This Magical Waterfall Campground In Arkansas Is Unforgettable

You can find dozens of majestic waterfalls in Arkansas, but this lesser-known gem hidden away in the Ozark National Forest is unlike any other in the state.

Get acquainted with the hypnotizing natural phenomenon of waterfalls in Arkansas graciously provided by Mother Nature herself while visiting Haw Creek Falls Recreation Area & Campground.

Photo courtesy of Explore the Ozarks

Haw Creek Falls is one of the most incredible natural waterfalls in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains, which cover approximately two-thirds of The Natural State. There is plenty of wild country to explore here: the Ozark National Forest spans 1.2 million acres, but the highlight of this area for many is this picturesque waterfall hidden away in the forest.

Photo courtesy of Explore the Ozarks

Only a short walk from the campground, Haw Creek Falls offers visitors a breathtaking experience thanks to its turquoise waters contrasting with the mature hardwood forest around it. As if panoramic views of the falls were not enough, there are trails that take you out to the edge of, on top of, and below the falls.

Photo courtesy of Explore the Ozarks

These forests are generously endowed with recreational opportunities for camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, hunting, boating, scenic drives, picnics sites, and opportunities for wildlife viewing also abound. Haw Creek Falls Recreation Area & Campground offers 9 primitive sites to hikers and backpackers, as well as traditional campers. While there are no hookups, travel trailers are welcome.

After checking out the waterfall make sure to continue on with the hike as the rest of the area’s forest provides its own stunning views and natural wonders.

 

Gorgeous Swimming Destinations In The Ozarks To Beat The Summer Heat

Escape the summer heat while exploring these breathtaking natural swimming holes and waterfalls in the Ozarks.

Buffalo Point River

KINGSTON, ARKANSAS

Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. It is America’s First National River. This breathtaking swimming destination lies within the Ozark Mountains, surrounded by ancient rock bluffs and lush forest.

Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park

REYNOLDS COUNTY, MISSOURI

Looking for a unique destination? Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park offers ancient beauty.

The wilderness qualities and geology of Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and the surrounding St. Francois Mountains make this park a special place to visit. Its rugged character provides the perfect backdrop for camping, hiking, picnicking, splashing in the shut-ins, exploring nature or just relaxing.

 Rocky Falls

WINONA, MISSOURI

Hidden in the forest, this gorgeous lesser-known swimming hole is a perfect summer destination. It has a beautiful waterfall and many other utilities including a walking trail, bathrooms, picnic tables, and fire grills.

Fugitive Beach

ROLLA, MISSOURI

Carved into the cliffs of a rock quarry, Fugitive Beach is a unique and popular swimming destination for locals and travelers alike.

This hidden oasis offers a variety of summer activities for all ages including a 60 foot water slide, cliff jumps, sand volleyball, a play area for children, pavilion rentals, changing rooms, and a beach bar and grill.

The Rhododendron spring blooms on top of Hawksbill Mountain at t

Kings River Falls Natural Area

MADISON COUNTY, ARKANSAS

Located in the Boston Mountains, Kings River Falls Trail is an scenic hike along the banks of the Kings River, eventually leading to a beautiful waterfall.

Long Pool Recreation Area

DOVER, ARKANSAS

Long Pool Recreation Area lies along beautiful Big Piney Creek and offers visitors a variety of recreational opportunities: camping, picnicking, swimming, canoeing, fishing and hiking. A large natural pool, steep rock bluffs, and captivating forests are just a few examples of the natural beauty surrounding this recreation area.

Petit Jean State Park

KINGSTON, ARKANSAS

Petit Jean State Park is an Arkansas icon, a state natural and historic treasure that features the beauty and ancient geology of the surrounding mountains. Explore a variety of breathtaking scenery, including Cedar Creek Falls, a 95 foot waterfall in the forest, and “Blue Hole”, a popular swimming destination.

8 Magnificent State Parks In Arkansas That Will Leave You In Awe

Discover a plethora of breathtaking locations and unforgettable experiences throughout Arkansas while exploring these state parks.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park

MENA, ARKANSAS

A spectacular mountaintop setting. Breathtaking panoramic mountain scenery. Royal hospitality. Queen Wilhelmina State Park is this, and more. The park’s crowning attraction is its renowned hostelry, a historic lodging tradition born in 1898 with the original “Castle in the Sky” resort that graced this same lofty locale high above the Ouachita Mountains over 100 years ago.

Lake Ouachita State Park

MOUNTAIN PINE, ARKANSAS

Surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, Lake Ouachita is known for its scenic natural beauty and the clarity of its waters. These pristine waters form the largest manmade lake within Arkansas’s borders. Named one of the cleanest lakes in America, 40,000-acre Lake Ouachita is a water sports mecca for swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating, and fishing. Angling for bream, crappie, catfish, stripers, and largemouth bass can be enjoyed in open waters or quiet coves along the lake’s 975 miles of shoreline.

Located just a short drive from the spa city of Hot Springs on the lake’s eastern shore, Lake Ouachita State Park is your gateway to this popular water sports lake.

