Get in touch with nature and discover the beautiful Arkansas scenery around Fort Smith, AR. Head down the road in a Kia Sportage or Sorento with plenty of ground clearance and space for your outdoor gear and go on exciting adventures hiking, biking, and angling at the scenic natural areas below.
Drive on Over: 3 Ways to Get in Touch With Nature Near Fort Smith, AR
1. Go Hiking in the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center
The 170-acre Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center at 8300 Wells Lake Road in Fort Smith is the ideal destination to explore on foot. Hike through fields and a young oak-hickory forest filled with birdlife on the short 0.5-mile Field and Forest Trail, enjoy the open spaces on the 0.5-mile Oak Savannah Trail, and wander along the edge of a picturesque steam to spot beavers down the 0.25-mile Beaver Creek Trail.
On the 0.5-mile Upland Trail, deer and coyotes are often seen, and the paved 0.5 Wells Lake Trail which runs along the edge of the lake, is perfect for observing waterfowl, especially blue herons and Canada geese.
2. Cycle and Mountain Bike in Ben Geren Park
Take a leisurely cycle through beautiful areas in Ben Geren Park at 7200 Zero Street down 7.5 miles of paved trails or hit over 14 miles of rugged scenic tracks that cut through untouched open meadows and woodlands filled with bird and animal life.
The single-track trail, fun for cyclists with moderate to advanced skill levels, is listed as one of the eleven premier mountain biking trail systems in the state and is packed with exciting features, including winding switchbacks, rocky sections, and narrow wooden bridges.
3. Wet Your Hook in Wells and Torraine Lakes and the Arkansas River
The 12-acre Wells Lake in the Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center and 15-acre Torraine Lake in Ben Geren Park are a part of the Family and Community Fishing Program and are stocked annually with rainbow trout. Anglers usually reel in one-pounders, but you can hook a 15-pound whopper if you’re lucky. Another great place to cast your line is in the backwaters along the Arkansas River, famous for the Arkansas Big Bass Classic.
The Arkansas largemouth bass record is over sixteen pounds, but anglers mostly reel in one to three-pounders. Channel catfish are plentiful, and if you’re after redear sunfish and bluegill, you can catch them with everything from crickets to worms. Wells Lake and the Arkansas River are teeming with bluegill, and although the state’s record is over three pounds, the average bluegill weighs less than half a pound.
Take a well-deserved break to have fun outdoors in beautiful surroundings. Call Crain Kia of Fort Smith today for a maintenance service to ensure your vehicle gets you safely to your destination.
Image via pixabay.com by Hermann
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