Grants, volunteers help park in Miller County

DODDRIDGE — Like a vintage pearl undergoing a professional polishing, Miller County’s Alex Smith Park continues to receive refurbishments.

Apart from the park recently receiving two Arkansas State Conservation grants, collectively worth $50,000, cadres of longtime volunteers have steadily assisted in the clearing of four trails made for walking or hiking, as well as in the construction and placement of three creek bridges and six new picnic table and bench areas in the park’s 320-acre site.

Though the park’s gun range continues to be one if its main draws, hundreds of camp fire lovers, picnickers and fishing enthusiasts trek down to this recreational area about 12 miles south of Texarkana each year.

Some of the more notable improvements to a park that has 14 natural water springs include the placement of information tags on trees so as to identify these various trees, along with continued forging and extending of four new walking and hiking trails, collectively covering about two miles.

Along with adding these new features, volunteers also continue to help maintain the park’s fishing pier and boat ramp out on the park’s lake, both of which were built there as far back as 1994.

The visitor amenities also include a recreational area playground and two pavilions, along with a newly added campfire wood storage rack — supplied with wood.

One of the more recent large projects that volunteers are working on is the creation of a quail habitat.

The park itself will turn 60 years old next year.