Transcript: GRADY SPANN - DIRECTOR, ARKANSAS STATE PARKS Building trails in our state parks is really a great investment into the quality of life of Arkansans and all the other visitors that come to our state parks. We have over 8 million visitors that come to our parks. They have the opportunity to experience some of the best trails systems in the nation because of the way we're gonna be building and the way we’re maintaining our trail system. PHIL PENNY - ROGUE TRAILS, TRAIL BUILDER What makes a trail sustainable is understanding the soils and the drainages, and creating something that's going to maintain itself. And you don't have a heavy impact. One of the things we try to make sure we do with the trees is we disperse them back into nature. They’re cut into small pieces and dispersed. But the trees are typically small undergrowth, there’s not a lot of removal. We work with trees. We like trees. It helps us maintain the soils and that's what we need. One of the other things that we think about as we’re building is we're disturbing an area that's been established. It has a seed bank in it and as we disturb this seed bank, we restore it in spots and that's how we re-naturalize with that seed bank and that's what gives you the old trail look in a very quick time. JOE JACOBS The new trails at the state parks we’re in the middle of building right now - this is the first really big movement of trails in over 80 years. It's almost a rebirth for state parks because that's what we're built around. When you get into a natural state park or a wilderness style state park, it’s the trails that you’re going there for. This whole thing is helping us learn to better take care of and maintain the trails we have because we're getting more and more traffic on them all the time. We're spreading the love around a little bit and we're getting trails into local communities that didn't have a whole lot of trails before. And because we're there and these new trails come along, suddenly, we'll bring up a whole new generation of people who will enjoy the outdoors and those trails. KELLY FARRELL A lot of people think a trail is just a path through the woods, but really when we build trails, it's way more than just a path through the woods. It's a well-planned and specifically, intentionally built path that is leading hikers or bikers or riders to a specific resource in that park. JAY SCHNEIDER So, if you're going near a cave or a sinkhole, or seep, or a riparian area that may have ground nesting birds or have amphibians or reptiles migrating through in the breeding season, we want to protect those as well as give you access. So it's a balancing act of where we're putting you in the resource to protect it but allow access. NENE & GUILLAUME WEAVER The Visitor’s Center that’s here has so many things to see and to learn about what you’re gonna see on the trail. So, it’s kind of a catch 22. It’s what you’re learning inside about the trees and the plants and the animal life and the mock-up cave system and there’s so much to learn inside, you can spend 2 hours inside learning about the forest that’s outside. But if you didn’t have a place to walk around and see it, that would be really difficult. So we’re really fortunate to have the trails system to allow us to go out and see all those neat things that we just learned about at the visitor center. JAY SCHNEIDER, RANGER, HOBBS STATE PARK Our trails are designed to be safe for our users. Whether you're on foot, on pedals, on a saddle - and they're easy to access and they're well-marked, so you don't have to worry about coming out here and getting to a junction and getting out the map and your G.P.S. and figuring out where you are. They're family-friendly and that's why we're out here--to serve our visitors. JOE JACOBS There are thousands of miles of trails in the state. The state parks obviously can't be there for every inch of every trail. So there's a lot of volunteer groups out there now that have come along to help build these trails, to help clean them up, to take care of them, to cut fallen wood off of them -- those kinds of things. It all comes back to that community of people that get together and enjoy these trails, whether it's working on them or just playing on them. CHRIS HO - TRAIL RUNNER Trail running is different for me. I can totally let go of work. About three or four miles in, all my worries go away. I connect with the trail. GIULLAUME WEAVER As a 42 yr old, there’s not very many things I can get out and do that make me feel like I’m 12. And this is one of them. And I’m getting exercise at the same time. JERRY BROWN - HIKER These trails mean life to me. Physically. And mentally. GRADY SPANN Trails in Arkansas state parks are really a significant part of our fabric. Trails are for running. Trails are for biking. Trails are for equestrians. Trails are for quality of life. And all those things are so critical for Arkansas State Parks to offer some of the best trails in the nation, but not just trails, sustainable trails. Trails that will be here hundreds of years from now. Trails impact my life, just like I know they will impact your life as you get out and experience trails.
