Day Trips and Area Activities
Swimming, picnicking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, bicycling, museums, and art galleries are within a 2 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 for more information.
- 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 Web site.
- 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 (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)
- Ft. Smith National Park Museum and Hanging Judge's Courtroom (Ft. 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
- Ft. Smith Art Center (Ft. Smith)
- Hot Springs Fine Arts Center (Hot Springs)
- Southwest Art Gallery (Mena)
Area Activities
Lum & 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 3rd 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 on their Web site www.GoMenaArkansas.com.