Incorporated in 1839, Pine Bluff is a unique place to visit. Located along the Arkansas River, the city used to thrive as a cotton center and river port. Its unique geography places the city along the boundary line of the West Gulf Coastal Plain and the Delta. The area contains much history, as it has seen the removal of Native Indians during the Trail of Tears, the October 1863 Attack on Pine Bluff, plays a role in music history, and has a heritage in Civil Rights.
Pine Bluff is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts to explore nature and enjoy outdoor activities. The city is host to nineteen parks and a plethora of rivers and lakes! The Delta Family Adventure Trail in Pine Bluff encompasses the city’s many experiences inside and outdoors. Check out just a few of the family (and adult) friendly things to do outdoors in Pine Bluff in the list below. All things listed below are free, so be sure to eat and shop in Pine Bluff to show your appreciation and support for providing these activities to the public.
AGFC Nature Center
The Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center is a great place to learn about the Delta’s heritage and the wildlife and ecology that make up the Delta. The center offers visitors a 22,000-gallon aquarium, native reptiles and American alligators in two ponds, and native birds of prey in an outdoor exhibit.
The center offers 130 acres of forest and is surrounded by a bayou and lake. With over two miles of hiking trails, there is plenty of wildlife to encounter. The main trail, Discovery Loop, is a short half-mile paved and ADA accessible trail. Whitetail Trail is a shorter trail that is also paved. The other trails are primitive and not paved.
In addition to nature, the center also offers a 3D Archery Range that gives visitors the opportunity to practice shooting from different distances. There are 20 targets in different sizes of game.
Please be aware that Delta Rivers Nature Center is not pet friendly. Picking flowers and plants is also not allowed.
Murals of Downtown Pine Bluff
Just driving around Pine Bluff’s downtown area will attract your attention to the large wall murals on many of the downtown buildings. The mural tour can easily be explored on foot as it is a short distance between the murals. The murals depict different aspects of the area’s history over the past 200 years. While they are all uniquely curated, some are more educational in content.
Along the tour, you will find an entertainment park with plenty of tables and shade for resting or a picnic. Also, while walking the downtown streets viewing murals on the tour, be sure to stop by the Pine Bluff Veterans Memorial for another large mural spanning the side of a building.
Bayou Bartholomew
Flowing roughly 364 miles, Bayou Bartholomew is the longest bayou in the world. Beginning in Pine Bluff, the bayou joins the Ouachita River in Louisiana. It is the second most diverse stream in North America as it contains over 117 documented species of fish. Lined with tupelo and cypress swamps, the bayou is home to an entire ecosystem of nature and wildlife. Turtles and alligators are known to make their home in the bayou.
The bayou is the perfect place for fishing, canoeing, or kayaking. For an ultimate lazy river experience, launch your kayak at the Dr. Curtis Merrill Access.
Bayou Bartholomew is a parent stream of Byrd Lake, an Arkansas Natural Area that represents the boundary between the Coastal Plain and Mississippi Plain. Byrd Lake Nature Trail offers an easy and ADA accessible hiking trail loops visitors through a bottomland mixed pine-hardwood forest. An overlook of the lake and viewing benches are available on the trail. This trail is located off Main Street. More information on its location can be found here.
Saracen Landing All-Inclusive Playground
If you are visiting Pine Bluff with your family or children, the Saracen Landing All-Inclusive Playground is a good place to bring the kids to play and run off some energy. This playground was thoughtfully designed to provide a safe place for kids of all abilities to play alone and/or with other kids. The park’s equipment is mostly sensory.
See, feel, discover and play together!
Pine Bluff Parks & Recreatonal Department
Harbor Oaks Golf Club and Restaurant
Located at Pine Bluff’s Regional Park, the Harbor Oaks Golf Club reopened last year. Voted one of the top 10 public golf courses in the state of Arkansas, there is also an award-winning restaurant and conference center on site. Offering its guests an 18-hole golf course, Harbor Oaks is a challenging par 72. Facilities also include a chipping and putting green, practice bunker, and 25 hitting stations on the practice range.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has a partnership with Harbor Oaks that allows the U of A golf team to host all home and dual tournaments at the Harbor Oaks Golf Course.
For more information on things to do and what Pine Bluff offers, make a stop at their Visitor’s Center (623 S. Main Street). Located in a historical building, it is a great place to learn about Pine Bluff’s history, as well.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?