Small Town Dinosaur Park Proves Size Does Not Matter When It Comes To Attractions

Mountainburg, Arkansas is known for their Dinosaur Park. The park was founded in 1980.Crystal Carroll (www.BunnyPlaysHere.com)

A small community of just under 600 might seem like an unlikely location for one of Arkansas many unique attractions. However, Mountainburg, Arkansas does not let its size stand in the way of its larger than life reputation of being famous for its Dinosaur Park.

The park was the brainchild of the city itself and through the home built dinosaur designs of Douglas W. Birchfield it was not long before this small community welcomed its legacy to their local park space. The designs were created in 1980 and quickly installed for children to play and adults to enjoy the spectacle.

The park is now the home of a 14 foot tall T-Rex, a 20 foot long Brontosaurus and a 15 foot long Triceratops. While two of the structures are now contained behind fencing to protect them, the Triceratops is still open for playing and has welcomed more recent improvements to the park in way of modern equipment, also featuring the dinosaur design.

While the community area is only 1.47 square miles, this park seems expansive with a walking trail, picnic tables, covered spaces for gatherings, dog friendly areas and a community building which can be accessed for special occasions. In addition, an antique fire truck is displayed as another crowning moment for the town to shine!

Mountainburg, Arkansas was originally founded around 1883 as an outlaying stop along the St Louis - San Francisco Railway. It was originally a portion of the US Route 71 which at the time was the main roadway through Northwest Arkansas. After being bypassed by the interstate, the town persisted unlike many in the area and found ways to set itself apart from the neighboring areas. Embracing neighboring Lake Fort Smith State Park, the community offers small boutique style shops and local restaurants for those visiting the area.