Lake Poinsett State Park is a Arkansas state park on

Crowley's Ridge Crowley's Ridge (also Crowleys Ridge) is a geological formation that rises 250 to above the alluvial plain of the Mississippi embayment in a line from southeastern Missouri to the Mississippi River near Helena, Arkansas. It is the most prom ...

in Poinsett County,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The park was formed after the damming of Distress Creek to create a recreational lake in the county in 1960. The park is located along the western bank of the lake and is open for year-round for camping/picnicking. Boat rentals are available from February to November.

History

Lake Poinsett State Park Poinsett County AR 004

Activists in

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...

and elsewhere in Poinsett County began efforts to obtain a recreational lake in their area in the 1950s, but their efforts were not successful due to a lack of funds. The idea was adopted by the

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is a state agency of Arkansas, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Steve N. Wilson of Norfork, Arkansas joined the agency in 1968 and became its director in 1979. He resigned in 2000 and died in 2021. I ...

, who made plans to

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

Distress Creek as funds became available, but the money would not come through until former Arkansas highway commissioner Dan Portis discussed the plan with Arkansas governor

Orval Faubus Orval Eugene Faubus ( ; January 7, 1910 – December 14, 1994) was an American politician who served as the 36th Governor of Arkansas from 1955 to 1967, as a member of the Democratic Party. In 1957, he refused to comply with a unanimous ...

. The dam became a reality in 1960, and was named for Poinsett County. The idea for a state park came from locals Richard Woods and L. K. Collier, who donated of land toward a park. Locals raised enough money to double the donation of land to the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, who deemed the land big enough for a park and accepted the donation on June 21, 1963, making Lake Poinsett State Park the 20th state park in Arkansas.

Recreation

Lake Poinsett State Park Poinsett County AR 008

Fishers will find bass,

bream Bream ( ) are species of freshwater and marine fish belonging to a variety of genera including ''Abramis'' (e.g., ''A. brama'', the common bream), ''Acanthopagrus'', '' Argyrops'', ''Blicca'', '' Brama'', ''Chilotilapia'', '' Etelis'', ''Lepo ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

, and

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxis'' ...

in the lake's shallow waters. The park offers 29 campsites (4 class A, 22 Class B, and 3 tent sites), but does not contain any other types of cabin or lodging. A pavilion with restrooms is available near the campsites. Park interpreters guide visitors along trail walks in addition to wildlife and birding tours. Kayaking and canoe tours on the lake are also guided by park interpreters seasonally. The Great Blue Heron Trail is a hiking trail that beginning near the children's playground and winds in a loop through the woods. Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park in open areas. Four other state parks accompany Lake Poinsett State Park atop Crowley's Ridge:

Crowley's Ridge State Park Crowley's Ridge State Park is a Arkansas state park in Greene County, Arkansas in the United States atop Crowley's Ridge. Located on the former homesite of pioneer Benjamin Crowley, the park contains many excellent examples of the work done by ...

Lake Frierson State Park Lake Frierson State Park is a Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Greene County, eastern Arkansas. Containing a reservoir built by the Soil Conservation Service, the park entered the system in 1975. The park skirts the Crowley's Ridge ...

Parkin Archeological State Park Parkin Archeological State Park, also known as Parkin Indian Mound, is an archeological site and state park in Parkin, Cross County, Arkansas. Around 1350–1650 CE an aboriginal palisaded village existed at the site, at the confluence of ...

, and Village Creek State Park are all nearby.

References

External links

Marina & Boat Rentals - Lake Poinsett State Park
{{authority control State parks of Arkansas Crowley's Ridge Protected areas of Poinsett County, Arkansas Bodies of water of Poinsett County, Arkansas Poinsett Protected areas established in 1963 1963 establishments in Arkansas

History

Recreation

See also

References

External links