Visiting a Natural Area
Natural areas protect the last remnants of Arkansas’s original wild landscape. The idea is to protect the ecosystem and associated animals and plants first. However, that is not to say natural areas can never be visited by humans. They can be, but in a low-impact fashion. Natural areas are great places to experience a wilder version of Arkansas. If you like bird-watching, photography, or simply experiencing nature these are great places to visit.
When visiting a natural area, please be aware that travel within the site is limited to foot traffic to minimize erosion and disturbance to sensitive habitats. Motorized vehicles, horses, camping, removal of vegetation, and construction of permanent deer stands are prohibited. In addition, management activities may periodically limit access to some sites.
Hiking
When appropriate, natural areas can accommodate moderate, low-impact public use. Trails, interpretive panels, cell phone guides, and parking lots increase accessibility and educational opportunities. Of our 67 natural areas, 19 support moderate, low-impact public use. Downloadable trail maps are under development. Look for them to be online soon! Until then, here is a list of natural areas with trails:
Highly Improved Trails
Byrd Lake Natural Area
Chalk Bluff Natural Area
Lorance Creek Natural Area
Louisiana Purchase Natural Area
Mills Park Natural Area
Primitive Trails
Bear Hollow Natural Area
Big Creek Natural Area
Cossatot State Park-Natural Area
Dardanelle Rock Natural Area
Holloway Memorial Natural Area
Kings River Falls Natural Area
Logoly Natural Area
Rock Creek Natural Area
Sweden Creek Falls Natural Area
White Cliffs Natural Area
Guide by Cell
Let your cell phone be your guide to explore natural areas. Dial in to hear details from the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, your nature connection. This free audio guide includes several short, information messages. You can stay connected or hang up and dial back as often as you want before, during, or after your visit. The call is free, but the minutes will be applied per individual cell phone plans. Dial 501-708-0023 to hear a menu of items. Guide by Cell is currently in operation at the following natural areas:
Baker Prairie Natural Area
Big Creek Natural Area
Chalk Bluffs Natural Area
Downs Prairie Natural Area
H.E. Flanagan Prairie Natural Area
Louisiana Purchase Natural Area
Mills Park Natural Area
White Cliffs Natural Area
Hunting
Specific forms of hunting are allowed on some natural areas. A cooperative agreement between the ANHC and the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) incorporated certain natural areas into the AGFC's Wildlife Management Area (WMA) System. Every effort has been made by the AGFC to provide maximum opportunity, maintain safety, protect healthy wildlife populations, and adhere to the conservation values inherent to the ANHC’s System of Natural Areas.
Since several natural areas are now also considered AGFC WMAs, they will also receive the same level of attention from AGFC enforcement staff as do other WMAs. Consequently, all applicable hunting regulations will be enforced on natural areas where hunting is allowed.
The specific type of hunting allowed on each natural area varies. Please refer to the current AGFC's Hunting Guidebook before visiting one of these sites. Also, some areas have limited access and it is the hunter’s responsibility to obtain permission to access adjacent private landowner’s property. A complete list of natural areas where hunting is allowed is given below. Note that some natural areas exist within the bounds of larger AGFC Wildlife Management Areas.
Arkansas Oak Natural Area (Poison Springs WMA)
Benson Creek Natural Area
Big Creek Natural Area (Jim Kress WMA)
Cache River Natural Area (Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA)
Cherokee Prairie Natural Area
Coffee Prairie Natural Area (Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA)
Cove Creek Natural Area
Cut-off Creek Ravines Natural Area (Cut-off Creek WMA)
Devil’s Knob-Devil’s Backbone Natural Area
Falcon Bottoms Natural Area
Garrett Hollow Natural Area
Goose Pond Natural Area (Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA)
H.E. Flanagan Prairie Natural Area
Holland Bottoms Willow Oak Forest Preserve (Holland Bottoms WMA)
Iron Mountain Natural Area
Kings River Falls Natural Area (Ozark National Forest WMA)
Miller County Sandhills Natural Area
Moro Big Pine Natural Area-WMA (Moro Big Pine WMA)
Nacatoch Ravines Natural Area
Palmetto Flats Natural Area
Pine City Natural Area
Poison Springs State Forest Sand Barren and Oak-Pine Forest Preserve (Poison Springs WMA)
Railroad Prairie Natural Area
Rock Creek Natural Area (Harold E. Alexander Spring River WMA)
Roth Prairie Natural Area
Seven Devils Swamp Natural Area (Seven Devils WMA)
Singer Forest Natural Area (St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA)
Slippery Hollow Natural Area
Wittsburg Natural Area