Sevier County: Lakes, Rivers and History

DeQueen Lake gives Sevier County a distinctive waterside perspective; there are also river activities on the Cossatot River, trails in Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge and cultural and historical sites in various locations. When planning your trip, it’s worth organizing these different highlights: time at the lake, river activities, and excursions focused on history and culture each lend themselves to different day plans.

Lakes and Water Activities

DeQueen Lake has a surface area of 1,424 acres and a shoreline of 32 miles. Three campgrounds offer a total of 73 campsites. Dierks Lake also has three campgrounds, with more than 118 campsites; the sites are developed. These figures provide a concrete comparison of the campsites available at both lakes, without making any claims about individual accommodations.

At Dierks Lake, you can go boating, fish for bass and crappie, swim, and water-ski. The Cossatot River offers a different kind of water experience: floating, kayaking, and bass fishing are popular there. If you’re weighing up the lake versus the river, there’s a clear difference: swimming and water-skiing are mentioned for the lake, while floating and kayaking are mentioned for the river; bass fishing is available at both.

Nature and Trails

Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge encompasses about 27,000 acres of bottomland hardwood habitat that is especially suitable for wildlife. The refuge has more than 3.5 miles of hiking trails and over 30 miles of ATV trails, which are open seasonally. The refuge can be reached by public roads, ATV/UTV trails, and by water. The combination of habitat and different types of trails makes the area a distinct highlight alongside the lakes and river.

For a walk on a different scale, De Queen Sportsplex has a 0.25-mile paved, lighted loop trail. By comparison, the refuge has more than 3.5 miles of hiking trails. This compares a single loop with an entire network of hiking trails—a useful distinction when planning time for trails and outdoor activities.

Local History, Museum and Events

The communities in the county preserve different chapters of regional history. During its years of operation, Gillham High School was the social center of the community. Belleville United Methodist Church was built around 1904 as a wood-frame structure, using local labor and simple detailing. It is considered an outstanding example of a simple, traditional church in Belleville. In Lockesburg, the Waterworks was built in 1936 with financial assistance from the Public Works Administration; it is an outstanding example of waterworks development and construction in the 1930s.

In De Queen, the Commercial Historic District includes 35 buildings and is near the Sevier County Courthouse. The Sevier County Museum brings together additional topics in local and county history. Its exhibits include railroads, Collin Raye, the Caddo, the Trail of Tears, and early pioneer life. The museum also includes a reconstructed village, early local artifacts, and an authentically furnished 1940s home.

Events are also part of the cultural offerings. The Hurrah! Festival takes place annually in the fall and brings the county’s history to life with performers in the miniature village at the Sevier County Museum. Blue Darter Days is a two-day festival with an arts and crafts show at the Historic Lockesburg Gym on the UA-Cossatot campus in Lockesburg. Herman Dierks Memorial Park is currently the site of the Sevier County Farmer's Market. If a festival or market is the reason for your trip, check the date in advance.

Consider the location of your accommodations in relation to the places you actually plan to visit. This way, you can choose based on the experiences you want to shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: De Queen, Cross County, Poinsett County, Jackson County, Craighead, Dallas County, Union County, Chicot County.

For the broader travel overview: Arkansas.