Craighead Forest Park — Attraction in Jonesboro

🥾 It's a nice 692-acre park with pavilions, 2.9 miles of paved walking trails circling the park, 2.4 miles of chat walking trails skirting the lake's edge, 15 miles of biking trails. 🚴 Beginner biking trails are inside the loop road and have trailheads located at Access #5 and Access #6. The beginner trail is approximately 4 miles in length. The more advanced trail begins just behind the bathroom at Pavilion # 1 and winds its way around to the South side of the park before connecting to the beginner section of the trail. The entire trail is 11.7 miles in length and a test for even the most seasoned rider.

🚶🚶‍♀️ Hiking, running and horse trails are also available.

🏇The horse trails are lame, tho. They are not specifically for horses but will accommodate horses. There are no marked trails for horses, but horse enthusiasts may take a nice trail ride on several trails located outside the main road that circles the park.Horses are not allowed on any trails that are inside of the road that circles the park. Also, there is not really any designated place for equine parking, loading/unloading.

🏍️They have a designated area for ATV riders and you can access the trails from that area. That is accessible on the Craighead Forest Rd side.

🏕️ You can tent camp or bring your rig. For tent camping: 5 tent campsites right on the edge of the lake in a primitive camping area with electrical outlets, fire rings and grills, picnic tables, water. A central bathhouse and dump station are also located near the campgrounds.

🛻⛺ For RV camping: 41 sites, all with water and electrical hook-ups (50 amps). All sites have access to a personal table, patio, fire ring, and grill. They offer handicap access, as well as pay laundry machines. There is a dump station for all guests and they offer non-guest paid dumping. Pets are welcome at the park and are free to take advantage of the many trails (if properly leashed) or even take a jump and a swim at the dog jumping pier by the former beach/swimming area. No swimming allowed anymore, that is a thing of the past.

🥏🏌️They also have disc golf set-ups. 🎣 Fishing is allowed. 🛝⚽There are playgrounds for kids and even a small water park. There is a cool castle-themed playground. All of the playgrounds are supposedly handicap-accessible but the Rotary Centennial Park, located on Rotary Way, was specifically designed so that handicapped children can also play. It is a dark wooden structure. ⚾🥎 Softball and basic baseball fields also available. 🏐There is also a volleyball sand court by the playground with...

I only stayed one night as I was passing through only to visit a good friend on a trip from WV to TX. I stayed at the RV campground and had no difficulty backing my 41' class a into the spot. Full hook ups were available and looked to be in good condition with no problems.

When I arrived it was already dark. I was pleasantly surprised by the pretty lake just down the hill from where I camped. I walked my dog around the lake, it was a good little jaunt and I had to take a break or to in the shade for my dog (she's a fluffy 8 lbs and it was a long walk for those short legs).

There is lots of wildlife. I saw squirrels, geese and other water birds, turtles, dragonflies, butterflies, and frogs (well, i heard the frogs). The trail ranges from full sun to luscious shade and everything in between and the path changes between concrete and gravel. The path closest to the water is for pedestrians only, and there is another path that is a larger outside loop for people on bicycles. There are a couple bridges, a number of pavilions, and a few epic looking playgrounds. I also saw a few pieces of exercise gyms dotted here and there.

The park seems super dog friendly with a large fenced in play area that slopes down into the water, as well as another area with a pier designated for dogs that are brave enough to leap in.

The only drawbacks that I encountered included the misquotes which I'm pretty sure were trying to carry me off somewhere. I didnt realize check out time was at 1 pm and the camp host called me at 5 after to inform me that I needed to leave. Other than that, I had a very pleasant experience and would definitely visit again if I find myself in thd area (preferably not during a pandemic or a class...

Pros: Really like this place. Bathrooms and showers immaculate, 2 good handicap rig parking Beautiful Very nice quality walking and hiking trails. At least 1 is wheelchair usable. The one that wraps around the lake has exercise stations every so often , either new or very well maintained Nice fire pit style grill, nice picnic table and our spot has plenty of room to park Cons: On our pad the edges is about 8" drop off making it difficult for physically challenged individuals. Always concerned will tumble down it or catch our foot trying to step up. Trees are very thick and branches are thick above the camper, they are oak trees and are making a huge mess out of my camper and truck which I had just had professionally washed and waxed which was expensive, I worry about a branch falling and damaging the camper, this is only may and the no see ums, mosquitoes and other bugs make it miserable for enjoying the outdoors. The dump station is the only place to dump black water which would be ok except people are not dumping properly and the only way to dump my black water is to Wade through 1/8th to 1/4" of nasty blackwater grossness that people have carelessly just opened up their valve and let it fly is what it looks like, 🤮 so far it has been there the whole time...