mississippi river state park

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STATE PARK
Mississippi River State Park is on the southern end of
Crowley's Ridge and borders the Mississippi River.
Operating through a special use permit from the U.S.
Forest Service within the 24,000-acre St. Francis
National Forest, Arkansas's newest state park will
eventually encompass 536 acres. Bear Creek Lake
Recreation Area in Lee County offers full-service
campsites. Areas to be added to the park in the coming
years include the confluence of the St. Francis and
Mississippi rivers, St Francis River Access, Hornor
Neck Access and Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area in
Phillips County. Park visitors enjoy fishing for largemouth
bass, shell crackers, crappie and channel catfish. On the
Audubon Great River Birding Trail, the park offers a
diverse array of birding and watchable wildlife opportunities
including deer, waterfowl, bald eagles, gray and fox
squirrel, otter, beaver and alligator.
The park is also on the Great River Road and the Crowley's
Ridge Parkway. The Great River Road is a 10-state
byway stretching along both sides of the Mississippi
River from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Like the
Great River Road, Crowley's Ridge Parkway also features
the dramatic and beautiful scenery in eastern Arkansas.
Winding through the park and the national forest is an
unpaved part of the Parkway that showcases the unique
hardwood forest and steep hills of Crowley's Ridge.
HISTORY
This region has been home to man for millennia. Native
Americans used Crowley's Ridge as a refuge from high
water and hunted its forests. It saw some of the earliest
European explorers since the Mississippi River was as
a major travel route. In 1815, this area was the initial
point for the survey of the Louisiana Purchase Territory.
By the early 1900s, much of the land here had been
cleared for agriculture and grazing.
In the 1930s, the area came into public ownership under
the Resettlement Administration when the federal
government bought the land from private owners. The
original plan called for the area to be the "Eastern Arkansas
Grazing, Recreation and Wildlife Area." In 1938, the
WPA built Bear Creek Lake, Storm Creek Lake and the
ridge road, along with other improvements, during the
Great Depression. The area was administered by the
Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service until
1960 when it was transferred to the U.S. Forest Service,
and the St. Francis National Forest was established.
Mississippi River State Park was authorized by Act
859 of 1973. Through the years, Arkansas State Parks
studied various sites along the Mississippi River. On
May 20, 1999, the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation
and Travel Commission voted to partner with the U.S.
Forest Service for a state park within St. Francis
National Forest. Over the next 10 years Arkansas State
Parks staff worked with U.S. Forest Service to formulate
plans and funding for the new park. Mississippi River
State Park began operation on May 1, 2009, at Bear
Creek Lake Recreation Area. Park development will
continue in a phases over several years.
The park provides quality access to the St. Francis
National Forest to inspire personal connections with
the Mississippi River, the Delta and Crowley's Ridge.
In partnership, the recreation resources are managed
by Arkansas State Parks, while the forest resources
are managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
FACILITIES
Camping-Beech Point Campground is on a wooded
peninsula in Bear Creek Lake. Campsites feature
views of the lake and are surrounded by prime wildlife
and birding habitat. Two courtesy docks provide campers
with additional access to the lake, known for outstanding bream and bass fishing. The campground features
17 campsites [14 Class AAA with water/electric/sewer
hookups and three Class D Walk-in Tent Sites]. Each
paved site includes an extended hardened living area
with picnic table, grill, lantern hanger, and tent pad.
A barrier-free bathhouse is centrally located. On the
east side of the lake, the park's Lone Pine Campground
offers 14 primitive sites (no hookups) and vault toilets.
For group camping, Maple Flats Campground (no
hookups) includes vault toilets. Camping is paid at the
visitor center, or after hours at self-pay stations in each
campground. Reservations can be made by calling the
park office at: 870-295-4040. Arkansas State Parks
camping rules and regulations apply to all Bear Creek
Lake Recreation Area campsites.
Day Use ◆ Adjacent to the campground is the
Day-use Area that includes picnic areas with tables
and grills, swimming, a boat ramp, and the Bear Creek
Lake Nature Trail. Use of this area and the boat ramp
are free of charge. Picnicking at Beaver Point Picnic
Area on the east side of Bear Creek Lake is also free.
Hike the one-mile loop Bear Creek Lake Nature Trail
and experience the beauty of the Crowley's Ridge forest.
Visitor Center ◆ Opened in spring 2013, the joint
agency visitor center invites visitors to study, observe,
and explore the Arkansas Delta, the Mississippi River,
and Crowley’s Ridge. Discovery based and interactive
exhibits connect visitors to the natural, cultural, and
historic resources of Mississippi River State Park and
the St. Francis National Forest. The facility offers access
to the half-mile loop Trotting Fox Trail, amphitheater
for outdoor programs, and Ranger Pond for fishing
and aquatic exploration. Sown with native wildflowers,
the trail is a study in forest regeneration. An adjacent
multi-purpose building allows groups to meet here and
serves as a discovery center for visitors and students.
The visitor center is staffed by employees of Arkansas
State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service. Barrier-free,
the visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
No hunting is allowed within the state park. Contact
the St. Francis National Forest for hunting regulations
on the remainder of the National Forest.
Mississippi
River
State Park
LOCATION
From I-40, take Exit 239 and follow Ark. 1 south to
Marianna. [From Helena, take Ark. 49 west to Walnut
Corner, then Ark. 1 north to Marianna.] From Marianna,
follow Ark. 1B to Ark. 44 (Great River Road/Crowley's
Ridge Parkway) and go three miles southeast to the
visitor center, or six miles to the Bear Creek Lake
Recreation Area.
For further information on park hours and fees, contact:
Mississippi River State Park
2955 Arkansas 44
Marianna, AR 72360
Telephone: (870) 295-4040
e-mail: mississippiriver@arkansas.com
For further information on Arkansas’s other state
parks, contact:
Arkansas State Parks
1 Capitol Mall, 4A-900
Little Rock, AR 72201
Telephone: (501) 682-1191
www.ArkansasStateParks.com
As a part of its conservation mission,
Arkansas State Parks has printed this
brochure on recycled paper. All park services are provided
on a nondiscriminatory basis. Arkansas State Parks is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Arkansas State Parks 2013
Arkansas
Department of Parks & Tourism
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NOTICE: To preserve scenic beauty and
ecology, fences and warning signs have
not been installed in some park locations.
Caution and supervision of your children
are required while visiting these areas.
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Explore the Beauty & History of Arkansas!
Mississippi River
State Park