Outdoor Activities
Visitors
will discover that Fort Smith's climate is temperate enough
to enjoy outdoor activities about ten months of the year.
Winter daytime high temperatures average just under 50 degrees,
while mid-summer highs are normally just over 90. Truly
pleasant Fort Smith weather can begin in late February and
continue until about Thanksgiving. Here are some area outdoor
attractions and recreational activities that make Fort Smith
worth visiting just about any time of year: (some have been
mentioned previously)
WHITE-WATER
RAFTING/CANOEING:
With the beautiful Ozark Mountains to the north, and the
Ouachita Mountains to the south, the Fort Smith area is
surrounded by numerous mountain streams that empty into
the Arkansas River. Among the favorite streams for outdoor
enthusiasts are the Mulberry, the White, the Fourche, Frog
Bayou, Lee Creek, and the spectacular Buffalo River - a
little further away.
FISHING:
The same rivers listed above are filled with many different
kinds of native Arkansas fish, ranging from trout to large-mouth
bass. And the Fort Smith area abounds with nearby lakes
and reservoirs. Definitely worth mentioning are the Arkansas
River Navigation System, which has created scores of quiet
inlets and bayous; Lake Fort Smith, Lake Hinkle, Lake Shepherd
Springs, Blue Mountain Lake, and lakes Eufaula and Tenkiller,
both in neighboring Oklahoma.
CAMPING/HIKING:
With plenty of water sources and mountain scenery nearby,
the Fort Smith area is surrounded by beautiful state parks
and recreation areas. Experienced hikers will especially
enjoy the rugged White Rock area, or climbing the trails
on Mount Magazine - the highest point in Arkansas. Favorite
state parks with campsites and cabins close to Fort Smith
include Devil's Den and Lake Fort Smith.
BIRDWATCHING:
Fort Smith has always proclaimed itself a "Bird Sanctuary."
Because
of its warm climate, abundant water, varied terrain, and
nearness to the migratory flyways, the Fort Smith area attracts
many kinds of land and water birds - those native to area
and many other species just passing through. The city is
also located in a geographical north-south corridor where
habitats of both eastern and western varieties of the same
species often overlap, making Fort Smith the center of a
bird-lovers' paradise.
GOLF
COURSES:
The scenic Fort Smith area is blessed with a number of excellent
golf courses, both commercial and private. 
The
public course at
Fort Smith's Ben Geren Golf Course boasts 27 holes,
and the public course at the Fort Smith Country Club has
nine. Private country clubs in Fort Smith with 18 holes
are Hardscrabble and Fianna Hills. Other public courses
surrounding Fort Smith are the 18-hole Vache Grasse course
at Greenwood, the 18-hole Cedars Country Club in neighboring
Van Buren, the 18-hole Deer Trails course at Fort Chaffee,
the newer 18-hole Eagle Crest course at Alma, and the 18-hole
Shadow Creek course across the state line in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Visit the Ben Geren Golf Course website for more information on this course.
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FORT SMITH CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
2 North B, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901
1-800-637-1477 | (479) 783-8888
Fax (479) 784-2421
E-Mail:tourism@fortsmith.org
©2003 Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau
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