Tables and pavilion at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

A quarter mile before reaching the Visitor Center, a road on the right leads to and loops around the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area. There are five parking lots along the road, and all offer easy access to the tables.

One of five parking lots at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

On the inside of the loop are a dozen tables under a pavilion and two grills next to it, and on the grounds both inside and outside of the loop are an additional two dozen tables and a dozen grills. The open-air tables are nicely spread throughout the picnic area, and most are underneath shade trees. There is also a modern restroom.

Picnic pavilion at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

Restrooms at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

While a few tables are next to their own grill, this is not the case for all of them. Some tables share a grill, and other tables are grouped together with no grills nearby. There is even one grill with no tables anywhere near it.

Table with its own grill at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

Tables with no grills at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

Two of the picnic tables and one grill have been set aside for disabled visitors. These are located right next to the parking spaces and close to the restrooms.

Picnic tables and grill for disabled visitors to the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

A couple of tables are near the water and have great views of Post Bayou. There are also two spotting scopes. Per a park Ranger, bald eagles nest throughout Post Bayou, and visitors can use the scopes to see them.

Tables near the water at the Picnic Area, Arkansas Post National Memorial

Bench and spotting scopes at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

All tables are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are planning a group event, make sure you arrive at the picnic area first thing in the morning to secure a spot. All tables that are not under the pavilion are on their own cement pad and bolted to the ground, so they cannot be moved. However, there are a few clusters of three or four tables in one area that are suitable for small groups. If you are planning a large gathering, you definitively want to get the tables at the pavilion.

Arkansas Post National Memorial is one of the least visited parks in the National Park System, so getting tables is not a problem. In fact, the Ranger told me he doesn’t know of any instance where a small group came to the park first thing in the morning and couldn’t get picnic tables. Do keep in mind that large groups may need a permit, and this permit is for large groups only and does not include exclusive use of the picnic area—you still have to arrive early. To inquire about group size and other regulations, call the park at (870) 548-2207. You can also check out the National Park Service’s official Permits and Reservations web page for Arkansas Post National Memorial.

Picnic table on its own cement page at the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

There is a large field next to the picnic area, and at first glance it appears to be the perfect place for games and sports. But don’t be fooled. There are dozens of holes in the ground that have been dug by some sort of animal (armadillos??), and if you step into one of these while running, you are going to snap your leg in two or break an ankle. A trailhead for the Post Bayou Nature Trail is on the opposite side of the field from the picnic area, and I had a rough time avoiding the holes just walking across it to access the trail.

Field next to the Arkansas Post National Memorial Picnic Area

Armadillo at Arkansas Post National Memorial

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