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Arkansas Outside
Light at the End of the Trail – Update on the Delta Heritage Trail
The Delta Heritage Trail State Park is a state park that offers recreational opportunities for hiking, cycling, and wildlife watching. The park is situated in the eastern part of the state, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, also known as the Arkansas Delta region. The park’s primary attraction is the Delta...
Mississippi Alluvial Valley Awarded $3 million for Wetland Habitat
Wetland protection, enhancement, and improvements will benefit wintering waterfowl and protect critical ecosystems. Ridgeland, Miss.- Oct.17, 2023 – Ducks Unlimited (DU) and its partners in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi recently received a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant that will protect and enhance over 2,840 acres of wetlands along the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV).
Rebranding the Buffalo National River
The Buffalo River in Arkansas underwent a remarkable transformation to become the Buffalo National River, a designation that helped protect its pristine natural beauty and historical significance. The journey began in the mid-20th century when residents and conservationists recognized the need to safeguard this unique and unspoiled river ecosystem from potential damming and commercial development. Their grassroots efforts led to the creation of the Ozark Society in 1962, a pivotal organization that played a significant role in advocating for the preservation of the Buffalo River.
Batten and Swenson Win Inaugural Life Time Little Sugar Mountain Bike Race
Bentonville/Bella Vista, Ark., (Oct. 15, 2023) – Northwest Arkansas saw a stacked field of the world’s top mountain bike racers at the Life Time Little Sugar MTB, in which Haley Batten of Santa Cruz, Calif. and Keegan Swenson of Heber City, Utah took first in the elite 100K races. Life Time and OZ Brands awarded a $65,000 prize purse equally split between the top five women and top five men finishers, the largest single-day prize purse in US mountain biking. The inaugural race had more than 1,000 participants, with riders aged 12 to 70 years old from 46 states and eight countries.
Team Ozark Set for the Adventure Racing World Championship in South Africa
Expedition Ozark co-race Director Jason Bettis is about to lead Team Ozark at the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championship. The 800km, non-stop race will be hosted by Expedition Africa and takes place in Kouga, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Team Ozark will be amongst 109 teams from 30 countries who will gather at Cape St. Francis and prepare for the race start on October 19th.
Virginia Endurance Cyclist Wins 1,000-plus-mile Arkansas High Country Bike Race in Record Time
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Virginia endurance cyclist Abe Kaufman rode into downtown Hot Springs Wednesday evening to win the 1,000-mile-plus Arkansas High Country Race in record time. Kaufman completed the challenging race, which took racers through some of Arkansas’s toughest mountain terrain, in 4 days,10 hours, 8...
Pulaski County to host ribbon cutting, dedication to Judy Lansky at Big Dam Bridge North Plaza, Oct. 18
PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (October 9, 2023) – Pulaski County will host the Big Dam Bridge North Plaza Ribbon Cutting and Dedication to the Judy Lansky Pavilion on Wednesday, October 18 at 10 a.m. in Cook’s Landing Park. The new plaza aims to separate pedestrian and bicycle traffic by...
Riding a Bike for the Fun of it
“Biking is not just a sport, it’s a way of life.”– Anonymous. It’s easy to get carried away when riding a bike. The old adage, “If there is more than one cyclist, it’s a race.” can often be the case. Testosterone and the competitive spirit take over and soon, you find yourself down in the bars, butt in the air, and mashing those pedals. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
Tom Pidcock and Savilia Blunk to Headline All-Star Field at Life Time Little Sugar Mountain Bike Marathon Race
Bentonville/Bella Vista, Ark., (Oct. 5, 2023) – Olympic mountain bike champion, Tom Pidcock, and multi-time national champion, Savilia Blunk, will headline the elite fields at Life Time Little Sugar MTB on Sunday, Oct. 15. The world’s top mountain bike racers, many of whom are contenders in the Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda, make up the impressive fields.
Eddyline Kayaks Relocates Headquarters to Siloam Springs
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (Oct. 6, 2023) – Eddyline Kayaks, an innovative paddlesports brand founded in 1971, is moving its headquarters from Washington State to Northwest Arkansas, company officials have announced. The move to Siloam Springs will be completed in December 2023. “At Eddyline, our purpose is to build quality...
USDA Forest Service Seeking Nominations for Recreation Resource Advisory Committee
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – October 3, 2023—The USDA Forest Service is re-establishing the Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Recreation RAC) and is soliciting prospective nominees. The purpose of the Recreation RAC is to provide recommendations on recreation fees for Forest Service lands within the states of Alabama, Arkansas,...
Second Annual Birdeye Gravel Festival Returns November 3-5, 2023
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (September 21, 2023) – StudioDRIFT is pleased to announce that the second annual Birdeye Gravel Festival is set to return on Friday, November 3rd in Birdeye, Arkansas. The three-day festival benefits the Crowley’s Ridge Gravel Trail Project, a project focused on connecting Piggott to Helena. Once complete, the Crowley’s Ridge Gravel Trail will span 249 miles – and 7,825′ of elevation.
Arkansas State Park Receives American Trails Legacy Trail Grant
The American Trails Legacy Program is funded up to $1.5M per year for 5 years through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and supports partner trail projects that further the Legacy Roads and Trails criteria on National Forest System trails throughout the nine Forest Service Regions. The goal of the program is to support projects that restore, protect, and maintain watersheds in the national forests and grasslands.
The Sandtown Shuffle – Photo Essay
Last Spring we attended the first Sandtown Shuffle and had an incredible time. So much so that when Bobby and Amy Finster came up with a Fall Edition, we signed up. This time we decided to share photos of just about everything except the bikes to give you an idea of the beauty of Independence, Sharp, and Izard Counties north of Batesville.
Outdoor Industry Non-profits Unite with a Shared Agenda
Washington D.C. (Sep. 28, 2023) — Aligned around the goal of facing unprecedented threats to public lands and waters, three well-established outdoor industry non-profits – representing a quarter million people and 800 businesses – are coming together with an aligned agenda and shared voice to protect the outdoors. The new coalition — Protect America’s Outdoors — is unified by the idea that speaking with one voice on behalf of a huge group of people makes their collective impact stronger.
Trail Closures for Kessler Mountain Jam
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – As part of this weekend’s Kessler Mountain Jam, on Sunday, Oct. 1, several trails at Kessler Mountain Regional Park will be closed to the public. Kessler Mountain Jam is an annual mountain bike race held as part of the Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series. The event will occur from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the park. It is a USA Cycling-sanctioned race with categories for all ages and levels.
How a Looming Government Shutdown Could Hit National Parks
National parks and nearby communities could forego millions of dollars per day during a partial government shutdown that could start this weekend. Would-be visitors will likely see restrictions on park access, though the extent of those restrictions was still unclear just days before a potential lapse in federal appropriations set to begin Sunday. Parks would lack the regular funds used for daily operations, but some could be covered temporarily by states or other funding sources.
Early Fall Hike at Pinnacle Mountain State Park – Photo Essay
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn,” John Muir. Yesterday...
Outdoor Fayetteville named 2023 Natural Resources Program of the Year
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The City of Fayetteville was honored this week by the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), which named Outdoor Fayetteville its 2023 Natural Resources Program of the Year. Outdoor Fayetteville is an experiential-based program offered through the City’s Parks, Natural Resources, and Cultural Affairs Department. It...
National Public Lands Day 2023
Looking for a fun and affordable way to spend the weekend? Tomorrow is National Public Lands Day, and the National Park Service (NPS) is offering free admission to all 400+ of its sites. Normally, 109 NPS sites charge an entrance fee, including popular destinations like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand...
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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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