The Sentinel-Record - HER - Hot Springs
HER Career
Park superintendent encourages others to get outdoors
There are numerous benefits to spending time outdoors and Hot Springs National Park Superintendent Laura Miller strives to encourage others to take advantage of this. Having worked for parks and historic sites across the state of Arkansas, Miller said she’s lucky to have a career that affords her the opportunity to stay active and enjoy all nature has to offer.
“I’m a road cyclist and really love to be outdoors, but because I do work for the parks and I because I’ve always loved being outdoors, I’ve long been a hiker, (and) enjoy camping, kayaking, those kinds of activities outside,” she said.
“A few years ago, several books came out like ‘Last Child in the Woods’ and all those about how beneficial being in nature is for people and I’ve always been a firm believer in that. It doesn’t matter what kind of day I’m having, two minutes down a trail and I instantly feel better. It’s just hearing the sounds of nature and feeling the breeze, smelling the pine trees or whatever, it’s always been an instant calming thing for me. It makes me feel happy.”
Also an avid runner, Miller said this activity, while physically tiring, always makes her feel better. However, cycling is a passion that keeps her young at heart.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of effort I’m putting out, I still feel like a little kid sometimes on a bicycle,” she said. “You just always have that feeling. … It just makes me feel better.”
With excitement building around the public dedication of the Northwoods Trails on Nov. 17, Miller said the park service is continuing to map out its plan for the Pullman Avenue Trail Connection which would travel through a small portion of the park.
“We started working with a contractor to develop what we call an environmental assessment and it’s to look at a proposal to develop a short section of trail across the park that will connect city property to the county, the city and county trail system,” she said. “We have a draft version of that document and it’s currently at our regional office for review. Once they finish — the different subject matter experts — reviewing it, we’ll go out for public comment and review, get everybody’s ideas on what should happen and then, unless there’s opposition to it, then we would proceed to work with the city and get that section of trail constructed or whatever improvements need to happen there and go ahead with our development.”
Miller said this exciting opportunity has enticed her to try her hand at mountain biking. “I don’t know if at this stage of the game if I’m prepared to go screaming down mountains or over obstacles, but maybe if I can find some more level trails I might be able to take that challenge on,” she said.
Most recently, Miller was the superintendent of the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas where she was able to enjoy the outdoors every day, similar to her days in Hot Springs.
“When you have a particularly challenging day or just need some time and space to think about things and try to think about what direction you need to go, there’s ample opportunity to get out and hike a trail or go look at some of the park,” she said.
Even at the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and the William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home, Miller said getting guests outside and active were important parts of the parks’ missions.
“They weren’t so much natural focused areas, but we still tried to bring in recreation and outdoor activities,” she said. “For example, before the 50th anniversary of the desegregation events at Central High, one of the activities we did that year was we started bicycle tours around Little Rock. I had a couple of park rangers who worked for me who were interested in doing it, so we got in touch with the League of American Bicyclists and they provided training for us to be able to properly lead tours like that and make sure our participants stayed safe. We developed a tour around downtown Little Rock of sites related to the Central High desegregation crisis. It was about a 7-mile tour and we would do it a
couple times a month. They did a similar thing at Clinton Birthplace, too, with routes around Hope related to Mr. Clinton’s childhood there.
“We always try to find ways to, even at a historic site, highlight the history but get people outside and get them moving. I know that’s been a big push here. Hot Springs was set aside in part because of the role that the thermal waters played in health and wellness, and I think to a large extent people still come here for rejuvenation and relaxation, but also to hike the trails and have opportunities to experience nature and that outdoors. It’s kind of a nice mix here of both urban and natural areas.”
During her time off, Miller finds herself drawn to other across the country, not only to observe what they are doing but to experience what they all have to offer. She said just about a year ago, she traveled to Utah to the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and experienced Delicate Arch before dawn, watching the park come alive.
“We got there just before the sun was coming up and had about five minutes where we were all alone and then, of course, a bunch of people came,” she said. “Before we left there were probably 50 people there, but we still got a few pictures where it looks like we’re all by ourselves. It’s fun. I really enjoy being outdoors doing different things, seeing all this country has to offer.”