Crystals, Camping & Clean Water: Visit Arkansas, The Natural State

Camping

Arkansas is home to tons of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campgrounds, making it an awesome destination for those who love to sleep under the stars. Ouachita National Forest is a large forest, 1.8 million acres (0.7 million hectares), centered around Lake Ouachita. The forest provides camping in sites scattered along the lake as well as the rivers leaving the lake.

The BLM campgrounds are free for visitors up to 14 days. Regulations are different for groups, so be sure to check the forest website linked below for more information. Ask a local for the best BLM spots to camp during your stay! Remember, these campgrounds exist to allow people to integrate with nature. The forest is a vacation spot for us human beings, but a permanent residence for many of the plants and wildlife you may come across. Leave no trace and if you are feeling like going a little further, bring an extra trash bag to clean up any trash that may have been previously left to help keep our forests clean!

If you are interested in less primitive camping, there are also several campgrounds with restrooms and water hook-ups available for a small fee. For example, the Hot Springs Gulpha Gorge campground is 4 miles (6.4 km) away from the main town. Just a little further out of town down Route 270, Charlton Recreation Area also provides campgrounds with amenities. Both campgrounds are at the head of hiking trails and day use areas.

Hiking

Hot Springs, Lake Ouachita and Little Rock offer plenty of opportunities for both day hikes and overnight hikes. Hot Springs is situated amongst Hot Springs National Park providing a variety of trails for visitors. The side streets off Central Ave. lead to trails, natural cliffs and creeks. Drive to the picnic area located at the top of the park for a breathtaking view of the city of Hot Springs, which looks underwhelmingly small surrounded by the sea of leaves reaching toward the sun. The east facing view makes this a wonderful place to watch the sunrise. This picnic area also links to many trails to hike through Hot Springs National Park.

If you are looking for an even more primitive experience, head to the Ouachita National Forest, where visitors have opportunities for stunning day hikes and clandestine backpacking hikes. For more information, check out the website below. The trails don’t end here.

Although Little Rock is slightly more congested, with more highway traffic, the city still offers opportunities for hikers. The Arkansas River Trail adjacent to the river provides explorers with a less primitive hiking experience. The trail is integrated with signs informing visitors about the nature and history of Little Rock. Whether you prefer waterfront trails, mountain treks, or paved paths, Arkansas has a hiking option for you!

Crystals

Arkansas is known for having some of the best quartz in the world. These sparkly healers can be found along trails, at mines and even in the lakes and rivers. If you want to take some home with you, there are plenty of mines to explore. In the mines, you can bring tools to excavate for crystals, and they will typically have small tools for borrow. Using your hands is also a useful trick to finding crystals as you cannot damage the points and it allows for a more organic method. One piece of advice I received was to use plastic tools over metal tools so you will not damage the crystals.

One place known for mining is the Ron Coleman mine in Jessieville. There are also several mines in Hot Springs. If you ask around, locals will give you insight on the best places to mine nearest you. If you want to check out some beautiful crystals in town, the streets of Hot Springs are also full of crystal shops! My personal favorite has a purple storefront and is at the intersection of Central Ave. and Whittington Street. Remember crystals are powerful beings, so treat them with respect while you mine!

Clean water

Arkansas is known for its pristine water. Lake Ouachita is one of the cleanest lakes in the United States. The water is extremely clear and is divine for a midday swim. Bring a kayak or canoe to explore the 690 miles (1,110 km) of shoreline and over 66,324 acres (26,840 hectares) of lakes and streams. In Hot Springs, take a stroll down the river to see stones with every color of the rainbow. Ask a local to find spots where you can fill up your camelback with clean fresh spring water. When you find it, this water will be some of the freshest water you will ever drink. Remember, to keep the water clean it is important to take any trash with you and not dump anything foreign into the sparkling lake.

Wildlife

Immersed in nature, wildlife in Arkansas is abundant. Snakes hanging out in the river. Lizards relaxing on rocks. Fish swimming around the lake. Song birds singing to the forest. Hawks soaring over trees. Eagles fishing in the lake. If you look on the ground you will find a large variety of spiders and other insects. In the parks you may also run into patches of ticks, so be sure to be prepared and know how to check for bites. The wildlife does not stop with the fauna.

Many types of trees inhabit these woods, such as a variety of oak, cedar, hickory and pine. There are raspberry bushes, mushrooms and many other edible friends. Be sure to know what you are doing before foraging in the woods as many berries and mushrooms are also poisonous. Also, be sure to watch out for poison ivy as it may be growing along some of the trees. If you know how to navigate through nature, a trip to Arkansas will be magical and grounding.