were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, another Depression-era federal work agency, with the original architecture and stone work intact.

Exploring the Park on Foot or Bike

Lake Fort Smith is a scenic park in the Boston Mountain Valley, north of Alma, with camping, fishing, kayaking, hiking and mountain biking. For backpackers, it is the western terminus of the 240-mile Ozark Highlands Trail.

This hardwood-forested, mountainous park surrounds a 1,390 surface-acre lake. Walking through its canopied trails after a rain reveals the spontaneous downhill rivulets and waterfalls which feed the reservoir that is retained by a 190-foot dam.

The park offers 30 campsites( 20 Class AAA and 10 Class B), 10 cabins, a swimming pool, marina with canoe and kayak rentals, pavilion, picnic sites, and group facilities including a

dining hall and two large group lodges with full-size kitchens.

The large, educational vistor center houses a replica pioneer log cabin and covered wagon with exhibits and programs on the area’ s early history from its native American residents to white settlement before statehood. Park interpreters lead guests on nature hikes and lake tours year-round to educate them about trees, plants, birds, wildlife and early settlers.

Lake Fort Smith was originally developed in 1935- 36 by the Works Progress Administration. The WPA, a federal program, created public works projects to employ more than 2.5 million men throughout the Great Depression. Fort Smith and nearby towns of Crawford

County supported its use for recreation and as a water supply reservoir. Gravity, massive pumps and a pipeline under the Arkansas River brings the water to Fort Smith’ s regional and municipal supply system.

For this reason, the lake created by the WPA’ s original dam was merged with Lake Shepherd Springs above it to form a single, larger lake, completed in 2006. The new reservoir subsumed the original WPA park, but care was taken to create the new park in the distinctive WPA stone and timber style, to honor its origins.

Several other well-known recreational parks in the state, including nearby White Rock Mountain in Franklin County and Devil’ s Den State Park in Washington County,

Boston Mountain Trail

This multi-use, 12.4 mile trail offers a diverse mix of easy to difficult sections to challenge the mountain biker, while offering secluded forest experiences for the day hiker. The trail begins across the road from the park’ s Visitor Center and winds around the cabin and group lodge area, meandering in and out of deeply wooded draws and drainages, returning to its starting point.

Ozark Highlands Trail The western terminus of the Ozark Highlands Trail begins behind the visitor center at Lake Fort Smith State Park. The park manages the first three miles in the park( for day hikes) with the Ozark Highlands Trail Association managing the rest of the trail system for backpackers. Waterfalls, ridges, and valleys are all experienced as one hikes the trail. This trail can be completed all at once taking or by breaking it up into sections. The eastern terminus is located in the Buffalo National River park in Searcy County, 165 miles from Lake Fort Smith State Park.

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