Blue Ridge Park

Blue Ridge campground, located on the north end of Dierks Lake, offers a natural feel with incredible fishing in the flooded timberlands along the Saline River. Situated in the heart of the Howard County Wildlife Management Area, the area peaks in spring and fall when fishing and hunting are at their best. Blue Ridge is a local hotspot for camping and fishing, with two boat ramps right in the heart of crappie country. The park has 21 overnight campsites, 2 restrooms, and 1 shower facility, and supports camping, day use, boating, and swimming. The 1,360-acre lake offers excellent boating, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming, and Dierks Lake is known for its bass and crappie fishing. Hunters will find nearly 600 acres of public hunting land in the upper reaches of the project, with game species including white-tail deer, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, grey and fox squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and a variety of waterfowl. A day trip to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, just 30 miles from the park, is a popular activity; the diamond mine is the only one of its kind in the country, where visitors keep any diamonds and semi-precious stones they unearth, regardless of value. Hot Springs National Park, known for its naturally heated springs, is just an hour's drive away and offers multiple bathhouses, restaurants, and activities. The Choctaw Nation at Broken Bow, also about an hour away, offers a world-class gaming casino as well as a variety of natural features and restaurants.