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Alcohol Use to be restricted at Dam Site North Park on Beaver Lake
The Beaver Lake Project Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will impose a ban on alcohol at Dam Site North Park in Carroll County starting from May 13, 2024. The USACE has taken this decision primarily to ensure visitor safety and address the issue of excessive littering in the park.
Ride of Silence – Little Rock
Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas will host the annual Little Rock Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024. This national event honors cyclists who have been injured or killed in traffic crashes. The Ride of Silence is a slow-paced, non-competitive event. Participants are encouraged to remain silent during the...
One Last Visit to the Eclipse
We haven’t talked much about the eclipse since we witnessed the totality event last month. There were so many places in Arkansas where we could have seen the eclipse, we had a hard time deciding on the best spot to be for the magic moment. In the end, we chose a field at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock located in the middle of the extensive mountain bike trail system. We had the field to ourselves and could easily listen to the insects and animals make their nocturnal sounds throughout the mid-day darkness. We had planned to go for a ride while we were there, but unfortunately, we got too absorbed in the spectacle and music playlist that I had created on Spotify for the event. The playlist worked out perfectly, but we ended up missing our chance to hop on the bikes, as we were focused on the skies and the music.
Governor Sanders Receives Outdoor Recreation Leadership Award
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders received the first ever “Outdoor Recreation Leadership” award at the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 7th. “I’m honored to receive the Outdoor Recreation Leadership award and earn recognition for all the progress my administration has...
Little Rock Parks and Recreation Leading Beginner Walks and Bicycle Rides
As the flowers bloom and the days lengthen, it’s the perfect time to get outside and explore the many outdoor recreation opportunities offered by the City of Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department! Mike Simmons started in his current position of Outdoor Recreation Coordinator in September 2023. Mike has worked in the outdoor recreation/education field since 1989 working in summer camps in Western North Carolina. He has a B.S. in Recreation Management from the University of Montana.
Governor Sanders Participating at the National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) is organizing the first-ever cross-segment CEO-level Forum for the outdoor recreation industry in Washington, D.C. This initiative is part of ORR’s ongoing efforts to bring industry leaders and government officials together for thought leadership. The conference aims to raise awareness about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the industry and to develop collective strategies to address them.
Registration Is Now Open for Expanded Sixth Güdrun
Northwoods Mountain Bike Festival Set for November 8 – 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Registration is now open for the Sixth Annual Güdrun – Northwoods Mountain Bike Festival, which will take place on the internationally acclaimed Northwoods Trail System in Hot Springs.
The Best Running in the Most Unexpecting Place
A beautiful area for a run, more on the Delta Dash, 27K and 5K options. Despite the Delta’s reputation for being an exceptionally flat region, one of the steepest hills in the state of Arkansas is the one leading up to Battery C Park in Helena. When I lived there, I used to take the students I coached to repeat running on it, and it’s one of the few hills I’ve had to push a bike up. From the top of the hill, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. You can see the kudzu canyons immediately surrounding the spot, downtown Helena and the Mississippi River to the east, the flat soy and cotton fields to the south, and the rolling hills of Crowley’s Ridge extending to the north.
Movement May: Trailblazers Initiative Encourages Community Wellness Through Movement Challenge
For years, May has been celebrated as National Bike Month, and the Northwest Arkansas Trailblazers have taken it to the next level by creating The Movement Challenge, which includes a tool to measure physical activity. The Movement Challenge is a Trailblazers initiative to encourage a healthy and connected community through...
NorthWest Arkansas Community College Hires Trail Technician Program Director
The Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) Trail Technician Program hired Lori Greminger as its inaugural Trail Technician Program Director. Greminger got her start teaching, building, and maintaining sustainable mountain bike trail construction for the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). After two years with IMBA, she then managed TrailSpring, a cycling centric non-profit, while also property managing Two Rivers Bike Park, and hosting Singletrack Mind Festival for five years. Upon moving to Northwest Arkansas, Greminger became the Events and Marketing Specialist for Allied Cycle Works. Most recently, she managed the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve for The Peel Compton Foundation. Her skill sets range from managing and maintaining trail, riding, and racing trails, to teaching about the various intricacies behind building entire trail systems from the ground up.
