Arkansas State Parks Plans Repairs to Withrow Springs Swimming Pool

Arkansas State Parks Plans Repairs to Withrow Springs Swimming Pool

Construction to begin soon

March 4, 2019 - Little Rock, AR

Repairs to the closed Withrow Springs State Park swimming pool will begin in the coming months. Last year, after an engineering investigation found the potential for a catastrophic failure of a supporting wall under the pool, Arkansas State Parks made the difficult decision to close it for the summer season. Now, construction drawings are complete and being reviewed. The bidding process to hire a contractor is expected to occur later this month.

During the closure, state park’s planning and development staff also considered improvements to the pool facility beyond the immediate structural repairs.

“This is not the end of the improvements we are devising for Withrow Springs,” said Arkansas State Parks Chief Planner Jordan Thomas. “With budgets being what they are, we are only able to focus solely on the pool at the moment. However, we are currently in the process of designing enhancements to the day-use area as well.”

In addition to the pool, this park has many other attractions, such as its natural spring for which it is named. The spring’s clear, cold water gushes from a cave at the foot of a bluff. Nestled in a narrow valley cradled by the limestone bluffs of the War Eagle Creek, this park provides a peaceful setting for camping, hiking, and quiet floats. 

From 2006 to 2017, the Arkansas State Park system has invested nearly $4.5 million in construction and renovation projects at Withrow Springs State Park. This includes approximately $1.8 million spent for construction of a new campground in 2005, which has 29 Class AAA campsites with a bathhouse and 10 walk-in campsites with a restroom. 

Hikers can choose from the park's one-mile War Eagle Trail, 3/4-mile Dogwood Nature Trail, and 1 1/4-mile Forest Trail. For those who enjoy a serene floating expedition, the War Eagle Creek is the place to do it. Withrow Springs State Park offers canoe rentals and a shuttle service to make the experience even easier.
 

About Arkansas State Parks

Arkansas state parks and museums cover 54,400 acres of forest, wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation facilities and unique historic and cultural resources. The system includes 1,100 buildings (including 183 historic structures), six National Historic Landmarks, a National Natural Landmark and 16 sites on the National Register of Historic Places.

The state parks have 1,800 camp sites, 1,050 picnic sites, 208 cabins, five lodges, and 415 miles of trails. Eight million visitors annually come from all regions of the country. Park staffs provide over 42,000 education programs, activities and special events to more than 700,000 participants each year.