Arkansas River Valley

Arkansas River Valley The River Valley
Region
The River Valley as seen from atop Petit Jean Mountain in Petit Jean State Park
Etymology: The Arkansas River
Country	United States
State	Arkansas

Regions of Arkansas
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Geographic Regions Delta Crowley's Ridge River Valley Timberlands Central Ouachitas Ozarks
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The Arkansas River Valley (usually shortened to River Valley) is a region in Arkansas defined by the Arkansas River in the western part of the state. Generally defined as the area between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains,^[1] the River Valley is characterized by flat lowlands covered in fertile farmland and lakes periodically interrupted by high peaks. Mount Magazine, Mount Nebo, and Petit Jean Mountain compose the Tri-Peaks Region, (tri means three), a further subdivision of the River Valley popular with hikers and outdoors enthusiasts. In addition to the outdoor recreational activities available to residents and visitors of the region, the River Valley contains Arkansas's wine country as well as hundreds of historical sites throughout the area.It is one of six natural divisions of Arkansas^[2]

Definition

The Arkansas River Valley is not formally defined along county boundaries, including all of Logan and Sebastian counties and portions of Conway, Franklin, Perry, Pope, and Yell counties.

Subdivisions

Arkansas Valley Hills - North and east of the Arkansas River, sometimes associated with the Ozarks
Bottomlands - Low swamps and prairies along the Arkansas River itself, 10 miles (16 km) wide in some places
Fort Smith metropolitan area - Sebastian, Crawford, and Franklin counties in Arkansas (also includes Le Fore and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma)
Ozark National Forest - a small, discontinuous portion of the federally protected area is within the region
Tri-peaks Region - Region punctuated by three steep mountains: Mount Magazine, Mount Nebo and Petit Jean Mountain
Valley - south of the Arkansas River, level plains and gently rolling hills

Cities

The most populous city within the River Valley is Fort Smith, the principal city of the Fort Smith metropolitan area that includes Van Buren and Alma as well. Moving east, Clarksville, Russellville, and Morrilton serve as other population centers within the River Valley.^[3]

Recreation

Livestock grazing in a flat, flowering pasture near Mulberry

The United States Forest Service operates both the Ouachita National Forest and the Ozark National Forest within the region, offering trails, camping, and fishing over thousands of acres of public land. The state operates four parks within the region: Lake Dardanelle State Park, Mount Magazine State Park, Mount Nebo State Park, and Petit Jean State Park.^[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arkansas River Valley.

↑ Arkansas Tour Guide. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. 2013. p. 142.
↑ Arkansas Tour Guide. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. 2013. p. 141.
↑ Arkansas Tour Guide. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. 2013. p. 4.
↑ "State Parks". Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Association. 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2013.

State of Arkansas

Little Rock (capital)

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Regions	Arkansas River Valley Ark-La-Tex Bayou Bartholomew Boston Mountains Central Arkansas Crowley's Ridge Delta Four State Area Mississippi Alluvial Plain New Madrid Seismic Zone Northwest Arkansas Ouachita Mountains Ozarks Piney Woods South Arkansas Timberlands

Metros	Central Arkansas Northwest Arkansas Fort Smith Texarkana Jonesboro Pine Bluff Hot Springs Tri-State

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Counties	Arkansas Ashley Baxter Benton Boone Bradley Calhoun Carroll Chicot Clark Clay Cleburne Cleveland Columbia Conway Craighead Crawford Crittenden Cross Dallas Desha Drew Faulkner Franklin Fulton Garland Grant Greene Hempstead Hot Spring Howard Independence Izard Jackson Jefferson Johnson Lafayette Lawrence Lee Lincoln Little River Logan Lonoke Madison Marion Miller Mississippi Monroe Montgomery Nevada Newton Ouachita Perry Phillips Pike Poinsett Polk Pope Prairie Pulaski Randolph Saline Scott Searcy Sebastian Sevier Sharp St. Francis Stone Union Van Buren Washington White Woodruff Yell

Coordinates: 35°22′N 93°22′W / 35.36°N 93.37°W / 35.36; -93.37

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