WOW...I had no clue this video existed, but it's MAGNIFICENT! It's one of the best videos about trails I've ever seen...period. I can't believe it doesn't have more views that this, but it should be PROMINENT on every State Park website and FB page that has ANY sort of trails, and anywhere that is visible to tourists. As a kid growing up in Arkansas, our family went on hikes routinely to see various amazing things ranging from natural bridges, waterfalls, Native American relics, to incredible vistas. I've floated ever inch of the Buffalo River, and most parts multiple times. I can't list all of the places we went, and I can't tell you how many times my father would say, "There are some beautiful places in the US, but you're going to be hard-pressed to find any place more beautiful than Arkansas." Now at 50, I'm convinced he's right, and while it's amazing that we have people coming to ride trails from Minnesota and Wisconsin, we have people within the state who go on vacations hundreds of miles away from Arkansas every year, who could drive no more then 2 hours and see something every bit as breathtaking as wherever they're headed on vacation! Another quote from my father was, "I love going to see other places, but there are so many places within Arkansas that I haven't even seen yet, so why would I drive hundreds of miles?" It's the same now with mountain biking. I could drive hundreds of miles in any direction, and not get to a place that has trails that compare to what we have now in Arkansas! With the addition of the Monument Trails, it vastly increases the access to fun for families who enjoy a wide variety of activities. I cannot tell you how many requests I get from out of state riders about places to camp and ride when they travel to Northwest Arkansas. For me, having mountain bike trails WITHIN the State Park system is a game changer, because the facilities are great, it's convenient, and it can serve as a "base camp" so tourists can travel anywhere to ride or hike other trails and destinations nearby. I think we're only at the beginning phase of the growth of tourism in Arkansas State Parks, as people learn more about the world class mountain bike and hiking trails. I can give you direct quotes from tourists who have reached out to me about ways to maximize their vacation time, specifically to Northwest Arkansas. "Man, you weren't kidding! We LOVED the mountain biking, and that's world class, but you nailed it on floating the Buffalo River, and hiking Lost Valley. We'll go back to Wisconsin with memories of the mountain biking, but seeing an underground waterfall, and floating a river that beautiful is absolutely something our friends would love to come do, and they don't mountain bike." I had another couple from Minnesota reach out, and they specifically wanted "an adventure." They specifically said they wanted more of a secluded and raw feel. I sent them directly to the Upper Buffalo Headwaters Trails, but also encouraged them to hike the Buffalo River Trail from Ponca down to Kyle's or Steele's Landing. They planned to arrive on Friday, and go home on Monday, but they had so much fun, that they stated an extra week to hike to things like Hawksbill Crag, Pedestal Rocks, Glory Hole, Hemmed in Hollow, Round Top Mountain, and sections of the Ozark Highland Trail as well. These are AVID mountain bikers, who traveled to ride, but were smitten by the beauty of our trails! They even loaded up and drove to Syllamo to ride there, and then went to Blanchard Springs Caverns, and they were blown away! "We would be content if this was our yearly vacation. There's so much we didn't get to do!" I am constantly STUNNED by the number of people who have lived in Arkansas for years, and have never been to Blanchard Springs Caverns! I'm confidently on record as saying that there is zero reason to travel anywhere to go see a cave, because you will not find one better than Blanchard Springs, because I've tried. The lighting is spectacular, it's very accessible for everyone, and an experience you will never forget. Now to think there are going to be world class Monument Trails where people can go ride, stay, and conveniently drive to places like Blanchard Springs, is amazing! Here's a link to the opening day ride at the Monument Trails at Hobbs State Park that my brother and I produced. Can you tell we were having fun? th-cam.com/video/Lhq_olbTGXI/w-d-xo.html
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Loved to walk trails when I was younger and still enjoy them today! I do have a quick question, I noticed in this video there was a couple in a hammock and my question is, could you tell me what Arkansas State Parks allow hammock camping?
Transcript:
GRADY SPANN - DIRECTOR, ARKANSAS STATE PARKS
Building trails in our state parks is really a great investment into the quality of life of Arkansans and all the other visitors that come to our state parks. We have over 8 million visitors that come to our parks. They have the opportunity to experience some of the best trails systems in the nation because of the way we're gonna be building and the way we’re maintaining our trail system.
