Day Trips and Area Activities
Swimming, picnicking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, bicycling, museums, and art galleries are within a two-hour drive from the park. Although we have no rivers or streams in the park, flowing water is just a short drive away.
Area Information
Swimming & Picnicking
Contact the Ouachita National Forest in Heavener Oklahoma at: 918-653-2991.
- Mill Creek (Hwy 270)
- Cedar Lake, Oklahoma (Hwy 59/270)
Fishing, Swimming, Camping & Picnicking
Contact the Ouachita National Forest in Glenwood, Arkansas at: 870-321-5202
- Albert Pike
Contact the Ouachita National Forest in Talihina Oklahoma at: 918-567-2326
- Winding Stair Mountain, Oklahoma (Hwy 1)
Hiking
Contact the Ouachita National Forest in Talihina, Oklahoma at: 918-567-2326
- Kerr Nature Center
Contact the Ouachita national Forest in Mena, Arkansas at: 479-394-2382
- Earthquake Ridge Trail
- Shady Lake Recreation Area
- Caney Creek Wilderness Area
- Ouachita Trail
- Blackfork Wilderness Trail
Bicycling
- Earthquake Ridge Trail - 6.8 miles of singletrack. A map is available on the National Forest website.
- Talimena Highway - The Talimena Scenic Highway is a long time favorite for road cyclists, tough climbs, exhilarating downhills and beautiful overlooks accentuate this ride.
Canoeing
Arkansas State Parks
Oklahoma State Parks
- Lake Wister
- Cedar Lake
- Talihina
- Beaver Bend
U.S. Forest Service
Contact Ouachita National Forest at Mena, Arkansas at: 479-394 2382.
- Albert Pike
- Shady Lake
- Little Missouri Falls
- Mill Creek
- Bard Springs
Boating
- DeGray Lake
- Lake Greeson
- Lake Catherine
- Lake Hamilton
- Gillham Lake
- Lake Ouachita
- Broken Bow Lake
Museums
- Gary Blythe's Museum (Waldron)
- Kerr Research Center (Poteau)
- Peter Conser House (Heavener)
- Fort Smith National Park Museum and Judge Parker's Courtroom (Fort Smith)
- Mid-America Museum (Hot Springs)
- Jot-Em-Down Store (Pine Ridge)
- Kansas City/Southern Historical Railroad Museum (Mena)
- Heritage of the Forest Museum (Beaver Bend State Park)
Art Galleries
- Fort Smith Art Center (Fort Smith)
- Hot Springs Fine Arts Center (Hot Springs)
- Southwest Art Gallery (Mena)
Area Activities
Lum and Abner Festival is held the first weekend in June in Mena, AR.
Vandervoort Picnic is an old fashioned 4th of July in Vandervoort, Arkansas at the picnic grounds.
Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run held at the Queen Wilhelmina State Park is an antique car show held the third weekend of August.
The Polk County Fair is the last week in August each year.
A full list of activities are available by calling the Mena A&P Commission at 479- 394-8355 or visit the Commission's website www.GoMenaArkansas.com.