A 135-mile free-flowing river and a field where visitors search for diamonds mark two very different discoveries in Arkansas. The Buffalo National River winds through the Ozark Mountains, past towering bluffs, from rapids and quiet pools to the White River. You can explore the river by boat or raft. The contrast between moving water and still pools shapes the landscape as much as the bluffs do.

Rivers, Hot Springs and Trails

The state parks also showcase different sides of nature. Hot Springs National Park features ancient thermal springs and 26 miles of hiking trails. Petit Jean State Park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails; at Lake Bailey, you can fish, kayak and ride a pedal boat. Hot Springs pairs its thermal springs with hiking, while Petit Jean brings together trails and on-the-water activities. Petit Jean was also the first state park in Arkansas.

At Arkansas State Parks, options include hiking, camping and paddling, as well as views ranging from mountain peaks to lakeshores. To plan, you can choose trails by park, region or difficulty level. Maps, trail distances and walking times provide practical guidance.

At Devil’s Den State Park, the Monument Trails offer experiences for mountain bikers and hikers. The park’s hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails also lead into the surrounding Ozark National Forest. The Monument Trails network also includes Hobbs, Pinnacle Mountain and Mount Nebo; there, as at Devil’s Den, mountain biking and hiking are the main activities.

History and Cultural Discoveries

In 1957, Little Rock Central High School was the site of a civil rights struggle for African Americans and a catalyst for change. The visitor center at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site includes exhibits, restrooms and a bookstore. The site’s historical significance and the visitor center’s practical amenities offer two different reasons to visit.

Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park offers a different historical perspective. It preserves a remarkable prehistoric Native American ceremonial landscape and is one of four National Historic Landmarks in the Arkansas State Parks system. It is also the largest and most complex mound site in Arkansas. Historic Washington State Park looks to a later era: it has the largest collection of 19th-century buildings in Arkansas. Here, prehistoric ceremonial landscapes and historic architecture offer distinctly different ways to explore the past.

At the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Living-Craft program offers hands-on participation in demonstrations of 19th-century crafts and trades. Music history is featured in the Delta Cultural Center’s permanent exhibition, Delta Sounds, which explores blues, gospel, country, rockabilly and other regional music styles of the Arkansas Delta. Arkansas cuisine often includes barbecue, fried catfish, hushpuppies and pie. This cultural journey thus includes not only historic sites but also crafts, music and regional food culture.

Diamonds and the Search at Their Original Source

Crater of Diamonds State Park offers a unique opportunity: it is the only place in the world where the public can search for natural diamonds at their original volcanic source. Visitors search a 37-acre plowed field. Park staff will identify rocks and minerals found by visitors free of charge. The search for diamonds and the identification of other finds are two distinct parts of the experience.

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Garland, Pulaski, Faulkner, Crittenden, Washington, Benton, Sebastian, Crawford, Little River, Craighead, Drew, Saline County, Jefferson County, Cleburne County, Pope County, Franklin County, White County, Clark County, Independence County, Lonoke County, Grant County, Carroll County, Baxter County, Mississippi County, Hempstead County, St. Francis County, Marion County, Sharp County, Union County, Hot Spring County, Greene County, Monroe County, Columbia County, Stone County, Phillips County, Conway County, Jackson County, Pike, Dallas County, Polk County, Springfield, Arkansas County, Clay County, Sevier County, Lawrence County, Scott County, Ashley County, Randolph County, Chicot County, Poinsett County, Cross County, Desha County, Van Buren County, Boone County

For the broader travel overview: USA.