Page 4 - RVO Spirit of Russellville

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SPIRIT OF RUSSELLVILLE • RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
PARKS continued from page 3VV
number of improvements in the 1930s, including the construction of the park’s 10 original wood-and- stone cabins, he said.The cabins have been updated to provide modern amenities and can be rented overnight, he said.
“The state park has taken great pains to main- tain that rustic feel, so it’s a unique experience,” he said.“Going back into the past — into the 1930s — and staying in those hand-built cabins, it’s a different experience than staying in a hotel.”
Fourteen miles of hiking trails,ranging from easy to strenuous, guide visitors past sweeping views to scenic spots. Morning larks can greet the dawn at Sunrise Point, and night owls can bid the day adieu at Sunset Point. During the spring and fall, shutter- bugs can photograph the park’s seasonal waterfall.
One of Mount Nebo’s more notable features is the bench, a natural structure that encircles the mountain, dividing it into two levels. Pedestrians, bicyclists and horseback riders can follow its path along the Bench Road Trail, Donahou said, adding that the park does not have a stable, but allows guests to bring horses.
Summer visitors can take a dip in the park’s public pool, and Donahou said he leads interpretive programs on weekends.
“It’s just a great place to get away and do some family activities,” he said. During warm weekends, visitors may spot hang-gliders soaring around the mountain. Although the park does not offer hang-gliding programs, it is a popular launch site for enthusiasts, Donahou said.
Guests also are likely to see various animals that call the mountain home.Wildlife ranges from lizards and snakes to squirrel and whitetail deer, Donahou said.
“We’re famous for our deer,” he said. “They’re very visible, and people are able to see them and photograph them fairly easily.”
About 15 miles from the mountain, Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville offers a differ- ent view of the area’s natural landscape.The lake, which is part of the Arkansas River, was created in 1968 as part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, park interpreter Sasha Bowles said.
“Before Arkansas was a state, there weren’t roads and highways that were easy to navigate, so the river was the main form of travel,” she said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project created a series of locks and dams from theTulsa Port of Catoosa in Oklahoma to the Mississippi River on Arkansas’ eastern edge, which eased the transportation of people and goods by river.
“From right here in Russellville, you can get anywhere in the world, because once you get to the Mississippi River and out to the Gulf [of Mexi- co], you can get anywhere you want,” Bowles said.
The lake attracts a wealth of wildlife, including
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Mount Nebo State Park in Dardanelle boasts a picturesque waterfall that is active during the spring and fall.
deer, beavers, minks, otters, turkeys, waterfowl and bald eagles, she said.
“Our lake doesn’t freeze over, so birds can mi- grate down from farther north and have a constant food source,” she said.
The park offers eagle cruises twice a week from November to February, when visitors are likely to glimpse the stately birds.The park also offers regular cruises throughout the year, Bowles said, adding that the eagle cruises are free, but guests must call 479-967-5516 to reserve a space.
Visitors also flock to the lake for its year-round bass fishing tournaments, which occur at least once a week from mid-February to mid-November, Bowles said.
“We have a very healthy bass population, and with that much fishing pressure on the population, wedowhatwecantohelpthemsurvive,”shesaid, adding that all registered fishing tournaments at the park’s tournament facility are catch-and-release.
The park also offers kayak and stand-up paddle- board rentals, guided kayak tours and a number of educational programs, she said. From 7-9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month, guests can enjoy a free cup of coffee and conversations with the superintendent during the park’s lakeside coffee break, she said.
To view a schedule of the eagle tours and other park activities, visit www.arkansasstateparks. com, click on the events tab and select Lake Dardanelle State Park from the park menu.The site also offers a schedule of events for Mount Nebo State Park.
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