South Arkansas Arboretum — Attraction in El Dorado

Deep in the moss-draped trails of the South Arkansas Arboretum, where the cypress knees rise like knobby fingers from the swampy ground, there lurks a creature most locals won’t speak of after dark—the Arbocabra.

Legend says it’s half boar, half goat, with matted fur the color of rotting pine bark and eyes like glowing amber sap. Unlike its more famous cousin the Chupacabra, the Arbocabra doesn’t thirst for blood—it hungers for sap. Sweetgum, pine, dogwood—none are safe. It creeps from the shadows just before dawn, jamming its tusks into tree bark, slurping up the sap with a long, twitching tongue.

Some say the creature was born from a botched botanical experiment, a fusion of feral hog DNA and a rogue billy goat caught in a storm near the horticulture shed. Others whisper it was summoned by an old druid who got lost hiking in 1974 and was never seen again.

What is known is this: trees in the arboretum occasionally appear ghostly pale, their trunks hollowed and weeping. Rangers blame insects. Locals blame the Arbocabra.

So next time you walk those shaded trails and feel the air thicken, listen close. If you hear hooves crunching leaves, smell the sour musk of sap and sweat, or spot deep gouges in a sweetgum trunk—you might want to turn around.

Because once the Arbocabra’s tasted your scent… it...

I went while most people were working so it was very quiet... except for the road noise from nearby Mt Holly. They obviously improved the park since I last visited 25 years ago. Now there is one wide loop inside the park, probably for a maintenance truck to drive on. They still have the small paths for 2 people to walk together on. I would say that the park is fairly handicap accessable, but tree roots have buckled up the asphalt in a few places. Those with bad vision would benefit from someone accompanying them to help watch out for tripping hazards. I didn't check out the restroom, but I think I remember it being handicap accessable. I would suggest that the park maintenance crew simply mark the tripping hazards with neon spray paint until there is enough to justify repairing the asphalt.

This is nice park that I can recommend simply for walking or studying trees. There is a nice variety of trees here, but they are not labeled.

I did not see...

An interesting little place that, though small, has an impressive variety of plants and trees to enjoy. It has paved paths to walk on with plenty of benches along the paths if you find yourself needing a seat. I discovered this place on the internet, but let me warn you, if you're not familiar with this place or the area, don't trust the info you find on the internet - it's all wrong. First, the address is not 1506 my Holly Rd. That is actually to a hair salon that sits catty-corner to the road that has entrance to the arboretum. Second, while it is open every day, it does not stay open till 7pm. It closes at 5pm. Other than those two issues I did enjoy the place and plan on...