| Lake Frierson State Park | |
| Map: | USA Arkansas#USA |
| Location: | Paragould, Greene, Crowley's Ridge, Arkansas, United States |
| Coordinates: | 35.9726°N -90.7162°W |
| Area Acre: | 114 |
| Area Ref: | [1] |
| Established: | 1975 |
| Named For: | Lake Frierson, itself named after Charles Frierson |
| Visitation Num: | 150,000 annually |
| Governing Body: | Park: Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Lake: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission |
| Website: | Lake Frierson State Park |
Lake Frierson State Park is a 114acres Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Greene County, eastern Arkansas.
Containing a 335acres reservoir built by the Soil Conservation Service, the park entered the system in 1975. The park skirts the Crowley's Ridge formation and offers fishing as well as hiking, camping, kayaking, and a visitor center.[2]
In addition to the recreation opportunities at Lake Frierson, the area is home to a unique blend of forests in the state. Located partially in a forest similar to those found in the Appalachians, the park also contains the oak-hickory forest native to the Ozarks and a wide variety of rare trees in Arkansas on Crowley's Ridge's northern slopes, including the cucumber tree, northern red oak and tulip tree.
In the 1970s, the Soil Conservation Service (now known as Natural Resources Conservation Service or NRCS) constructed ten dams along the western edge of Crowley's Ridge in northeast Arkansas. The ridge is a geological formation that rises 150feet-250feetft (-ft) above the surrounding flat Arkansas delta. Charles Frierson, a lawyer and judge from Jonesboro, was instrumental in acquiring the property as a state park. The site officially became a state park when funding was approved by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1975.[1] Although initially only a day-use park, Lake Frierson has grown to a full service park with visitor center and camping facilities.
Camping is available in four class C and three class D campsites on the east side of the lake. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the park, and an air-conditioned and heated pavilion with room for 80 attendees is available for rent. Fishing for bream, catfish, crappie, and bass is available in the timber-filled Lake Frierson. Non-motor fishing boats and pedal boats are available for rent, and bait, fishing and camping supplies and gifts can be purchased at the visitor center. Visitors are also able to hike along the circular NaNmiles Dogwood Lane Trail, a self-guided interpretative trail.[3]
Crowley's Ridge State Park is 10miles to the south on Arkansas Highway 141, offering additional camping and recreational activities.