State park cabins, like those at Mount Magazine, make camping in winter a cozy adventure. Courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
Category: Arkansas' Great Outdoors

New year brings (bug-free!) beginning to outdoor adventures

January offers a clean slate for the year with dual opportunities for 2026: The outside time is amazing, and the inside time is perfect for planning the rest of the year.

Due to the largely deciduous nature of the forests covering 57% of our state, the bare trees of winter provide hikes with clear views through the forest (with no bugs!). The cooler temperatures also provide a more comfortable climate for aggressive hikes or mountain biking (and no bugs!). Since snow rarely falls, as long as you avoid the ice, you have the option of hiking year-round in Arkansas.

Spectacular icicles hang from a bluff at Petit Jean State Park’s Seven Hollows Trail. Courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

Camping in January is also a great option because colder temperatures will chase some of the less aggressive campers away, meaning you will have your pick of the choice campsites, and sometimes an entire campground. During a recent winter anniversary trip, Leigh and I enjoyed a multiday stay at Mount Magazine State Park as the only people in the campground. I joked that I’d reserved the whole mountain just for us!

Pro tip: Dress appropriately. Remember, for winter outdoor activities, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear!

For the days spent inside during January, it is a great time to map out the rest of your outdoor year.

Step one for outdoor winter fun: Dress appropriately. Courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

If you have children, spring break in Arkansas is only two months away. Most of the state is on the same school schedule, so prime lodging can fill up quickly. Savvy campers will narrow down their favorite spots and start booking sites or cabins this month.

Summertime brings more tourism to the state, which is great for our booming outdoors recreation economy, but necessitates some forethought for anything that requires a reservation. Fortunately, your choices include 53 Arkansas State Parks along with Hot Springs National Park and the Buffalo National River just to name a few (dozen) options.

Arkansas autumns are visually stunning. Referring you back to the 57% figure earlier, this is a great time of year to line up another trip to a forest near you. Again, many people will have similar plans, so make your reservations early for a great campsite in the fall.

A good yearly strategy will bring you back to cooler winter temperatures a year from now with great experiences upon which to reflect. You can take that momentum into next year’s plan, and you can do so outside (with no bugs!).

Carlton and Leigh Wing host the “Arkansas’ Great Outdoors” weekly television series. Visit facebook.com/arkansasgreatoutdoors/.

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