Arkansas is one of mid-America’s most beautiful travel destinations. Arkansas is a unique tapestry of mountains, plains and fertile delta. Its heritage is part Western frontier, part Ozark pioneer and part Old South. Throughout, there’s a true small-town friendliness ready to welcome you, whether you opt for taking it easy or explore the out-of-doors. You can spend your time enjoying contemporary cityscapes or recreation that takes full advantage of The Natural State’s abundant resources; we’ll do our best to make you feel at home.

Central
Little Rock and North Little Rock form the vibrant heart of Arkansas. The two cities and their neighboring towns comprise a metropolitan area of some 500,000 people, offering a cosmopolitan mix of historic attractions, imaginative shopping opportunities, fine dining, nightlife and creative arts. A grand collection of museums offers something for every taste—from art to history to aerospace. And the Quapaw Quarter of restored 19th-century homes is one of the country’s finest examples neighborhood reuse.

Delta
Follow the green-and-white pilot wheel markers along the Great River Road in the heart of eastern Arkansas’s Mississippi River Delta country. The road will lead you from north to south through this rich agricultural kingdom where cotton, rice, soybeans and wheat flourish in some of Arkansas’s richest soils. This is the land where you can experience a taste of the civilizations settlers and explorers. Check out the Hampson Museum State Park at Wilson and Parkin Archeological State Park at Parkin.

Ouachita
Rugged mountain trails. Awe-inspiring vistas. Comfortable resorts. Rustic campsites. Sparkling lakes. Real diamonds. These attractions are among the many reasons vacationers return to the Ouachita (Washitaw) Mountain region year after year. They come to hike the trails of Hot Springs National Park and enjoy the vistas from the mountaintops in the rugged backcountry of the Ouachita National Forest. They also come to be pampered at the luxury hotels and famous thermal baths of the resort city of Hot Springs.

Ozarks
The Ozarks are a heavily eroded plateau, pushed up eons ago and carved out by hundreds of streams over thousands of years. Nature worked wonders, and today the diversity of these highlands is endless. Some of the most scenic rivers and majestic lakes in America are here to enjoy. Recreational boating, canoeing and swimming are on the agenda of many visitors. Plan a leisurely walk along a trickling stream, or pick up the pace on an award-winning hiking trail. Take time to tour a museum, historic home, formal garden or Civil War park. Dance and sing along at an informal mountain ho-down or dress up for an evening on the town.

River Valley
Old World charm, unsurpassed scenic beauty, modern sophistication—it’s all here in the Arkansas River Valley. You’ll find pretty little towns such as Ozark, and you’ll find European flavor in the Altus area, the heart of Arkansas Wine Country. Three family-owned wineries dating back to the 1800s offer tours, tastings, and insight into the art of viticulture. Throughout the valley, the Arkansas River provides exceptional recreation. At the Fort Smith National Historic Site, you can discover what life was like on the lawless frontier. Across the river, the refinement of the Victorian era is preserved in all its glory in venerable Van Buren, a mecca for arts, crafts and antiques.

Timberlands

Timber. Oil. The "Deer Woods." Big bass. These are words commonly used when people talk about the Timberlands of Arkansas. Each year, thousands of sportsmen descend upon Southern Arkansas to hunt deer in what is considered the best deer-hunting region in the state. They also come in search of the linker bass that reside in the area’s legendary lakes and rivers. Other visitors enjoy the legacy of pioneers by visiting sites ranging from 1800s log cabins and restored Victorian homes to local museums and colorful murals that tell the history of this land.

Biking
Whether you want to spend the day cycling through the hills or river valley, or plan a full-scale expedition, there is a bicycle route for you. Favored routes include cycling through the Ouachitas and Ozarks with a possible detour to Eureka Springs, or a Memphis to Ft. Smith east to west trip across Arkansas.

Bird watching
Grab a pair of binoculars, some sturdy shoes, and head outside to join one of the fastest growing pastimes in Arkansas. A mild climate with moderate winter snow, a geographical location between the eastern and western sections of the country, and a wide variety of habitats make Arkansas a prime spot for bird watching. Bald eagles, golden eagles, several varieties of hawks, owls, woodpeckers, songbirds, and abundant waterfowl can be found throughout Arkansas. The winter months offer especially good birding, but it’s a year-round activity.

Game and Fish
Arkansas is a fisherman’s haven. Anglers may choose to pursue bass and pinfish or imports such as walleye, hybrids and monster stripers. The tail waters below Norfork, Bull Shoals, Beaver and Greer’s Ferry are favorite trout runs. Rainbows and browns provide top action for almost 100 miles along the famous White River. White-tailed deer remain our number one big game animal; and liberal seasons are set for archery, muzzleloaders and modern guns. Wild turkey and small game are abundant, and waterfowl hunting along the famous Mississippi Flyway of eastern Arkansas is tops.

Boating
Arkansas has over 9,000 miles of streams, and a good deal of this mileage is perfect for floating—be it by canoe, johnboat, or raft. The variety of enjoyable experiences provided by this assortment of rivers is remarkably wide-ranging: from matchless trout fishing trips, to rugged whitewater runs, to peaceful passages ideal for first timers.

