As the Arkansas River journeys through Lake Dardanelle, it continually shapes the land and creates opportunities for people like you. We must be careful when enjoying these opportunities that we don’t affect others. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater to help solve a marsh mystery and discover how you can help protect our natural areas.

The great outdoors is filled with many colorful things. Thanks to Lake Dardanelle’s diverse habitats, you can discover just how bright and colorful the world around you is. Join a park interpreter at the visitor center for this easy color walk.

Lake Dardanelle State Park is home to many turtles both on land and in the water. Visit the park interpreter’s Look & Learn Table at the visitor center to learn about the turtles that make this park their home.

Lake Dardanelle State Park has a diverse ecosystem that supports a wide variety of life. Meet a park interpreter at the amphitheater to race through this life-sized tree maze to discover some of the trees found here and what makes them stand out from the others.

Exploration, opportunity, and progress forged the culture you find here today. Meet a park interpreter at the amphitheater to hear some stories of the past that create the wonderful and unique culture in the River Valley.

Lake Dardanelle State Park’s healthy habitats are a haven for frogs and toads. Tadpoles and polliwogs transform into insect-eating machines throughout Lake Dardanelle State Park. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater to discover more about their amazing transformation, and what to listen for to know they are around.

The 1800’s brought many emigrants to the river valley; these pioneers had to learn to live off the land. Basket making, by using oak splits, was an important task for every pioneer. Weave your own basket in this hands-on class and reflect on those who lived in this area before it was a state park. Bring a sack lunch or plan to visit a local restaurant. The $40 fee covers the cost of materials. Class size is limited, preregistration is required. We will be in the open-air pavilion.

Many creatures find a home in a Lake Dardanelle State Park including a variety of reptiles. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater to discover what makes our reptiles unique.

The plants found in Lake Dardanelle State Park depend on spreading their seeds far and wide in order to survive, but they don’t move around like animals. Stop by the park interpreter’s Look & Learn at the visitor center to discover how plants get their seeds from one place to another.

The Arkansas River journeys through Lake Dardanelle’s diverse fishery. What lives in the Lake is determined by its health. Join us at the kayak beach near the visitor center as we test the waters of Lake Dardanelle to determine how healthy our lake is and what type of diversity we can find in the fishery.

Why does Lake Dardanelle have such a healthy bass population? The health of this fishery is partially, due to the good conservation practices of the staff at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater where she will talk about fish and how we can better care for them by learning about and understanding their habits.