Pike: Diamonds, Lakes, and Historic Discoveries

Pike offers a surprising combination of diamond hunting, wooded lakeshores, river landscapes, and places with a long history. Anyone planning a trip with varied interests can choose between active days on the water, nature experiences, and cultural discoveries. When looking for a vacation rental or holiday home in Pike, it is therefore worth considering the excursions you want to take when choosing your accommodation.

Diamond Hunting at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place in the world where the public can search for natural diamonds in their original volcanic source. The search area is a 37-acre plowed field on the eroded surface of a volcanic crater. This gives the visit a character all its own: It is not just about seeing an attraction, but about having the opportunity to search for an extraordinary find yourself.

At the Diamond Discovery Center, visitors can learn more about the rocks and minerals found in the park. Diamond hunting is also explained there using three recommended techniques. This combination of landscape, geology, and hands-on discovery is particularly suitable for trip planning where not every day is meant to look the same.

Lake Greeson, the Ouachita Mountains, and Nature Trails

Daisy State Park is located in the Ouachita Mountains on Lake Greeson and the Little Missouri River. Visitors can hike the Daisy Nature Creek Trail there. Lake Greeson is approximately 12 miles long and covers 7,260 acres of water. Water sports, picnics, and hikes along the wooded lakeshore offer various ways to spend the day.

Wildlife is also part of the landscape around the lake. The public areas provide habitats for white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, geese, bald eagles, migratory waterfowl, and songbirds. Those who want to combine wildlife observation with physical activity can therefore find a different travel focus than on a purely cultural excursion.

The Bear Creek Cycle Trail is a 31-mile ATV trail along the shore of Lake Greeson. It offers panoramic views of the lake and the Ouachita Mountains. The trail begins at Daisy State Park, passes near Kirby Landing and the Bear Creek Recreation Areas, and ends at the western end of Rough Mountain.

Archaeology, History, and Regional Events

Ka-Do-Ha Indian Village offers a self-guided tour featuring excavated mound structures, an opportunity to search for arrowheads and crystals, and a 1/8-mile nature trail. The site was inhabited for more than 1,000 years. In the museum, you can see pottery vessels, water bottles, pipes, stone tools, and projectile points belonging to the prehistoric inhabitants of the site.

More recent history is represented as well. The Pike County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1986. In Murfreesboro, the discovery of diamonds is celebrated every June with the Diamond Festival. The annual Pike County Fair and Rodeo includes a parade in which the horses start at the fairgrounds and ride to Smokey Bear Lane.

Planning Water Experiences and Your Journey

The Caddo River offers opportunities for floating and paddling. Rainbow trout and largemouth bass are found in the sections of the Little Missouri River below the dam. Lake Greeson is used for fishing; various bass, catfish, crappie, walleye, and sunfish can be found there. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between paddling, water activities, hiking, and fishing.

Those traveling from Texarkana take Interstate 30 to Prescott and then head north on Highway 19 to Narrows Dam. For a vacation rental in Pike or a holiday home in the region, it is advisable to include your planned excursions and this route in your personal selection. Further guidance is available from Glenwood.

More pages at a glance: Union County, Boone County, Poinsett County, Cross County, Desha County, Hot Spring County, and Dallas County.

To the main travel overview: Arkansas.