Hiking & Camping
There are several popular ways to get back to nature in Arkansas, The Natural State. For those who like to pitch a tent, there are over 200 campgrounds operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the state’s three national forests—the Ozark, Ouachita and St. Francis; 28 state parks; and the National Park Service at the Buffalo National River and Hot Springs National Park. Hiking enthusiasts will find trails designed for day hikes and others, like the Ozark Highlands National Recreation Trail and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, for extended backpacking excursions. There are also many equestrian trails and guided horseback riding facilities. And for underground adventures, there have 13 caves to explore.

Queen Wilhelmina, Mena, AR
Atop Arkansas's second highest peak, this cloud-capped hideaway reigns above the Ouachita Mountains. Located on the Talimena Scenic Drive, the park is as rich in history as in scenery. In the late 1800s, a resort named Queen Wilhelmina Inn (in honor of the Queen of the Netherlands) was built on Rich Mountain by the Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf Railroad.

Lake Catherine, Hot Springs, AR
Located between Malvern and Hot Springs, this park is nestled in the Ouachita Mountains on the shore of 1,940-acre Lake Catherine. Shades of the past are seen in wood and stone facilities that today combine rustic warmth and modern conveniences. Gifts, groceries, snacks and ice are available at the visitor center that overlooks the swimming area and nature center.

Petit Jean, Morrilton, AR
The natural beauty of Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of the Arkansas State Park system. The adjacent canyon is the work of Cedar Creek, which cascades as a spectacular 95-foot waterfall. Upstream, a rock-dam on the creek forms Lake Bailey, 170 acres for fishing and pedal boating.

Bull Shoals, Lakeview, AR
In the Ozark Mountains, you'll discover one of the nation's finest fishing and boating combinations: the White River and Bull Shoals Lake. The two form a much-touted "fishing paradise." The White River, one of mid-America's premier trout streams, is famous for record rainbow and brown trout.

Lake Dardanelle, Russellville, AR
This park offers two lakeside areas on Lake Dardanelle, a 34,000-acre lake on the Arkansas River. The Russellville and Dardanelle locations offer campsites, which include launch ramps, standard pavilions, picnic areas, rest rooms, and bathhouses with hot showers. A visitor center, marina, barrier-free fishing pier, miniature golf course and hiking trail are part of the park.

Devil's Den, West Fork, AR
At Devil's Den, in a picturesque Ozark valley, you can explore caves, crevices and bluff overlooks. The mountain stream forms a small 8-acre lake before cascading over a magnificent native stone dam.

DeGray Lake Resort, Bismarck, AR

Arkansas's premier resort park lies on the north shore of a 13,800-acre fishing and water sport paradise. A 96-room lodge, camping, swimming, tennis, golf, hiking, bicycling, guided horseback trail rides and more are available at this state park. The park's full-service marina offers tackle, dock space, fuel and a wide variety of boat rentals. A causeway takes you from the mainland to the island lodge and convention center offering scenic views of the lake and Ouachita foothills. The park has an 18-hole, public championship golf course.

Arkansas Post Museum, Gillett, AR

Arkansas Post was the first settlement in Arkansas, and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. It served as an important military and trade outpost for France, Spain and Britain during the colonial period of the 1600s and 1700s prior to the Louisiana Purchase. The actual site of the Post is now a lakebed due to the Arkansas River's change of course. This museum collects, preserves and interprets the Territorial Era of Arkansas's development as a state and its relationship to the settlement of the lower Mississippi Valley.

Toltec Mounds, Scott, AR
Toltec preserves and interprets Arkansas's tallest Native American mounds. These mounds and the earthen embankment are the remains of a large ceremonial and governmental complex inhabited from AD 600 to 1050. Tours are available along the park's 3/4-mile barrier-free trail and new 1.6-mile turf trail.

Area: 53182 sq. mi.

Statehood: June 15, 1836.

Topography: Eastern delta and prairie, southern lowland forests, northwestern highlands, which include the Ozark plateaus.

State Capital: Little Rock.

State Population: 2,551,373; 33rd - 12/99.

Bordering States: Louisiana - Mississippi - Missouri - Oklahoma - Tennessee - Texas - Regional List.

State Agriculture: Poultry and eggs, soybeans, sorghum, cattle, cotton, rice, hogs, milk.

State Industry: Food processing, electric equipment, fabricated metal products, machinery, paper products, bromine, vanadium.

State Flag: A diamond on a red field represents the only place in North America where diamonds have been discovered and mined. The twenty-five white stars around the diamond mean that Arkansas was the twenty-fifth state to join the Union. The top of four stars in the center represents that Arkansas was a member of the Confederate States during the Civil War. The other three stars represent Spain, France and the United States, countries that had earlier ruled the land that includes Arkansas.

Largest Cities: Little Rock, Fort Smith, North Little Rock, and Pine Bluff.

Geographic Center: Pulaski, 12 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Highest Point: Magazine Mountain; 2753 feet, 34th.

Lowest Point: Ouachita River; 55 feet, 26th.

State Bird: Mockingbird.

State Flower: Apple blossom - Pyrus coronaria.

State Nickname: The Natural State.

State Song: Arkansas, Oh, Arkansas.

Origin of state's name: French interpretation of a Sioux word "acansa," meaning "downstream place."

State Motto: Regnat populus - "The people rule".

State Tree: Pine.