Arkansas State Parks – paths to adventure
By MARY ELIADES
Voice correspondent
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE NOV. 25, 2025, ISSUE OF THE HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE VOICE. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION.
Hot Springs Village Audubon welcomed Kayla Gomance, assistant chief of interpretation for Arkansas National Parks, as guest speaker on Nov. 13. Her presentation was titled “Trips, Tips & What’s New in Arkansas State Parks,” and she delivered on all counts.
Gomance is responsible for hiring and training park interpreters, who conduct hikes, boat trips, and other “paths to adventure” around the state.
Gomance said there are 52 state parks in Arkansas and two additional sites under the State Parks umbrella: War Memorial Stadium and Lake Sylvia Recreation Area in Perryville. A map of the parks shows dots all over the state, and Gomance said everyone in Arkansas has at least one park within an hour’s drive.
The mission of Arkansas State Parks is to “enhance quality of life through exceptional outdoor experiences, connections to Arkansas history, and sound resource management.” Although the parks bring in more than 8.5 million visitors annually – and generated $35.8 million in revenue in 2024 alone – Gomance said the main goal is to improve the quality of life for everyone.
“The parks are not just about nature, history, or recreation,” said Gomance, and described a program – Park Rx America – that was created in 2017 by Dr. Robert Zarr, a pediatrician in Washington, D.C. He began prescribing outdoor experiences for his patients (instead of drugs) and saw a significant impact to his patients – increased physical activity, improved mental health, increased community interaction, and injury reduction “by providing safe places to play and be active.”
When people think of state parks, many pictures come to mind and Gomance had beautiful illustrations of each vision: scenic views, beautiful cabins and lodges, fishing, hiking, lake activities, horseback riding, etc.
“You can choose your adventure,” she said. There are hundreds of trails in the park system, and the terrain and difficulty of the trails varies widely. Gomance showed slides of visitors hiking, walking, strolling – even running – on flat or hilly trails. The Arkansas State Parks website has a list of trails in all the parks, which can be filtered by location, difficulty, type of trail, etc.
Park interpreters are available for guided experiences. Boat tours are popular, and two excellent tours are available to visitors at Lake Ouachita – the purple martin extravaganza (mid-July to mid-August) and the eagle tours (October through February).
Close encounters with nature, however, are not the only draws to Arkansas State Parks. Historic Washington State Park offers an immersive experience into the living history of 19th century Arkansas. Visitors can participate in a mock trial, based on actual events, or enjoy Christmas and Candlelight, with holiday music, décor, and food.
Arkansas State Parks has a Passport Program – Club 52 – in which members can collect stamps from the parks and earn prizes. “They can collect stamps, smiles, and memories,” said Gomance.
The system has recently added some “monument trails” – world-class, multi-use trails – with assistance from the Walton Foundation. The planners have been “very intentional” with signage and naming to add interest and draw attention to the history of the area. “We try to encourage stewardship,” Gomance said.
Other new additions to the park system include a horse camp at Devil’s Den State Park, a downhill mountain biking trail, complete with chairlift, at Queen Wilhelmina State Park, and a water park at Crowley’s Ridge
The park formerly called Toltec Mounds Archeological Park has been renamed Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park, after scholars learned that the native people from the area were actually from the Plum Bayou tribe.
All-terrain wheelchairs are now available at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Logoly State Park.
Lodging is available at the parks, from basic yurts to cabins with Jacuzzis. The park system boasts more than 1,700 campsites.
There is something for everyone at the parks. Gomance recommended watching a sunset at Mount Magazine, relaxing by the river at Bull Shoals, sleeping under the stars or staying at a cabin in the trees.
Entry to all the state parks is free. For more information, visit https://arkansasstateparks.com.
In other club news, HSV Audubon’s education liaison, Genell Harris, recently conducted two programs at Mountain Pine schools, teaching the students how to analyze owl pellets.
Jeri Garcia, standing in for Chris Cash, reported that the club is gearing up for the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which is going into its 125th year. In 2023, more than 18,000 people in North and South America participated in the count, recording sightings of 2,380 species and 40 million birds. The Village event will be Dec. 15, and participants can sign up to be a member of a field team or a “feeder counter.”
HSV Audubon president Norma Wall reminded members and guests that dues will increase slightly in 2026 (so renew now) and added that every activity sponsored by the club is funded through dues and donations.
On Dec. 11, Audubon will welcome Charles Allen, engagement director of Audubon Delta, as guest speaker. Allen will discuss the centers, sanctuaries, and chapters of Audubon Delta.
The ever-popular photographer Tim Ernst will return to the Village on Jan. 8 and will discuss his latest book.
For more information on HSV Audubon, visit https://hsvbirds.org.