This Island Adventure In Arkansas Is The Perfect Escape
By Carol Ann Carson|Published July 07, 2018
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Carol Ann Carson
Author
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
An island getaway doesn’t need a resort to be fabulous (although we do love Arkansas’ only resort state park). Buck Island is the perfect escape from the busier attractions around the state. This one-of-a-kind island adventure is a wonderful way to simply relax and connect to nature. Let’s paddle over and see what this island has to offer.
Arkansas isn't the first place that comes to mind when planning an island adventure but today's trip is quite the unique getaway.
On the east side of the state near Helena, along the Mississippi River, resides Buck Island. The island can be reached in a three-minute paddle from the public boat ramp in Helena Harbor.
Buck Island is one of the few public islands along the Mississippi River and it's protected as a Wildlife Management Area.
Surprisingly, the island is only one of five along 1,000 miles of river that's open to the public. The 900 acres of island hosts all sorts of activities including camping, swimming, hiking, hunting, fishing, and more.
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The island is a great escape from the more well-known state parks and similar attractions.
This underrated adventure is a great way to just relax and connect to nature. The island has five miles of hiking trails and 620 acres of large white sand beaches to enjoy.
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The island can host all sorts of adventures, but photographers and birdwatchers will be particularly fond of the area for an interesting reason.
The island is a popular stop-over site for the Mississippi Flyway, a route used by 65 percent of North American migratory bird species. Numerous species can be spotted like the Roseate spoonbill (pictured) or even the endangered Least Tern, a petite seabird.
They have canoe and kayak rentals as well as routine guided trips to the Mississippi's islands. For more details about the outfitters, visit their website right here.
Whether you're just exploring for the day or camping out a night or two, Buck Island is definitely a one-of-a-kind getaway.
To get a better feel for the island, check out P. Allen’s latest excursion:
We would love to see your photos of Buck Island in our Facebook Group, Arkansas Nature Lovers. You should join for your chance to be featured and to discover why there’s nothing better than Arkansas’ stunning nature.
