Arkansans are lucky. We get to live in the prettiest state with the best people, and we’ve got millions of acres of natural beauty to explore. The Natural State is full of little slices of paradise, and it’s also full of water. There are 2,340 named lakes and reservoirs in Arkansas and 9,700 miles of streams and rivers. Blanchard Spring, when it comes down to it, is a small body of water. But while Blanchard Spring may not be as wide as the mighty Mississippi, as popular as Beaver Lake, or as important as the Arkansas River, it’s still a wonderful place to visit that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Blanchard Spring is located a few minutes north of the town of Mountain View, and you can find directions here.

Please note, Blanchard Spring is temporarily closed.

Blanchard Spring is in the beautiful Ozark National Forest.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
You’ll find some great camping, swimming, and trout fishing at Blanchard Springs Recreation Area.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
But even if you aren’t into any of that stuff, it’s still a gorgeous place to explore.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
The spring flows from breathtaking Blanchard Springs Caverns, and it’s only a short drive from the recreation area to the entrance of the cave system, so really you can see two glorious parts of the Natural State in one afternoon.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
Blanchard Spring begins with this cool waterfall.
Flickr/tabman85

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Cool is exactly the right word, because this spring stays a cool 58 degrees year round.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
While exploring the spring, you’ll find some great structures. This bridge, for example.
Flickr/AR Nature Gal
...and the ruins of this old grist mill.
Flickr/Joseph Sparks
Mirror Lake is formed by an old structure on Blanchard Spring too, a CCC built dam that caused a two tiered waterfall and created maybe the prettiest three-acre lake in Arkansas.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
Flickr/Mike Norton
Whether you go to wade, swim, camp, fish, or play on the beach, you should definitely head up to Blanchard Spring right away.
Flickr/Dave Thomas

To find another amazing spring, you’ll want to look here.

If you’d like to see some amazing lakes, this is the article for you.

 

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