3 Days in Arkansas: A Nature Lover's Itinerary

Thank you to Arkansas State Parks for collaborating on this blog post. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Arkansas, also known as the "Natural State," invites you on an unforgettable journey through its breathtaking mountain landscapes, crystal-clear rivers, and rich culture.

Nature lovers, get ready to explore mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, and caves that offer endless outdoor adventures:hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and of course, mountain biking.

Challenge your skills on the challenging trails of Bentonville, the mountain bike capital of the world. Arkansas offers a variety of terrain for all levels of cyclists, from beginners to experts.

Discover the 52 state parks waiting to be explored, including Petit Jean State Park with its stunning panoramic views,Mount Magazine State Park, the highest point in the state, or Lake Ouachita State Park, home to the second largest man-made lake in the United States.

Arkansas has everything for a perfect getaway: nature, culture, fun, and delicious cuisine.

How to get to Arkansas?

Arkansas' two major airports are: Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas which have direct flights to Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, New York, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Atlanta, Houston, Orlando, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

I recommend you to get to Little Rock, it is located in the center of the state, and from here you can rent a car to move easily.

Where to Stay?

I recommend that you choose Little Rock as your base to explore Arkansas, as we will have many places to visit within two hours away.

I also recommend staying in one of the 5 lodges, 208 cabins or more than 1500 campsites in arkansas state parks.

If you want to know more information about the different options and how to book your lodging in Arkansas State Parks visit this link: https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/accommodations

Your perfect itinerary:

Day 1

After checking in at our hotel, we can go for a snack at: and then we go to Lake Dardanelle State Park, we can enjoy the rest of the day in this park, it has a very interesting visitor center, but the best thing is to enjoy the lake where you can swim, fish and rent kayaks. I recommend you to stay until sunset, it is very beautiful.

Day 2

We will start the day with a sunrise at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, on the park's website you can find information on guided sunrise hikes during the summer, as the sunrises are before the park opens.

The hike I recommend is the Pinnacle Mountain West Summit Trail, I would say that the hike is a little difficult, it is like you are climbing a staircase from the moment you start it, the trail is very well maintained and marked, and you will find several areas to rest, in total it is 2.8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 690 feet, it could take you between 1h 30m to 2h.

When you get to the top you will see that all the effort was worth it, the views are incredible. You will have the best views of the Arkansas River Valley, Lake Maumelle and the Ouachita Mountains.

After this hike it's time for lunch to have energy to continue exploring Arkansas. In downtown Little Rock we have several places to spend the afternoon and also get to know a little of the culture and history of the city, eat at the River Market or visit one of the many museums that the city has.

Now we'll go to Petit Jean State Park, the state's most popular park. It could have been a national park, but Stephen Mather, director of the National Park Service, suggests that Petit Jean State Park become a state park instead of a national park. The federal government spends $1,750,000 to develop the area, the Civilian Conservation Corps builds two lakes, a stone lodge, 20 cabins, picnic areas, shelters, roads and trails.

That is why I recommend the option of staying for a night in this park, either in a cabin, in the lodge or camping.

Here we can do several hikes like the Cedar Falls, the Rock House Cave or the Seven Hollows Trail and there are many scenic overlooks that we can easily reach without having to hike.

The sunset from the CCC Scenic Overlook is incredible, you can clearly see Mt Magazine State Park which is the highest mountain in Arkansas with a elevation of 2753 ft.

Day 3

If you love sunrises and don't mind getting up early you have to go to Mt Nebo State Park, from the Bench Overlook, you will have the best views.

After breakfast we can go to Cedar Falls, this hike is very popular and is open all year round. The trail begins behind the breezeway at Mather Lodge. It is an easy route of about 2 miles round trip, with an elevation of only 360 ft, it can take you 1 hour to do it. If you don't want to hike, you can also see the waterfalls from the Cedar Falls Overlook.

To finish the day we will go to Hot Springs, to visit the Hot Springs National Park, although for me it is more of a historical site and if you want to understand more about it you should visit the visitor center. You can also climb the Mountain Tower or visit a Bathhouse, but if you want to continue enjoying the nature of Arkansas you should go to Lake Ouachita State Park, Arkansas’s largest lake, Lake Ouachita offers 40,000 acres of clear, clean water surrounded by the scenic Ouachita National Forest. Swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating, kayaking, and fishing are enjoyed here.

Arkansas totally surprised me. I know why they call it "The Natural State". The natural beauty of this place is breathtaking. And I would also love to return in the fall to photograph the vibrant colors of the foliage.

Arkansas has something to offer for everyone, whether you're a nature lover, an outdoor enthusiast or a history and culture buff.

I encourage you to discover the magic of Arkansas for yourself - you won't regret it!