PHIL PENNY - ROGUE TRAILS, TRAIL BUILDER
What makes a trail sustainable is understanding the soils and the drainages, and creating something that's going to maintain itself. And you don't have a heavy impact.
One of the things we try to make sure we do with the trees is we disperse them back into nature. They’re cut into small pieces and dispersed. But the trees are typically small undergrowth, there’s not a lot of removal. We work with trees. We like trees. It helps us maintain the soils and that's what we need.
One of the other things that we think about as we’re building is we're disturbing an area that's been established. It has a seed bank in it and as we disturb this seed bank, we restore it in spots and that's how we re-naturalize with that seed bank and that's what gives you the old trail look in a very quick time.
JOE JACOBS
The new trails at the state parks we’re in the middle of building right now - this is the first really big movement of trails in over 80 years. It's almost a rebirth for state parks because that's what we're built around. When you get into a natural state park or a wilderness style state park, it’s the trails that you’re going there for.
This whole thing is helping us learn to better take care of and maintain the trails we have because we're getting more and more traffic on them all the time. We're spreading the love around a little bit and we're getting trails into local communities that didn't have a whole lot of trails before. And because we're there and these new trails come along, suddenly, we'll bring up a whole new generation of people who will enjoy the outdoors and those trails.
KELLY FARRELL
A lot of people think a trail is just a path through the woods, but really when we build trails, it's way more than just a path through the woods. It's a well-planned and specifically, intentionally built path that is leading hikers or bikers or riders to a specific resource in that park.
JAY SCHNEIDER
So, if you're going near a cave or a sinkhole, or seep, or a riparian area that may have ground nesting birds or have amphibians or reptiles migrating through in the breeding season, we want to protect those as well as give you access. So it's a balancing act of where we're putting you in the resource to protect it but allow access.
NENE & GUILLAUME WEAVER
The Visitor’s Center that’s here has so many things to see and to learn about what you’re gonna see on the trail. So, it’s kind of a catch 22. It’s what you’re learning inside about the trees and the plants and the animal life and the mock-up cave system and there’s so much to learn inside, you can spend 2 hours inside learning about the forest that’s outside. But if you didn’t have a place to walk around and see it, that would be really difficult. So we’re really fortunate to have the trails system to allow us to go out and see all those neat things that we just learned about at the visitor center.
JAY SCHNEIDER, RANGER, HOBBS STATE PARK
Our trails are designed to be safe for our users. Whether you're on foot, on pedals, on a saddle - and they're easy to access and they're well-marked, so you don't have to worry about coming out here and getting to a junction and getting out the map and your G.P.S. and figuring out where you are. They're family-friendly and that's why we're out here--to serve our visitors.
JOE JACOBS
There are thousands of miles of trails in the state. The state parks obviously can't be there for every inch of every trail. So there's a lot of volunteer groups out there now that have come along to help build these trails, to help clean them up, to take care of them, to cut fallen wood off of them -- those kinds of things. It all comes back to that community of people that get together and enjoy these trails, whether it's working on them or just playing on them.
CHRIS HO - TRAIL RUNNER
Trail running is different for me. I can totally let go of work. About three or four miles in, all my worries go away. I connect with the trail.
GIULLAUME WEAVER
As a 42 yr old, there’s not very many things I can get out and do that make me feel like I’m 12. And this is one of them. And I’m getting exercise at the same time.
JERRY BROWN - HIKER
These trails mean life to me. Physically. And mentally.
GRADY SPANN
Trails in Arkansas state parks are really a significant part of our fabric. Trails are for running. Trails are for biking. Trails are for equestrians. Trails are for quality of life. And all those things are so critical for Arkansas State Parks to offer some of the best trails in the nation, but not just trails, sustainable trails. Trails that will be here hundreds of years from now. Trails impact my life, just like I know they will impact your life as you get out and experience trails.
Thanks to those who have watched. We'd love to hear from you what trails mean to you.
