Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Delta delight
Mississippi River State Park beckons anglers, campers
MARIANNA — Tucked in a remote section of Crowley’s Ridge, Mississippi River State Park is a fine destination for outdoors enthusiasts.
Like most recreational resources in the Mississippi River Delta, Mississippi River State Park is unknown and overlooked outside its immediate region. We like that, as it gives a sense of discovery that is absent from places with heavy visitation.
The park is largely within the 22,000-acre St. Francis National Forest, itself a lonely stepchild that thrives quietly in the shadow of its superstar brothers, the Ozark and Ouachita national forests. Oddly, the St. Francis National Forest is administered by the Ozark National Forest. It ranks higher than a mere district, but doesn’t quite rate as an independent national forest even though the two have nothing in common.
The St. Francis National Forest and Mississippi River State Park occupy a portion of Crowley’s Ridge, a massive embankment of loess that accumulated inland of the Mississippi River’s east bank over millennia. It acted as a natural levee to constrain the great river’s floodwaters while evolving into a distinct upland ecosystem.
An excursion with my adventuring partner to Mississippi River State Park began with a stop at the visitor center. Like many of its counterparts at other state parks, it is a gleaming, modern edifice that projects an inviting and welcoming atmosphere.
One thing we like about the state park visitor centers is their individuality. There is no cookie-cutter uniformity. Each is unique to its location and allows a casual visitor to experience the park vicariously. Interactive exhibits offer a sampler of the park’s flora, fauna, and its peculiar geology.
The first item of business was to have our Arkansas State Parks Passports stamped. Being our fifth stamp, this entitled us to a nice sticker. We admired the selection of Runamok Maple Cocktail Syrups. We bought the Maple Tonic and Maple Old Fashioned, which contains sweet cherry juice concentrate, dried wild cherry bark, dried gentian root and orange extract. This would make an excellent Old Fashioned paired with Blade and Bow or Buffalo Trace bourbon. Runamok is a Vermont product, but so what? I’ve not seen it anywhere else.
I also bought a jar of locally sourced jam.
A friendly, vivacious park ranger offered advice on the best trails to walk. She conspicuously does not carry a sidearm. She described herself as a “peaceful hippie girl” that prides herself on resolving rare conflicts in the park amicably.
Other items for sale in the visitor center include assorted fishing tackle. Small spools of high-quality fishing line in a clearance bin forced us to remind ourselves that we have more fishing line than we will ever use. You can also rent fishing tackle, and Bear Creek Lake is an excellent place to use it.
Chris Racey, assistant director for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, was formerly the AGFC’s chief of fisheries. He often feeds us inside information about overlooked fishing hotspots. He said that Bear Creek Lake rates very high for its largemouth bass population. It has a healthy representation of age classes, with some really big bass crowning the top of the pyramid.
Owned by the USDA Forest Service, Bear Creek Lake covers 625 surface acres. It has a wealth of shoreline cover and deep structure. Its diversity of depth variance helps perpetuate a dynamic fishery that includes bream, crappie and catfish. It has a lot of fingers and coves, too, so it’s not a sterile bowl like many flood control lakes are.
Storm Creek Lake, near Helena-West Helena, exhibits a similar profile. It supports blue and channel catfish, bluegill and redear sunfish, largemouth bass and crappie.
Both lakes have tons of fish attractors.
As at all Forest Service lakes, outboard motors are limited to a maximum of 9.9 horsepower. That discourages anglers with big water rigs, but the lakes are suitable for small flatbottom boats, and they are ideal for kayaks.
The Forest Service also manages and administers the campgrounds at Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area and Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area.
Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area has three campgrounds.
Beech Point Campground has 17 RV-ready sites with electricity, water, sewer and bathhouse.
Lone Pine Campground has 14 primitive sites. They do not have water or electricity.
Maple Flats Group Campground is a primitive area with no water or electricity. There is a large grill, picnic tables and and vault toilet.
Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area has one RV-ready campground with 14 sites that have electricity, water, sewer and bathhouse. Camper cabins are also available for rent.
Hiking is primarily on the Bear Creek Nature Trail. It makes a 1-mile loop through the woods, traversing highlands and lowlands. Various stops identify the major tree species, which includes some massive old-growth oaks. A wintertime hike is a mixed experience. The trees are dormant. You don’t experience their splendor, but you can see a long way through the woods. Bugs are also dormant, so you can hike without torment. Come back in April and May for the best and worst of both worlds.
For more information about Mississippi River State Park, visit arkansasstateparks.com/parks/mississippi-riverstate
For information and a map of Storm Creek Lake, visit agfc.com/en/zone-map/fishingmap/734/.
For information and a map of Bear Creek Lake, visit agfc.com/en/zone-map/fishingmap/