3 Easy Options for An Epic 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.

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Arkansas Road Trip #1: Western Border

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.

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.

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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).

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.

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.

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.

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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!

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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Arkansas Road Trip #2: West-Central Arkansas

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!)

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!

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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.

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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!

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.

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.

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Arkansas Road Trip #3: North-East Arkansas

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.

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.

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

Mirror Lake Waterfall

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.

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!

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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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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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Take a moment to visit…

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