpoints and fun hiking trails. Make sure to see Arkansas’s most photographed waterfall, Cedar Falls, on your visit. You can drive to the top, and take a short paved hike for an overview. Or hike to the bottom of the mountain (save energy for that hike back up!) for a breathtaking view of the falls.


petit jean state park arkansas

The Ultimate Guide

The guide to Arkansas’s #1 State Park: Petit Jean

Learn more

Stop 5

An hour and a half away- Hot Springs National Park

Another stop that you could spend all weekend at if you like. Hot Springs is known for its historic hotels, thermal springs, and bathhouses. Take some tours through the hotels, schedule a spa day, or explore the area hiking.

We camped at Gulpha Gorge and hiked the Goat Rock Trail one day. And then spent the next day walking around town, shopping, and sightseeing. For a great lookout point, visit the Hot Springs Mountain Tower!

mountain tower hot springs national park arkansas road trip

Visit the Hot Springs National Park website HERE.

If you are coming from the north, stop here. Anything below this point is meh. But if you are coming in from the south, these other 2 stops are worth the look (and to stretch the legs).

Stop 6

2 hours 20 minutes away – South Arkansas Arboretum

A decent little stop to stretch the legs. This arboretum has trails that weave all throughout the small park, with beautiful landscaping along the way. We visited in winter, which was meh. But still had a few pretty flowers.

southern arkansas arboretum state park arkansas road trip

Visit the website HERE.

Stop 7

15 minutes away- Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources

Same as above. A cool little stop to stretch the legs if coming in from the south. But I wouldn’t make a trip to the bottom of the state for this stop.

Visit the website HERE.

roadtrippers

Arkansas Road Trip #3: North-East Arkansas

a Central Eastern Arkansas Road Trip

7 stops. 7:30 driving time. 387 miles.

Arkansas Road Trip #3 STOPS

You know the drill, north heading south…

Stop 1

Mammoth Spring State Park

This stop was a pleasant little surprise to me. Mammoth Spring is a National Natural Landmark one of the world’s largest springs with nine million gallons of water flowing hourly.

Take the short hike around the grounds to see it all. It doesn’t take long and is well worth the time.

mammoth spring state park arkansas road trip

Visit the website HERE.

Stop 2

A little over an hour away- City Rock Bluff in Calico, AR.

A small ghost-like town, Calico isn’t much in the way of shopping or eating. But City Rock Bluff overlook is worth the stop. It’s just a short drive down a dirt road, park, and a short walk to the bluff’s edge to see this view.

city bluff calico rock arkansas road trip
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Stop 3

40 minutes away- Blanchard Springs

A gorgeous, must-see area. Take a short hike to visit the springs pouring directly out of a cave. And then another short hike to visit Mirror Lake Waterfall. Both are spectacularly beautiful! The Blanchard Springs Caverns are also nearby but requires tickets in advance.

Blanchard Springs

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blanchard springs mirror lake falls arkansas road trip

Mirror Lake Waterfall

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Visit the website HERE.

Stop 4

An hour and a half away- Jacksonport State Park

Not a stop I would travel for in itself, but a good stopping point to break up the drive between stops 3 and 5. Jacksonport has an amazing visitor’s center, historic buildings, and some cool camping riverside.

Visit the website HERE.

Stop 5

An hour and a half away- Wilson, AR

This one impressed me. We seemingly drove forever through flat lands to make it to Hampson Archeological Museum State Park. The museum was okay. But the city it was set in was the kicker. This town looks like it came straight out of an old movie. Everything seemed so perfectly placed and manicured.

wilson arkansas road trip
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Stop 6

One hour away- Village Creek State Park

Again, not a stop I would go out of my way for, but a night midpoint between stop 5 and stop 7. Village Creek was a great camping ground with a couple of lakes we explored by kayak for some fishing. Our stay was topped off by neighbors having a music jam session of banjos. We pulled out the hammocks to kick back and listen for a while. It was great!


kayaking supplies

Visit the website HERE.

Stop 7

An hour and a half away- Old Town Lake

There isn’t a ton that I like to do in far eastern or southern Arkansas. The flat lands really aren’t my thing. But this stop… It’s a must! It is probably one of the biggest surprises I came across on our travels around the state. And it remains my favorite kayaking trip to date. If you love kayaking, wildlife, and cypress trees, hit up this lake for some kayaking. You won’t regret it!

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cypress trees in arkansas

Arkansas Adventures

Your Guide to Kayaking through the Cypress Trees!

Learn more

Arkansas Road Trip Final Thoughts

From the plateaus and waterfalls of the Ozarks, and the mountain peaks of the Ouachitas, to the swamps of the Delta, Arkansas can seem like different worlds in each geographical zone. Make sure to get a taste of them all! Use these road trips as guidelines and ideas to create your own Arkansas Adventure!

These road trips are one-way, designed for driving through the state. But if you want to stay in the state, take road trip #1 to the south, and then circle back up north on road trip #2. Or any combination of the road trips that suit your needs.


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Comments (4) on “3 Easy Options for An Epic Arkansas Road Trip”

  1. Anonymous says:
    July 8, 2024 at 7:44 am

    Arkansas looks amazing, especially for us who love the outdoors. Thanks for putting this together, definitely adding it to our list.

    Reply
  2. Rosie says:
    July 8, 2024 at 7:47 am

    Arkansas looks amazing, especially for us who love the outdoors. Thanks for putting this together, definitely adding it to our list.

    Reply
  3. thefriskys says:
    August 26, 2024 at 8:08 am

    I just could not leave your web site before suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person supply to your visitors Is gonna be again steadily in order to check up on new posts

    Reply
  4. Lauren Maker says:
    October 15, 2024 at 12:54 am

    This sounds like an exciting trip! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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