Arkansas State Parks. Best 8 Reasons to Start Your Amazing Adventure Today

One day while exploring a local state park, we stumbled across the FREE Arkansas State Parks Passport book. We were drawn in by the challenge and instantly hooked.

And so our journey began to visit all 52 parks. We soon discovered that Arkansas State parks are packed with cool things to do! Here are 8 reasons to visit Arkansas State Parks…

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1. Explore Your State

Even if you have lived in Arkansas your entire life, you may not be aware of the full array of what Arkansas State Parks have to offer. Each state park offers a variety of outdoor activities and experiences in stunning natural settings.

Arkansas has 5 different geological regions that each best suites different types of activities. From the great views of the Ozark mountains (and the accompanying waterfalls!) to the awesome cypress tree kayaking in the Delta.

I have lived in Arkansas my entire life and thought I had a good sense of the state. But after visiting all 52 Arkansas State Parks, my wonder and appreciation of the state have deepened.

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2. Getting Outdoors

Being outdoors is the best! It’s so great for the mind, body, and soul. State parks are the perfect place to get outside. They offer hiking trails, biking trails, mountain biking, and multiple water activities.

Hiking is my favorite (and easiest to pack for). Kayaking and biking are fun but involve hauling your equipment along for the trip. However, some parks offer equipment rental to make your adventures a little easier!

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3. Learn Local

Visitor Centers are packed with information on local wildlife, activities in the area, and some even house live animals. Some parks are historical sites with information on the events that took place years ago. 

We always drop by the visitor’s center first to get our park stamp and take in all the information it has available. Be sure to chat with the park ranger to get any suggestions for activities or specific hiking trails they recommend. 

4. Free Entrance to Arkansas State Parks

There are no entrance fees for Arkansas State Parks. They. Are. FREE. Once at a state park, you can spend an entire day doing free activities. Hiking is free. Biking is free (unless you rent a bike). The only place I spend money is in the gift shops.

There is always the option to upgrade and pay for various offered activities or camping (camping sites, cabins, yurts). However, you can easily plan a free trip.

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5. Low-Cost Park Vacation

We often take long weekends to explore a state park. Our activities are free. We only spend money on gas for travel, a campsite for the weekend (if we don’t boondock nearby), and groceries.

You can plan a very low-cost adventurous vacation at a state park!

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6. Other Activities at Arkansas State Parks

If you are not up for physical activities (biking, kayaking, hiking), there are other activity options for you- camping, diamond digging, or learning history.

Some other available activities include golfing, horseback riding, motorcycling, various programs and workshops, educational classes, music, fishing, and lake tours.

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Visit the Arkansas State Parks website for a complete list of offered activities! 

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7. Arkansas State Parks Incentive Programs

Arkansas State Parks has a fun incentive program. You can grab your free Arkansas State Parks Guide and Passport Book to document your travels. Each visitor’s center will stamp your book. The parks without a visitor’s center will have a special setup for you to stamp your book.

After visiting 5 Arkansas State Parks, you can earn a Club 52 sticker. Visit 25 state parks and you get a deck of Arkansas State Parks cards (52 cards and 52 state parks, so each state park has its own card). Visiting all 52 parks will earn you a T-shirt.

Arkie Travels has its own challenge- visit all 52 state parks in a year to earn a prize pack for the #52ARStateParksChallenge. 

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8. The Park VIEWS!

The views are my FAVORITE!! While hiking in Arkansas State Parks, I have come across the MOST spectacular views. From mountain tops, valleys, cliffs, waterfalls, caves, and everything in between.

An amazing view from a mountaintop cliff or any waterfall will get me every time!

Visiting our state parks has been an eye-opening experience. Arkansas has an amazing amount of hidden beauty!

I strongly encourage anyone to visit their local state parks to see what they can find.

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