Ask the Expert: River Valley Hikes

Written By: Rachel Putman

Spring break is next week in the River Valley, and the forecast is looking beautiful. To help you make the most of it, we asked two of our biology faculty members, Dr. Jason Ortega and Dr. Ragupathy Kannan, to recommend a few favorite local nature sites.

Their picks range from paved, family-friendly paths to prairie preserves, lakeside trails, and birding destinations worth the drive. Here’s what they suggest watching for along the way.

Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center

Dr. Ortega’s first pick is the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, a site that works especially well for families with small children, and casual hikers who prefer paved pathways. The grounds are a great place to watch aquatic turtles basking on logs and hear frogs calling from the banks of Wells Lake. Inside, visitors can see the center’s impressive collection of Arkansas pitvipers, and it’s 1,700-gallon aquarium stocked with native fish.

Springhill Park

Ortega also pointed us to Springhill Park in Barling, where several short trails at the east end of the park make it easy to spot a variety of species. One of his favorites there is the broad-headed skink, a striking brown-and-orange lizard that can often be seen basking on tree trunks and fallen logs.

Flanagan Prairie Natural Area

For those looking to explore a little further, he recommends the Flanagan Prairie Natural Area, one of several remnants of historic prairie habitat in this part of Arkansas. Along with Cherokee Prairie and Presson-Oglesby Preserve, it’s a good place to catch sweeping patches of wildflowers in bloom, and with a little luck, you might also spot an ornate box turtle, a species of special concern in Arkansas.

Lee Creek Reservoir Recreation Area

Dr. Kannan recommends Lee Creek Reservoir Recreation Area in Van Buren for its trail through the pine oak forests and the wildlife that comes with it. It’s especially good for birds and salamanders, including the Ozark Zigzag salamander, which is endemic to Arkansas. In May, the area also fills with migratory birds moving north, including Swainson’s Thrushes, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, And Blackburnian Warblers.

Riverfront Park

Closer to campus, Dr. Kannan suggests Riverfront Park, a strong birding spot because the trail passes through several different habitats. That variety makes it a good place to watch for river birds like Terns and Gulls, as well as woodland species like Red-Headed Woodpeckers in the Cottonwoods near the river.

Upper Buffalo River Road near Waldron

And for a longer trip, Dr. Kannan recommends Upper Buffalo River Road near Waldron, a destination birders travel from all over the country to visit. It’s especially known for three standout species: the federally endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, the Bachman’s Sparrow, and the Brown-Headed Nuthatch.