Ouachita National Forest Responding to Forest Health Risk
The Ouachita National Forest will conduct a pine timber salvage operation in Montgomery County due to an Ips engraver beetle infestation. There is an infestation of infected pine trees that covers an area of 177 acres on Forest Service land to the north of Lake Ouachita. This is situated on the Jessieville-Winona-Fourche Ranger District, southeast of the community of Story, Arkansas. The infestation starts from the shores of Lake Ouachita and extends northward. Visitors are advised to be cautious when traveling along Forest Service Roads 69, 69A, and 69B until salvage operations are completed later this spring.
Drawdown Scheduled for Nimrod Lake
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will commence the process of lowering Nimrod Lake on May 15, 2024. This action is being taken to improve aquatic vegetation and to carry out repairs to the channel markers, boat launch ramps, and swim beaches. This drawdown is a collaborative effort between the...
Shredding Through Paradise: Horseshoe Canyon Ranch Unveils New Mountain Bike Trails
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, nestled in the Ozark Mountains near Jasper, Arkansas, has upped the thrill factor with a brand-new network of mountain bike trails. Horseshoe Canyon Ranch now offers mountain biking trails in addition to rock climbing and ziplining activities, making it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a thrill on two wheels.
Stretch of Fayetteville Trail Detoured for Construction
Effective Monday, April 29th, a portion of the Town Branch Trail will be closed and detoured as part of the 15th Street-Interstate 49 overpass project by the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The closure is required to facilitate the installation of replacement water and sewer lines and vegetation clearing. The 0.75-mile...
Hot Springs National Park to Host “Hike to Health”
Hot Springs National Park has partnered with CHI St. Vincent, a regional health network serving central and southwest Arkansas, to introduce a seasonal health promotion program series called “Hike to Health.” The first event of this series is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Whittington Park. (374 Whittington Ave. Hot Springs, AR 71901)
WOKA Whitewater Park Official Grand Opening
The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) announced that the official opening event for the WOKA Whitewater Park will be on April 26th, Friday, at 10 AM. WOKA is a new whitewater destination located near Watts, Oklahoma, along the Illinois River. The facility is situated on a beautiful 30-acre site in the Ozark foothills. The highlight of the venue is a 1,200-foot long and 100-foot-wide whitewater course, which is located separately from the main river channel. This feature makes WOKA an ideal location for whitewater enthusiasts to test their skills and have fun.
Shotguns and Gravel Bikes
The Arkansas Outside Team loves a unique outdoor experience and this past weekend we enjoyed a classic Arkansas gravel bike ride with a twist. Phat Tire Bike Shop’s Double Barrel Gravel Ride offers a chance to conquer challenging gravel roads, test your skills with some skeet shooting, and refuel with a delicious jambalaya and crawfish boil – all for a good cause.
New Mountain Bike Trails to Officially Open at Craighead Forest
Craighead Forest Park in Jonesboro, AR, is set to unveil a new network of trails next week. These trails have been crafted by Rock Solid Trail Contractors and are expected to add fresh new energy to the local cycling scene. This addition will cater to a wider range of riders and will expand the park’s existing offerings.
Local Climber Andrew Blann Wins Prestigious Access Fund Award
Andrew Blann, a climber from Fayetteville, Arkansas, has been acknowledged by the Access Fund, a national non-profit organization dedicated to preserving climbing areas and access for climbers, for his outstanding contributions to local bolt replacement and leadership. Blann has been awarded the 2023 Climbing Advocate Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes climbers who have made exceptional efforts to protect climbing areas for future generations.
Ozark-St. Francis National Forest Recreation Improvements Announced
The Ozark-St. Francis National Forests have recently completed improvements to several recreation areas across the Forests totaling over $300,000. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) has funded improvement projects addressing critical deferred maintenance issues. This legislation, passed in August 2020, is responsible for funding the deferred maintenance needs of all types of Forest Service infrastructure, including bridges, roads, trails, and recreation facilities. These investments in Forest Service infrastructure, recreation facilities, and public land access demonstrate the agency’s commitment to caring for the land and serving people.
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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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