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Arkansas Outside
Maumelle Pinnacles, An Outdoor Recreation Area Comes Into Focus
For me, if there were ever a gateway to the Ouachita Mountains, it would be Pinnacle Mountain State Park. I credit the park for why I live in Little Rock. After spending most of my life following my family and my career around the county, never living anywhere for more than 5 years, I found myself in Little Rock in the late 1990s. My family remained in the Dallas, TX area as we waited to sell our house. I was living in a suite at the Marriott Courtyard in West Little Rock. As I was getting my new position settled I would spend my off time at Pinnacle Mountain. Up, over, and around was my daily mantra. I had come to Arkansas with some extra weight but for the first time in decades, I was ready to get myself back into good physical shape. The mountain was the perfect mix of physical challenge and escape from long retail hours.
NWACC Launches New Trail Technician Program
Bentonville, Ark. (December 4, 2023) – Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) recently received approval from the Arkansas Legislative Council and Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a new Trail Technician program in the fall of 2024 and further renovate the college’s previous physical plant into a trail construction lab. Earlier this year, the NWACC Foundation received an $8 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to support the creation of the trails program and facility renovation.
The Annual Shopping Trip to Searcy County
Driving up Highway 65 from Little Rock on a brisk December morning, a light fog is slowly lifting as we enter the foothills of the Ozark Mountains the modernized version of “The New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day” poem playing in my head. “Over the river, and...
Bipartisan EXPLORE Act introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-R) and Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) introduce the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. The U.S. House of Representatives announced the introduction of the EXPLORE Act with strong bipartisan support of 22 members yesterday, supported by the collaboration of House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ).
New Visitor Center and Trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park
On November 18, 2023, Arkansas State Parks closed the visitor center which had served as the office for the park staff and was the focal point of interpretation throughout the park. The visitor center was in what had been a less visited part of the park until the Monument Trails opened up in 2020. The building served this function since the 1970s and was in need of new exhibits, a better gift shop layout, and more office space. The new Visitor Center is located on State Highway 300, 1/4 mile north of the West Summit Day-use area.
Blanchard Springs Caverns Closing for the Winter Season
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests’ officials are implementing the annual seasonal closure plan for Blanchard Springs Caverns. Today is the last day that tours are offered for the 2023 recreation season. The upper loop campground within the recreation area will also be closing for the season, but Blanchard Day-Use Area, pavilions, and group campsites will remain open.
Burns Park is Back…Kinda’
Some hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails have reopened at Burns Park in North Little Rock. On March 31, 2023, 8 months ago, an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph cut a swath between West Little Rock and Sherwood. The winds destroyed homes, businesses, and public lands. Thankfully, there were no direct deaths from this tornado but lives were severely affected. Repairs are ongoing, affected businesses have moved, rebuilt, or shut down, and homes and other buildings remain under construction throughout the area. Area parks continue to struggle with reopening. Besides several parks being incredibly damaged, some parks were used as debris dropoff points for rebuilding personal and business properties throughout the reconstruction. The damage these parks initially received was from trees falling. Between the removal of these downed trees and large truck traffic moving debris, more damage was created. Park roads were ground into the dirt, and utilities (water, sewer, electrical) that often travel under these roads were crushed.
Duck hunting faces environmental crossroads after spring SCOTUS ruling
Arkansas and other states are dealing with the fallout from a Supreme Court decision in May, which effectively removed federal protections for more than half of wetlands across the country. The case, Sackett v. EPA, dealt with which waters are protected under the federal Clean Water Act. James Brandenburg, chair...
More Facilities Open at Burns Park
On November 9, the City of North Little Rock posted an update for Burns Park opening the multi-use trails for equestrians. The trails at Burns Park, south of I-40, are designated as multi-use trails which led Arkansas Outside to question North Little Rock City Parks concerning these trails being opened only to horses. The results of those discussions were documented in our article on November 15.
Ten Races Left in the Arkansas Ultra Trail Series
Runners welcome the cooler temperatures and the ability to get out of the house, out of the training routine, and into the woods for long-distance runs. Managed by the Arkansas Ultra Running Association, this series of races covers the state with challenges ranging from 25-kilometer to 100-mile trail runs. There...
Climbing Advocacy Groups Speak Out About NPS and USFS Proposals
Last week, information and links to proposals to manage climbing access in Wilderness Areas controlled by the National Park Service and US Forest Service were posted on ArkansasOutside.com. Since then Access Fund and several other climbing advocacy groups have spoken up about the proposals. Below is a statement from Access Fund.
AGFC, Bradley County Build New Boat Ramp on Saline River
Anglers and boaters in south Arkansas now have convenient access to the Saline River just south of Warren thanks to the completion of an improved concrete boat ramp by Bradley County and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The project was approved by the Commission in June as one of...
Dam removal highlight of War Eagle project
HUNTSVILLE, Arkansas — With the water level low in War Eagle Creek, a crew from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used a hydraulic hammer to cut a notch in the middle of a concrete dam about a mile and a half east of downtown Huntsville Nov. 1. As chunks of concrete crumbled, water began to gush downstream.
USDA Forest Service and National Park Service seek public input on for managing climbing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service (NPS) are seeking public input on proposed guidance that would guide agency personnel in managing climbing opportunities on national forests, grasslands, and parks. The public is invited to provide input on both agencies’ guidance through Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.
Former Park Ranger to Speak on Hiking the Ozarks and Buffalo National River
Kevin Middleton will be the featured speaker on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at the south campus of North Arkansas College. Mr. Middleton’s presentation will be located in Room M145 and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Former park ranger, Kevin Middleton is a long-time outdoor enthusiast and is highly regarded for his knowledge and experience of hiking the Ozarks and the trails surrounding the Buffalo National River. His presentation will outline basic hiking knowledge along with some of the do’s and don’ts to hiking in the beautiful Ozarks. He will also feature some of his favorite hiking trails throughout northern Arkansas that are family-friendly and enjoyable this time of year.
Burns Park Trail User Update
According to the City of North Little Rock website, “Burns Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the state with more than 1600 acres of tennis courts, multi-use unpaved trails, multi-use paved trails, dog park, multiple sport complexes (soccer, golf, tennis, disc golf, pickleball, baseball, and softball), amusement park, playgrounds, pavilions, covered bridge, archery range, rv campgrounds, WWII tank, Union Pacific caboose, club houses, and more. This park is one of five contiguous parks along the Arkansas River.”
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Celebrates 50 Years
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, ANHC, has been tasked with a large role: protecting prime tracts of land that best represent Arkansas’ natural landscape dating back to the early 1800s. This is done through their System of Natural Areas. These lands are specifically managed to preserve and restore habitat that reflects the state’s natural heritage and biodiversity.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to Open All Gates at Lake Conway
MAYFLOWER — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) will open all operational gates at Lake Conway Dam on Nov. 15 as previously planned and announced. The opening of the gates will allow the lake to drain faster in preparation for the lake restoration project announced last June. Nick...
Arkansas a destination for more than 48 million visitors in 2022
Little Rock, AR (October 23, 2023) – Arkansas Tourism is now a $9.2 billion industry, according to an economic impact study commissioned by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. The study, conducted by Tourism Economics with input from DK Shifflet, says 48.3 million people visited Arkansas in...
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Outdoor Recreation News from Arkansas with coverage of events and destinations mainly in the state. We cover Hiking, Camping, Mountain Biking, Road Cycling, Kayaking, Canoeing, Trail Running, Backpacking, Rock Climbing, and more.
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