Ashley County: Nature, Waterways, and History

Natural attractions vary in their landscapes and activities; historic sites offer a different focus. This makes it easy to plan your trip around your interests.

Nature, Waterways, and Camping

Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge lies about eight miles west of Crossett and covers 76,000 acres. Rivers, creeks, swamps, and lakes run through the area, supporting a diverse range of native wildlife and plant life. Activities include sport fishing, crawfish catching, and frog gigging. Several developed boat ramps and fishing piers add to the waterside amenities. Paddlers can follow three self-guided routes through the waters of the Felsenthal Basin.

Overflow National Wildlife Refuge is in Ashley County and covers 13,000 acres. Its landscape includes bottomland hardwood forests, impoundments, and agricultural lands. The wetlands provide habitat for mallards, wood ducks, and other waterfowl species. A different mix of habitats characterizes Longview Saline Natural Area, where saline barrens, upland forests, shortleaf pine-hardwood flatwoods, and bottomland hardwood forests alternate.

Little Bayou WMA is predominantly covered by bottomland and upland hardwoods, along with shortleaf pine. The area has an access ramp to Bayou Bartholomew. From the Little Bayou WMA access point, the Bayou Bartholomew Water Trail runs 4.5 miles downstream to the access point at Arkansas Highway 82. Visitors who want to stay overnight can use a campground with RV sites, but no electrical or water hookups. Campground facilities may change; check the information before your trip.

The Casey Jones WMA areas are accessible via highways and county roads. There are designated campsites without electricity or running water. As local road conditions may change, it is advisable to check them before driving. The landscape of Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA is shaped by seasonally flooded bottomland hardwood forests, along with some pine ridges and remnants of prairie. The Ouachita River, as well as its oxbows and tributaries, offer fishing opportunities. Two designated primitive campsites are located along the access road on the west side of the river.

Towns, Festivals, and Regional History

In Crossett, Wiggins Cabin is an exact replica of a structure dating from the 1830s. The annual Wiggins Cabin Festival takes place on the grounds. The program includes a 5K race, a beauty pageant, a concert, and vendor booths; dates and program details may change. Also in Crossett, City Park at Lucas Pond features a 2.8-mile loop trail with interactive signs about the park's natural features, as well as picnic tables, pavilions, and a playground. Reservations are not required. Trail conditions and amenities may change, so it's worth checking for current information before your visit.

The Crossett Farmer’s Market on Main Street is another local stop, where farmers sell their produce. As market operations may change, check current dates before visiting. Hamburg hosts the annual World Famous Armadillo Festival. Another historic landmark is the Hamburg Commercial Historic District in Ashley County, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 2009.

The Ashley County Museum features exhibits on local history in the David E. Watson Home, built in 1918. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed in the Neoclassical Revival style. The Yale Camp Historic District is locally significant in Ashley County for its associations with the timber industry and forestry administration.

Crossett Experimental Forest in Ashley County was established in 1934 to research new silvicultural practices for managing renewable stands of loblolly pine and shortleaf pine. Crossroads Fire Tower is locally significant for its association with conservation and is considered a good example of a fire lookout tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It is 120 feet tall and the tallest surviving tower of its kind in Arkansas.

Discover more destinations: Crossett, Parkdale, Hot Spring County, Pope County, Phillips County, Crawford, Lonoke County, Scott County

For the main travel overview: Arkansas.