My family and I cannot wait to visit!! Great video ❤️
WOW...I had no clue this video existed, but it's MAGNIFICENT! It's one of the best videos about trails I've ever seen...period. I can't believe it doesn't have more views that this, but it should be PROMINENT on every State Park website and FB page that has ANY sort of trails, and anywhere that is visible to tourists. As a kid growing up in Arkansas, our family went on hikes routinely to see various amazing things ranging from natural bridges, waterfalls, Native American relics, to incredible vistas. I've floated ever inch of the Buffalo River, and most parts multiple times.
I can't list all of the places we went, and I can't tell you how many times my father would say, "There are some beautiful places in the US, but you're going to be hard-pressed to find any place more beautiful than Arkansas." Now at 50, I'm convinced he's right, and while it's amazing that we have people coming to ride trails from Minnesota and Wisconsin, we have people within the state who go on vacations hundreds of miles away from Arkansas every year, who could drive no more then 2 hours and see something every bit as breathtaking as wherever they're headed on vacation!
Another quote from my father was, "I love going to see other places, but there are so many places within Arkansas that I haven't even seen yet, so why would I drive hundreds of miles?" It's the same now with mountain biking. I could drive hundreds of miles in any direction, and not get to a place that has trails that compare to what we have now in Arkansas! With the addition of the Monument Trails, it vastly increases the access to fun for families who enjoy a wide variety of activities.
I cannot tell you how many requests I get from out of state riders about places to camp and ride when they travel to Northwest Arkansas. For me, having mountain bike trails WITHIN the State Park system is a game changer, because the facilities are great, it's convenient, and it can serve as a "base camp" so tourists can travel anywhere to ride or hike other trails and destinations nearby. I think we're only at the beginning phase of the growth of tourism in Arkansas State Parks, as people learn more about the world class mountain bike and hiking trails.
I can give you direct quotes from tourists who have reached out to me about ways to maximize their vacation time, specifically to Northwest Arkansas. "Man, you weren't kidding! We LOVED the mountain biking, and that's world class, but you nailed it on floating the Buffalo River, and hiking Lost Valley. We'll go back to Wisconsin with memories of the mountain biking, but seeing an underground waterfall, and floating a river that beautiful is absolutely something our friends would love to come do, and they don't mountain bike." I had another couple from Minnesota reach out, and they specifically wanted "an adventure." They specifically said they wanted more of a secluded and raw feel. I sent them directly to the Upper Buffalo Headwaters Trails, but also encouraged them to hike the Buffalo River Trail from Ponca down to Kyle's or Steele's Landing. They planned to arrive on Friday, and go home on Monday, but they had so much fun, that they stated an extra week to hike to things like Hawksbill Crag, Pedestal Rocks, Glory Hole, Hemmed in Hollow, Round Top Mountain, and sections of the Ozark Highland Trail as well. These are AVID mountain bikers, who traveled to ride, but were smitten by the beauty of our trails! They even loaded up and drove to Syllamo to ride there, and then went to Blanchard Springs Caverns, and they were blown away! "We would be content if this was our yearly vacation. There's so much we didn't get to do!"
I am constantly STUNNED by the number of people who have lived in Arkansas for years, and have never been to Blanchard Springs Caverns! I'm confidently on record as saying that there is zero reason to travel anywhere to go see a cave, because you will not find one better than Blanchard Springs, because I've tried. The lighting is spectacular, it's very accessible for everyone, and an experience you will never forget. Now to think there are going to be world class Monument Trails where people can go ride, stay, and conveniently drive to places like Blanchard Springs, is amazing!
Here's a link to the opening day ride at the Monument Trails at Hobbs State Park that my brother and I produced. Can you tell we were having fun?
th-cam.com/video/Lhq_olbTGXI/w-d-xo.html
Beautiful
God Bless America
We're starting shortly. Tell your friends & let's chat about what trails and access to trails means to you
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A new favorite!
Loved to walk trails when I was younger and still enjoy them today! I do have a quick question, I noticed in this video there was a couple in a hammock and my question is, could you tell me what Arkansas State Parks allow hammock camping?
Do you have to rent a cabin in order to go to the park?