Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area is a
Arkansas state park in
Howard County and
Polk 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 O ...
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 Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. The park follows a rough, undeveloped of the
Cossatot River
The Cossatot River is an river in Howard, Polk and Sevier counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas.
The Cossatot begins in the Ouachita Mountains southeast of Mena, Arkansas. The river flows through the Ouachita National Forest and then in a gen ...
. The river itself is included in Arkansas's
Natural and Scenic Rivers System and the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
's list of
National Wild and Scenic Rivers, making it a whitewater rafting destination. The rough nature of the river, including Class III, IV, and dangerous Class V rapids, make the park-natural area a popular destination for skilled
canoeists,
kayakers, and
playboaters.
The park became a part of the system in 1988 after the
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and
Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission agreed to cooperative management after acquiring the property from the
Weyerhaeuser Corporation.
History
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission contacted the Weyerhaeuser Corporation, the land's owner, about developing a park from the wilderness along the Cossatot River in 1975. Although receptive of the offer, Weyerhaeuser was concerned that the Commission would not properly manage the dangerous rapids. It wasn't until 1984 when the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism offered to join the Commission in a joint venture to acquire the land in an attempt to allay the fears of Weyerhaeuser. After a joint meeting,
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US.
Founded in 1951, The Nat ...
held the land in trust until state funds were allocated for the park.
The duality of the park-natural area's management is still represented.
The park was expanded after Arkla Gas Company donated in exchange for crossing the Cossatot River with a gas pipeline.
Recreation
The Cossatot River features Class III, IV, and dangerous Class V rapids making it one of the more challenging float rivers in the central United States. Brushy Creek Recreation Area offers restrooms, picnic tables, and access to the river via the
Highway 246 bridge access point. Campsites are available at the Cossatot Falls Area (7 sites, no hookups), Sandbar Area (14 sites, no hookups), and the Ed Banks Area (one site, no hookups).
The park is also home to dozens of rare flora and fauna native only to the
Ouachita Mountains
The Ouachita Mountains (), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thru ...
and surrounding
Ouachita National Forest. The terrain of the park is a rugged rocky canyon with old growth hardwoods and
juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arc ...
glades. Hiking is available on the River Corridor Trail () and Harris Creek Trail ().
A visitor's center, built in 2004, offers a wildlife observation room, a water education laboratory, and a gift shop.
See also
References
External links
USGS Real-Time Water Data, Cossatot River near Vandervoort, AR
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State parks of Arkansas
Protected areas of Lincoln County, Arkansas
Protected areas of Polk County, Arkansas
Protected areas established in 1988