Some of my best memories are in the backdrop of the natural beauty of Arkansas, especially its parks: Lake Dardanelle, the lodge at Mount Magazine, taking every single out-of-state visitor up Mount Nebo, the little local park at Piney Bay, near where we used to live.  Hours and hours of fishing, family picnics, romantic walks, swimming and taking my son to the playground, going out on the boat, digging for diamonds and Christmas at the wonderful restaurant on Mount Magazine.

Arkansas is incredibly blessed by its state and local parks, and most of us don’t appreciate it.  Now that I’ve been traveling for the last couple years, I realize how rare these things are in other countries and even other states!  I grew up within 5 minutes of Lake Dardanelle, and I lived within walking distance to Piney Bay after I got married.   We were surrounded by hiking/walking trails, good fishing, boat ramps, and swimming spots.  The fees were low, especially if you bought a season pass, and some things like picnicing and shore fishing didn’t cost anything at all.  Several parks even have free tennis courts.

In Germany, everything is a paid club membership.  There is a fishing club, a hunting club, a model airplane club, a gardening club, and a tennis club.  There was even a “klein tier” (small animal) club, where people paid a yearly fee for a 3 x 5 plot where they could keep their exotic chickens or bunnies.  There was a free playground for the kids in town, but most other activities are not free.  Even if you were to find a lake where you could shorefish without paying for it, there are crazy fees and an educational course just to get a fishing license.

Even when you can find a nice place to fish in Europe, like here in France, there are mostly carp.  Now carp might be related to catfish, but there is no comparing.  Catfish are ten times easier to clean, and just taste better. We’ve heard rumors of catfish here, but we haven’t found any yet.  Lake Dardanelle has the highest density of catfish per acre in the US.  That’s hard to beat.

I’m thankful for where I grew up.  I was able to learn about fishing and being in nature.  I spent lots of family time on the water learning to fish and learning to paddle a canoe, and later teaching my son to fish.   I was able to take long walks with the man who would become my husband, and enjoy his home-cooked food at the tasty picnics he made for us.  It was romantic, and something that didn’t get us into trouble.  But it didn’t cost a thing.  I went to the Crater of Diamonds a couple times and dug for diamonds. I never found anything valuable, but it sure was fun!   We loved going to the Visitor’s Center in Russellville, a fairly new improvement that shows locals about the kinds of fish that are found in the lake and tells about the history of Lake Dardanelle and the surrounding area.  I know lots of kids who love going to the events put on there and rent canoes and fishing poles.  The parks make for great family time that is healthy, inexpensive, and refreshing.  They are a place for meetings, events, parties, and dates. And they are a place to reconnect with nature and wild beauty.  I won’t be returning to Arkansas for some time, due to circumstances beyond my control.  Will our parks still be fun, available and worthwhile?  I certainly hope so.  I leave it in your hands, Arkansans, to keep them that way.

More info about Arkansas State Parks
More blogging about Arkansas

Do you live in Arkansas, or have you traveled there?  What was your favorite place to visit?  Do you have any memories of the great parks and waterways?