Petit Jean State Park

MORRILTON, ARKANSAS

Petit Jean State Park is an Arkansas icon, a state natural and historic treasure that has welcomed travelers over the decades. The natural beauty and ancient geology of legendary Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of Arkansas’s first state park, and with it our state park system.

Hiking trails lead through forests, canyons, meadows, and along streams and mountainside. See where nature over time formed sheer bluffs, Cedar Falls, and the Seven Hollows, such distinctive features as Bear Cave, the Grotto, and the Natural Bridge, and other formations sculpted geometrically by nature called Turtle Rocks and Carpet Rocks.

Mount Magazine State Park

PARIS, ARKANSAS

Mount Magazine State Park is on the state’s tallest mountain, the 2,753-foot Mount Magazine. Sweeping vistas of broad river valleys, deep canyons, and distant mountains welcome outdoor enthusiasts to Arkansas’s highest point.

The park is a place to enjoy hiking, sightseeing, exploring the mountain and nature study. It’s also a destination for outdoor sports and extreme adventure enthusiasts that offers rock climbing, rappelling, hang gliding, mountain biking, horseback riding, backpacking, and ATV adventure. An ATV guide service is available.

Mount Magazine is the state park system’s most dramatic location for technical rock climbing. The park also offers overlooks, hiking trails, a picnic area with restrooms, pavilion, and visitor center with an interactive exhibit gallery and gift shop. Park interpreters lead a variety of programs that highlight the mountain’s natural diversity and unique species.

Website: http://www.mountmagazinestatepark.com/

DeGray Lake Resort State Park  

BISMARCK, ARKANSAS

DeGray Lake Resort State Park is Arkansas’s only resort state park. Located near Bismarck, Arkansas, in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains and nestled along the north shore of 13,800-acre DeGray Lake, one of the region’s five Diamond Lakes known for their crystal clear waters, DeGray offers all the outdoor adventure and quality of an Arkansas State Park combined with resort class amenities at one of the finest lodges in the state. DeGray is a fishing and water sports paradise, a golf resort with an 18-hole championship golf course, the ideal camping spot, and one of the best parks for family vacations, getaways, reunions, weddings, business meetings and retreats.

Mount Nebo State Park

DARDANELLE, ARKANSAS

Surrounded by the natural beauty for which the Arkansas River Valley is known, Lake Dardanelle is a sprawling 34,300-acre reservoir on the Arkansas River. These two water resources combined here have put this area into the national spotlight as a major bass fishing tournament site. Lake Dardanelle State Park offers two areas on the lake: one park site is at Russellville, and the other is located at nearby Dardanelle. Both the Russellville (main park) and Dardanelle locations offer camping, launch ramps, standard pavilions, picnic sites, restrooms, and bathhouses with hot showers.

Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park

SCOTT, ARKANSAS

A National Historic Landmark, the Toltec Mounds site comprises one of the largest and most impressive archeological sites in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Preserved here are Arkansas’s tallest American Indian mounds. Three mounds remain where 18 once stood surrounded by an earthen embankment eight to ten feet in height, a portion of which is still visible today. These ancient earthworks are the remains of the late-Woodland thru early-Mississippian Period ceremonial and governmental complex which was inhabited here from A.D. 650 to 1050. The park visitor center features exhibits including artifacts from the site, an A/V theater, and archeological research laboratory.

Walking Tour: Free

Guided Archeological Site Walking Tour
Adult: $4 each
Child (6-12): $3 each
Family: $14

Guided Archeological Site Tour by Tram (by reservation)
Adult: $6 each
Child (6-12): $5 each
Family: $22

Crater of Diamonds State Park

MURFREESBORO, ARKANSAS

Crater of Diamonds offers park visitors a one-of-a-kind experience—the adventure of hunting for real diamonds. You’ll search over a 37 ½-acre plowed field that is the eroded surface of the world’s eighth largest diamond-bearing volcanic crater. If you find a diamond, it is yours to keep.Pinnacle Mountain is a day-use park dedicated to environmental education, outdoor recreation, and preservation. Located just west of Little Rock, this natural environment of 2,356 acres was set aside in 1977 as Arkansas’s first state park adjoining a major metropolitan area.

Diamonds come in all colors of the rainbow. The three colors found here at the park are white, brown, and yellow, in that order. Park staff at the Diamond Discovery Center provide free identification and certification of diamonds found here. Amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, quartz, and more rocks and minerals may also be found at the Crater of Diamonds, making the park a rock hound’s paradise.

Admission

Ages 13 & up $10.00

Ages 6 – 12 $6.00

Ages 5 & under Free

Photo Courtesy of http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/Default.aspx

Here is a Silver Moon Diamond found in Crater of Diamonds State Park following its cutting into this 1.06-carat pear-shape gem. Once cut, the diamond was appraised at $21,639. In its rough form at 2.44 carats, the diamond was a triangular-shape. On average, a diamond will lose approximately 40 to 60 percent of its rough weight when cut.