Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Shea Lewis have signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service that begins the process of designating The Blanchard Springs Caverns Complex as Arkansas’ 53rd state park.
The document lays the groundwork for a new joint management model between Arkansas State Parks and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests to enhance visitor services, strengthen cultural and environmental protections, and align federal and state investments in staffing and facilities, the governor’s office said in a news release.
The designation would advance Sanders’ Natural State Initiative, which has grown outdoor recreation projects across the state. The Republican governor and first gentleman Bryan Sanders launched the initiative in January 2023 to promote outdoor recreation, expand the outdoor economy and position Arkansas as a premier outdoor destination.
“Blanchard Springs Caverns is a jewel of the Ozarks, and by kickstarting the process to designate it as a state park, we’re preserving its cultural and environmental legacy while creating new opportunities for tourism, jobs, and year-round adventure,” the governor said.
Located in north-central Arkansas, the Blanchard Springs Caverns Complex sits within the Sylamore District of the Ozark National Forest. The Blanchard Springs Caverns Complex encompasses more than eight miles miles of explored caverns, the only Forest Service Major Visitor Center in Arkansas, as well as a campground, swim beach, picnic area and multiple trails.
Blanchard Springs is one of only a handful of federally-managed “living” caves in the U.S., featuring active formation growth and one of the nation’s largest flowstones.
As the second-largest cavern system in Arkansas, Blanchard Springs draws nearly 70,000 visitors annually.
The governor’s office envisions Blanchard Springs as an anchor for regional tourism and that will amplify the outdoor recreation opportunities surrounding it, including boating and trout fishing on the White River, as well as hiking, biking, camping, and water-based recreation throughout the National Forest.
Moving toward state-park designation also helps ensure long-term protection of the site’s natural and cultural resources, the release said. While geologists estimate the cave’s interior has remained structurally unchanged for more than 10,000 years, the increasing volume of annual visitors can heighten risks of erosion, habitat disturbance, and unregulated development.
As a state park, Blanchard Springs Caverns would benefit from permanent conservation measures, including managed access, designated trails and proactive environmental safeguards that protect its fragile ecosystem, which is home to endangered gray bats, rare salamanders, and one of the most complex cave environments in the Ozarks.
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