Arkansas River Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arkansas River Trail |
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Location of the Arkansas River Trail
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| Length | 14 mi (23 km) |
| Location | Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA |
| Trailheads | Little Rock, Arkansas North Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Use | Hiking, Cycling, Jogging |
| Elevation change | hardly any |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Sights | Arkansas River, Pinnacle Mountain, Big Rock, the Little Rock, William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park, The Medical Mile, the Big Dam Bridge, North Little Rock's Burns Park |
The Arkansas River Trail is a super cool path that follows the Arkansas River in Central Arkansas. It's a "rail trail," which means parts of it used to be a railroad! This trail is about 17 miles long and is perfect for walking, biking, and jogging.
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History of the Trail
The idea for the Arkansas River Trail started in 2003. The city of Little Rock helped get it going with money from a special fund.
Some parts of the trail were once used by the Little Rock & Western Railway. Even today, you might see trains running right next to the trail in some spots!
Awesome Bridges on the Trail
The Arkansas River Trail has some amazing bridges that let you cross the river and explore both sides.
Junction and Clinton Presidential Park Bridges
Two old railroad bridges have been turned into special paths just for people walking or riding bikes!
The Junction Bridge opened in May 2008. The Clinton Presidential Park Bridge opened a few years later, in October 2011. It's named after former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Both bridges connect the parks on each side of the river. To get onto the Junction Bridge, you can use stairs or even elevators!
The Clinton Presidential Park Bridge was originally built way back in 1899 as the Rock Island Bridge. It's now the eastern bridge that connects the two parts of the River Trail.
Baring Cross Bridge
There's another railroad bridge downtown called the Baring Cross. This one is still used by real trains from the Union Pacific Railroad. There are plans to build a smaller bridge nearby to help connect more parts of the trail.
